Caroline Menjivar

Caroline Menjivar (born 1988 or 1989) is an American politician and United States Marine Corps veteran, who has served as a member of the California State Senate since 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, she represents the 20th district. She became the first LGBTQ legislator to represent San Fernando Valley.

Early life Menjivar's parents were immigrants from El Salvador, who moved to the United States during the country's civil war and met at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, California. The family moved to the San Fernando Valley, where Menjivar was born and raised. She attended Encino Charter Elementary School. Her mother worked as a house cleaner and her father was a waiter at a country club in Studio City. They later opened a car dealership. When she was 14, Menjivar began working as a cashier at a restaurant. She graduated from Reseda High School. Her family was evicted from their home when she was 18 due to the 2008 financial crisis.

Menjivar applied for a position with the Los Angeles Fire Department but was rejected and instead joined the U. S. Marine Corps, serving between 2009 and 2016, at a time when "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was in operation. She then began working as an EMT while earning her bachelor's degree in sociology from California State University, Northridge. While working for the Los Angeles Mayor's Gender Equity Office as a David Bohnett Fellow. She received a masters of social welfare from the University of California, Los Angeles. After graduating, she worked for former Los Angeles Councilwoman Nury Martinez as a field deputy and for former Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti where, as the East Valley representative, she organized the first LGBTQ+ Pride Car Parade in San Fernando Valley.

In the primary election on June 7, 2022, Menjivar received 29.76% of the vote, coming in second place behind Hertzberg, who received 30.82%. She won the general election with 58.46% of the vote and was sworn in to the state senate on December 5, 2022. She became the first LGBTQ legislator to represent San Fernando Valley. Menjivar expressed opposition to the bill, saying that housing should not be built near transit lines in her district that "are not going to be utilized by working class individuals."

Personal life Menjivar is married to Jocelyn Tapia, a marriage and family therapist.

Electoral history