Janet Murguía facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Janet Murguía
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| Born | September 6, 1960 Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
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| Education | University of Kansas, Lawrence (BA, BS, JD) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Relatives | Mary H. Murguia (twin sister) Carlos Murguia (brother) |
Janet Murguía was born on September 6, 1960. She is an American leader who works to protect and advance the rights of people. She is the president of an organization called UnidosUS. This group used to be known as the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). It is a big organization that helps and speaks up for the Hispanic community in the United States.
Janet has a twin sister named Mary and an older brother named Carlos. Both of her siblings are federal judges, which means they work in the U.S. court system.
Leading a Big Civil Rights Group
On January 1, 2005, Janet Murguía became the president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). This group is now called UnidosUS. It is the largest national organization that works for the civil rights of Hispanic people in the U.S.
As the leader of UnidosUS, Janet often speaks to the U.S. Congress. She talks about important issues that affect the Latino community. These topics include education, health care, and making immigration laws better. She also discusses civil rights and the economy. Because she is a main spokesperson for the organization, she is often interviewed by news channels and appears on many TV news shows.
Janet Murguía is also a member of several important boards. She serves on the board of the Independent Sector, which is a group of non-profit organizations and companies. She is also on the executive committee of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. She helps guide the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility and the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda. She also advises the National Hispanic University.
In the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Janet Murguía supported the Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton.
Important Jobs Before UnidosUS
Before leading UnidosUS, Janet Murguía held several other important roles. In 2001, she started working at the University of Kansas (KU). There, she was the Executive Vice Chancellor for University Relations. In this job, she helped manage the university's plans and marketing across its four campuses.
Before working at the University of Kansas, she was part of Al Gore's campaign for president in 2000. She was the deputy campaign manager and director of outreach. This meant she was the main link between Al Gore and different groups of people across the country. She also spoke for the campaign on radio, in newspapers, and on TV.
Janet Murguía also worked for seven years as a legal advisor to Congressman Jim Slattery from Kansas. After that, she worked at the White House from 1994 to 2000. She eventually became a deputy assistant to President Bill Clinton. In this role, she gave the president advice on important plans and laws. She also helped lead the legislative staff and was a main contact between the White House and Congress.
Recognitions and Awards
In 2022, Janet Murguía was honored by USA Today. She was named one of their Women of the Year. This award recognizes women who have made a big and positive difference in the world.
