"I will represent the citizens of Escondido the way I want my own family represented."

Working as an office manager for First Years at Escondido Union School District has provided an inside perspective regarding our schools, as well as our community. First Years Escondido believes that parents are children's first and most important teachers.

I agree. And through regular contact with these families, I have felt the pulse of many of our residents' concerns and aspirations.

Apart from my work with the school district, for the past three years I have served as a member of the Neighborhood Healthcare board of directors, gaining an education regarding the health of our residents and the dedicated organizations that strive to improve the quality of life.

I'm also a wife, mother of two daughters, and a home owner.

Roots

I was born in Tijuana, less than 50 miles from Escondido. But it was an incredible 20-year journey to go from the city of my birth to citizenship in the United States. That journey has provided a perspective that, I hope, can help bridge some social, cultural, and perceptual gaps.

All I remember about Mexico is my mother struggling to raise our family by herself. Our income came from my father, who had been working legally in the United States since 1957. He always worked hard to provide for all of us, but his dedication to our welfare came with a cost: we didn't get to see him much — maybe once a month.

My dad's vision was to move the whole family to the U.S. so we could all enjoy a better life. Basically, he wanted the American dream for his family. Daughters Cristina and Miranda enjoy the family's 1966 VW Beetle

I was 10 when we finally received our visas and moved to Escondido. Dad continued to work two jobs, as migrant worker during the day and a janitor at night. My mother was kept busy with the kids.

When I was 12, I began working after school with my father I wanted to help because I could see how hard our dad worked to support us. Yet we still had barely enough to cover the bills and food.

And, I enjoyed spending more time with Dad. He taught me how to replace faucets, clean floors, and work hard.

Life in an "affordable" neighborhood

The neighborhood we lived in was not the safest, but we could afford it. We were surrounded by gangs and drug users, and actually lived next to a building known as "The White House." It was occupied by drug dealers. As I got older, I started calling the police on them. I would even show the cops where they hid the drugs. I was just tired of being scared in my own neighborhood. Later that house was demolished and drug dealers moved elsewhere.

Work and citizenship

I started working in a pharmacy at age 15, and later received my Pharmacy license. At 20, I realized I wanted to do something for my community. I returned to school and received my GED, then enrolled in the Police Reserve Academy program at Palomar College. Next came my Associates Degree of Arts.

I am married to a State of California Fire Captain. We bought our house in North Escondido, where we are raising our two teen-age girls. Our family and community are our priorities. After serving on the Chief of Police Advisory Board, I was named Escondido Citizen of the Year by the Escondido Police Department. Currently I'm serving on the board of Neighborhood Healthcare, an organization dedicated to serving members of our community who are most in need. I am also the Outreach Director of the Escondido Democratic Club.

And, it was a VERY proud moment, for me and for my family, when, in 1990, I became a citizen of the United States.

For 3 years I worked with high-risk kids at Nicolaysen Community Day School, and more-recently was Office Manager for Escondido Union School District.

I'm the first to admit that this is not the resume of a typical candidate for office. However, my diverse experience has provided me a strong overview of our community - its people and its issues.

I offer you a strong sense of direction, and a commitment to work closely with other council members to resolve our community issues.