MEET Dulce
Dulce’s story is not unlike many other immigrant stories across Los Angeles. She was born in Mexico and at a young age, her parents brought her to the U.S. for a chance at a better life. She spent her childhood cleaning mansions with her mother, a housekeeper, while her father worked in construction. She split the rest of her childhood between her studies and looking after her little brother—a responsibility many immigrant siblings share. She attended public schools that did not turn her away for being undocumented and even qualified for free and reduced breakfast and lunch.
The struggles of her family, both the ones that migrated to the U.S., and her extended family that remains in Mexico, have shaped her worldview and fueled her passion to help others. Dulce watched as her family was left jobless and in financial ruin after the peso crisis of 1994.
Her grandfather went from being the general manager of a car dealership to working at a trash recycling plant, already in his late 50’s. He taught her that resilience is key and that education is the one thing no one could ever take away from her. That is what motivated Dulce to study diligently, ultimately receiving her BA from Northwestern University, where she was a Gates Millennium Scholar, and her Master’s in Public Policy from UCLA.
Helping other Latinos achieve educational success has driven Dulce’s work, and she has spent the last decade mentoring young women in South Central LA, as well as advocating for more inclusive education policies. She is passionate about serving her community, most recently as an appointee of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on the El Pueblo/Olvera Street Board of Commissioners and as a Neighborhood Council Member.
After serving for nearly a decade as Managing Director of Zocalo Public Square - LA’s civic forum - where she ran the nonprofit’s programming, finances, strategic partnerships, development, and human resources, Dulce is now an education advocate, creating robust partnerships with a cross section of business, government and philanthropic organizations to promote higher education for low income and first generation students. These efforts create opportunities that uplift students, families and entire communities.
Dulce is running to fight for her community. She knows that we need livable neighborhoods. We need to reimagine what public safety means. We need to bridge the gaps in education. We need to protect and expand access to safe, legal abortion and quality healthcare. And as an openly bi Latina immigrant, Dulce knows first-hand that we need to achieve full, lived equality for women, immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community and communities of color.
In her spare time she loves to run, spend time with her husband and dogs, and cheer for LAFC.