Myrna Munoz

Myrna Munoz earned a high school diploma from Duarte High School, a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, a graduate degree from California State University, Fresno, and a graduate degree from Portland State University. Munoz's career experience includes working as a education consultant.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm Myrna Muñoz, a Latina educator, civil rights activist, and union leader with nearly 30 years of experience fighting for working families. I'm a mother of two, the granddaughter of braceros, and a current SEIU Local 503 member (formerly OEA and AFT-Oregon). I've served as a preschool teacher, classroom teacher, school principal, PSU adjunct professor, and now work as an Oregon Department of Education Educational Specialist. I'm bilingual (English and Spanish) and have dedicated my career to serving farmworker families, immigrant communities, and students in Title I schools across California and Oregon. I'm running for Oregon State Senate District 15 because my community needs a senator who answers to working families, not corporate donors.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Civil Rights Are My Number One Priority. Immigrant families in District 15 are living in fear from recent abductions and racially targeted intimidation. I'll fight for zero ICE cooperation, legal defense funding for families facing deportation, support for farmworker organizing, full funding for public defense, protection of reproductive freedom and gender-affirming care (reproductive healthcare saved my life when I had a miscarriage), and voting rights protection. Civil rights also means workers' rights. As a union member who served on the PSU bargaining team, I know what organized labor can do for working families. I'll support collective bargaining rights for all workers.Protect Our Farmland, Water, and Climate—Stop Corporate Giveaways. There's a push to expand the Urban Growth Boundary by 1,700 acres for data centers. These facilities consume millions of gallons of water, release forever chemicals into our waterways, drain massive electricity while utility bills are up 50%, and accelerate climate change. Legislation that gives them 10-year tax breaks while our schools, fire, police, and roads are underfunded. I grew up in LA sprawl. Oregon's natural beauty brought my family here. I refuse corporate PAC money and will fight to protect our farmland, regulate data centers, defend the Urban Growth Boundary, and ensure clean water and air for all. Families shouldn't pay higher bills so corporations can profit.Fully Fund Education and Healthcare for All. I know what fully funded schools look like and what underfunding does to students. I'll fight for competitive teacher salaries, smaller class sizes, universal preschool, fully funded ERDC so working families can access childcare, and affordable higher education. Healthcare is a basic right. I'll fight for universal healthcare, strengthen the Oregon Health Plan, protect reproductive and gender-affirming care, address maternal health inequities, and ensure workplace safety. Healthcare includes environmental justice—clean water and air are public health issues. I'm building a grassroots, people-powered campaign that refuses corporate PAC money and listens to working families.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I'm passionate about civil rights, education, and healthcare because they're essential for working families.

Civil rights means protecting immigrant families (I'm the granddaughter of braceros), defending workers' rights to organize (I'm a union member), ensuring reproductive freedom (reproductive healthcare saved my life), and guaranteeing public defense.

Education is my life's work serving Title I schools and farmworker families. Every child deserves fully funded schools and affordable higher education.

Healthcare and public health, including environmental justice. I'm fighting against 1,700 acres of farmland being handed to data centers that poison our water and accelerate climate change.