About Raúl
Raúl has a thirty-year record of exceptional public service in Southern Arizona. Raúl, his wife Ramona, and their three daughters Adelita, Raquel, and Marisa, have a lifelong commitment to improving quality of life in the Southern Arizona community.
Raúl began his public career as a community organizer and continues to be an advocate for underrepresented constituencies in Tucson and Southern Arizona. In the 1970s he joined with other advocates at El Rio Community Health Center to encourage local governments to invest in older and minority neighborhoods. He helped organize neighborhood empowerment efforts that prompted the City of Tucson to expand services to the south and west sides, including the construction of neighborhood service centers such as El Rio, El Pueblo and Fred Archer. He directed the El Pueblo Neighborhood Center from 1975 to 1986.
From 1974 to 1986, Raúl served on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board, including as chairman for the last six years of his tenure. The community looked to Raúl as an advocate for teacher and employee rights, civil rights, and increased funding and support for public education. An elementary school was named after him when he retired to honor his service and contributions to education in TUSD.
Raúl continued his service to the community when he was elected to the Pima County Board of Supervisors, where he served from 1988 to 2003. At the Board of Supervisors, he was a staunch advocate for balanced planning and fairness in land use decisions. His leadership led to the creation of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. He continued his advocacy for working families, reinvesting in older and minority neighborhoods by passing the first bond package that contained a $10 million commitment to reinvesting in older, poorer neighborhoods and the funding of a housing trust fund.
In 2002, Raúl resigned from the Pima County Board of Supervisors to seek office in the newly created Seventh Congressional District. Volunteer efforts helped Raúl successfully overcome a nine-candidate primary against several former or then-current elected officials, even as he was outspent three to one by his closest competitor. Raúl won with a diverse coalition of supporters that led the largest volunteer-driven election effort in Arizona. Raúl’s campaign, “A Whole Lot of People for Grijalva,” was driven by volunteers who knocked on doors, made phone calls, handled mailings, and made great friends that expanded the Grijalva political family. That election united hundreds of wonderfully dedicated activists of all ages, races, and interests.
The 2002 election proved that volunteers and grassroots campaigning can win against money, connections and powerful interests. Since his initial election, Raúl has continued to aggressively campaign for reelection with the help of a large group of dedicated volunteers. They continue to come together for Raúl, who has remained a steadfast leader unafraid to take tough votes. Raúl believes in educating the public rather than exploiting fears and insecurities. He remains committed to bring fairness and accountability to our federal government in providing services and protecting the health and safety of the public.
Please join A Whole lot of People for Grijalva to unite us as a nation that provides opportunity and equal protections for us all.
