Meet Nora Vargas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nora Vargas.

Nora, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am a proud immigrant who grew up in the San Diego -Tijuana region and has lived in the South Bay for over 30 years. I feel very fortunate to have been raised by two exceptional hard-working parents Eduardo and Elizabeth Vargas, the coolest, most encouraging, and supportive parents on earth. My angel mom passed away very suddenly of cancer eleven years ago, and that had a significant impact on me and what I prioritize. I carry her and her love of life in my heart and try to live every day, honoring her memory. As the oldest of four (my siblings always remind everyone of that), I took on the responsibility of opening up new paths very early on. I have two sisters Erika, who is an architect, she graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. My sister Frida is a Medical Doctor, she graduated from Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, and my youngest brother Eduardo is a successful entrepreneur. I am a very proud older sister and aunt to two beautiful, strong, bold, gorgeous nieces Fatima and Farah. When they were born, my life changed forever. I feel a huge responsibility to make sure they grow up in a more just and equitable world. My family is my rock. They are my ride or die. They give me the strength I need in challenging times, and they remind me of the importance of enjoying the present and having fun, and when we are together, it is always a great time.   

 My civic engagement in the South Bay started in my early teens with my mom taking us with her to her work volunteer activities, from painting schools to picking up trash; it was a family affair. I am a product of South Bay public schools. I attended Montgomery High School, where I was actively involved, including as secretary of MECHA. My first job was at 16 years old at Millers Outpost in Chula Vista ( I am dating myself). While attending Southwestern College, I worked two jobs. I was a data entry assistant at a dental office on 3rd Avenue in Chula Vista and had work-study at Southwestern College to pay for college. In 1991, after three years at Southwestern College, I transferred to the University of San Francisco, a Jesuit University– it was a transformative move. At USF, I worked numerous jobs and was a resident advisor. It was there where I learned the importance of leadership and how I could utilize the skills I had to fight for social justice. It was like it all clicked, and my value system was defined. I understood the concept of intersectionality and why being at the table and creating our own spaces is critical to the advancement of our communities. It laid the foundation for my commitment to work tirelessly for the last twenty-plus years to break down barriers and promote opportunities for our communities.

 Since then, I’ve taken every opportunity to touch people’s lives personally and professionally. I have been fortunate to build a support network of mentors, colleagues, and friends that have been essential in my path. From working for a member of Congress, serving the Clinton Administration, being the first Latina Executive for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, and the first Latina appointed to CalSTRS, the largest teacher pension Board in the Nation. This extensive network has helped me immensely. Not in my wildest dreams would I have believed that I would have the honor to serve in these numerous capacities.  

Yet, it is these experiences that have reinforced my commitment to lift others and create inclusive spaces. Along the way, I learned the importance of solidifying long term change to ensure the next generations have it a little bit easier. I know that I have broken many glass ceilings and that I have served as the first woman of color, first Latina in numerous capacities, but I know I will not be the last. I’ve carried the responsibility of having to excel in circles were Latinas and women of color did not have a seat at the table. I am proud of my accomplishments, but more importantly, living a life with integrity, being true to my values and being ethical. I attribute my achievements to my parents; they are my moral compass. I am grateful that they instilled in me the importance of living a life with purpose.  

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In my journey to where I am today, I have had to overcome many obstacles because I am a woman, I am Latina, and I am an immigrant. I have constantly been a trailblazer in my field, and as rewarding as it can be to pave the way for future generations, there are many challenges along the way. When I began my career in politics, there were not many Latinas that I could look to for support or career advice. While being a woman in politics was difficult, being a young female Latina staffer was much more challenging. I had to work harder than others to earn the respect of my male colleagues by standing up to them and defending my beliefs. I found myself constantly challenging the status quo with my unique perspective.

I quickly learned that being vocal was crucial and that my voice, in particular, was powerful. My voice did not only represent me, it represented the needs of everyone in my community that did not have a seat at the table. Representing and amplifying the needs of my community became my driving force.

In addition to being one of the first Latinas in politics, I was the first Latina to become an executive at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. I would never have imagined that I would become one of the youngest executives at Planned Parenthood. This experience taught me the importance of taking initiative and being confident in your own abilities and surrounding yourself with people that support you and nurture your development. I was fortunate to have a CEO who saw something in me that I didn’t initially see in myself. There were no other women that looked like me or spoke like me in executive roles. It was hard for me to see myself in these high-level roles without role models. I firmly believe representation matters. I will forever be grateful to that CEO for taking a risk on me and encouraging me to take on a new role that ultimately changed my life.

As a first in many roles, I do not take my responsibility lightly. I carry the weight of my community on my shoulders and I want to continue encouraging young people to take a seat at the decision-making table.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
I’m excited to be running for San Diego County Supervisor. As an education and healthcare advocate, I’ve been in some tough fights. In my previous position as Vice President of Community & Government Relations for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, I championed expanded healthcare services, women’s reproductive rights and health education for youth and families.

As a Southwestern Community College Board Member, I’ve balanced tough budgets, increased transparency and fought for all students to have access to affordable education and job training, from recent high school graduates to our veterans, to returning students and our DREAMers.

I also served as a Governor Brown appointee to the California State Teachers Retirement (CalSTRS) Board, the largest teacher retirement system in the Nation. On the board, I focused on policy to ensure that CalSTRS investments are socially responsible and financially sound.

Knowing me is to know that; I never slow down. It’s because I am committed to doing good work and getting others, especially young people, involved in public service. I have served on numerous boards and commissions, including Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) and Run Women Run, where I worked to recruit and train young women to become community leaders and run for elective office.

I’m looking forward to the road ahead and to continuing to fight for all San Diegans to have the opportunity to own a home, raise their families in safe neighborhoods, and send their children to the best schools possible. I hope you will join me in this critical effort.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Yes, I am thrilled to be running for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. We started this journey thirteen months ago with over 200 of my family, friends, colleagues, and supporters joining me to kick-off what has been one of my proudest endeavors. We have knocked on thousands of doors and dialed and texted thousands of numbers, had Meet & Greets throughout the district to make sure that our message about building stronger and healthier communities is spread throughout district 1. I am looking forward to the journey ahead and to continue to fight for all San Diegans. At my core, I believe that we all deserve a chance to thrive. I have seen first hand that families all over the county are struggling to have their basic needs met- to pay their rent, pay for their medical expenses, and send their children to school. 

I am running for the County Board of Supervisors because I want our families and communities to have access to all the resources they need to be successful and healthy. This is my community I’ve been fighting for 25 years to reduce barriers and I will continue to advocate for our communities and ensure that more women of color have the opportunities they need to run for office, serve on boards and commissions and lead organizations and/or corporations, because representation matters. 

After a year and a half hiatus from running half marathons (I’ve actually ran 10, half marathons) Im all signed up and training for my first half marathon of the decade, the San Diego Rock and Roll 1/2 marathon and Im really looking forward to getting back out there. Look for me and my bib #runNorarun on May 31st!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.noravargas.com/issues/
• Email: teamnora@noravargas.com
• Instagram: noravargassd

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