Carmen Ramírez was the District 5 Supervisor for Ventura County, CA. Previously she spent a decade as a member of the Oxnard City Council. She began her career as a legal aid attorney in Oxnard and Ventura, and served on organizations such as the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District, Economic Development Collaborative, and the Southern California Association of Governments. She was a board member for Water Education for Latino Leaders and the Center for Civic Education.
“Sometimes I'd be in a closed session, almost in tears, begging people to do the right thing. But after they heard from the community members, it was a very strong motivator. That's the only way you can do it - you cannot bring about change as one elected official.”