Raúl Grijalva began his career in public service as a community organizer in Tucson. Four decades later, he continues to be an advocate for those in need and a voice for the constituents of his home community. From 1974 to 1986, Raúl served on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board, including six years as Chairman. In 1988, he was elected to the Pima County Board of Supervisors, where he served for the next 15 years, chairing the Board for two of those years. Raúl resigned his seat on the Board of Supervisors in 2002 to seek office in Arizona’s newly created Seventh Congressional District. Despite a nine-candidate primary and the challenge of being outspent three-to-one by his closest competitor, Raúl was elected with a 20-point victory, thanks to a diverse coalition of supporters that led the largest volunteer-driven election effort in Arizona.
As a former School Board member in Tucson, it’s a lifelong mission of mine to ensure that every child receives the world-class education they deserve—regardless of their zip code, immigration status, or language barriers. For too long, we’ve cut budgets and forced teachers to make miracles with fewer resources while leaving our students—particularly students of color—ill-prepared to enter the workforce of pursue higher education opportunities. Stronger investments in our public schools, increasing apprenticeships and technical training, and making higher education opportunities more affordable and accessible are some of the best ways we can ensure our children receive the education they need to prepare them for participation in the 21st century workforce.