Angelica Rubio

Angelica Rubio is a Democratic State Representative for New Mexico's House District 35 (downtown Las Cruces and surrounding historical neighborhoods), first elected in 2016. Born and raised in the rural colonia of Lake Arthur in southeastern New Mexico, she is the youngest of six children of Mexican immigrant parents. A lifelong organizer inspired by Dolores Huerta, Rubio has built coalitions across southern New Mexico fighting for worker-centered policies, environmental justice, and immigrant communities. She is known for biking approximately 300 miles from Las Cruces to Santa Fe before legislative sessions to highlight the disconnect between the capitol and the rest of the state.

Youngest of six children born to Mexican immigrant parents in the rural colonia of Lake Arthur, New Mexico. Her father Eduardo was born in Presidio, Texas to a family with mixed immigration status and worked agricultural jobs. Her mother Maria immigrated from Ojinaga, Mexico, and the couple met while working cotton fields in Dexter, New Mexico during the 1950s. Her grandmother, Mami Dominga, left her family in 1950s Mexico to build a better life in the U.S. Growing up in a Spanish-speaking household, Rubio frequently interpreted for her parents at medical appointments and official settings. Her mother Maria became notable in New Mexican folklore when she observed an image resembling Jesus on a tortilla in 1977, bringing national attention to the family.