Hispanic Heritage Month: Janet Murguía

Janet Murguía and her twin sister, Mary, were born on Sept. 6, 1960, in Kansas City, Kansas. The Murguía family lived in the Argentine district, and Janet’s parents taught their seven children the value of hard work and sacrifice. They also emphasized the importance of giving back to the community. In Argentine, that spirit of community was everywhere, and many of Janet’s siblings have also taken on prominent roles advocating for Kansas City’s Hispanic community.

Janet studied journalism and Spanish at the University of Kansas, where she also received her juris doctorate. She began her career as legislative counsel to Kansas Congressman Jim Slattery. In 1994, she began working for the Clinton White House, ultimately serving as the deputy assistant to President Clinton and acting as a liaison to Congress. In 2001, she joined the University of Kansas as Executive Vice Chancellor for University Relations. In the two decades since, she has held several prominent roles, including President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza, the largest national Hispanic civil rights advocacy organization in the United States. Currently, she is president of UnidosUS.

 

Sources:

https://www.unidosus.org/about/team/janet-murguia/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Murgu%C3%ADa

https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/alumni/Honorary-Degrees/Pages/Janet-Murguia.aspx