Julian Castro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julián Castro
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Official portrait, 2016
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| 16th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | |
| In office July 28, 2014 – January 20, 2017 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | Nani A. Coloretti |
| Preceded by | Shaun Donovan |
| Succeeded by | Ben Carson |
| 181st Mayor of San Antonio | |
| In office June 1, 2009 – July 22, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Phil Hardberger |
| Succeeded by | Ivy Taylor |
| Member of the San Antonio City Council from the 7th district |
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| In office July 1, 2001 – July 1, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Ed Garza |
| Succeeded by | Elena Guajardo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 16, 1974 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Erica Lira
(m. 2007; div. 2022) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
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| Relatives | Joaquin Castro (twin brother) |
| Education | Stanford University (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Julián Castro (born September 16, 1974) is an American lawyer and politician from San Antonio, Texas. He is a member of the Democratic Party. From 2014 to 2017, he served as the 16th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama. At the time, he was the youngest member of President Obama's cabinet.
Before working in Washington, D.C., Castro was the mayor of his hometown from 2009 to 2014. In 2016, many people thought he might be chosen as a running mate for Hillary Clinton in her presidential campaign. He has an identical twin brother, Joaquin Castro, who is a U.S. Congressman.
On January 12, 2019, Julián Castro announced he was running for president in the 2020 United States presidential election. He ended his campaign on January 2, 2020, and later supported Elizabeth Warren's campaign.
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Growing Up in Texas
Julián Castro was born in San Antonio, Texas. His parents are Maria "Rosie" Castro and Jessie Guzman. He has an identical twin brother named Joaquin Castro. Julián was born just one minute before Joaquin.
The Castro family has Mexican roots. His grandmother, Victoria Castro, came to Texas from Mexico in 1920 when she was a young girl. His mother, Rosie, was a political activist who helped start a political party called La Raza Unida. She ran for the San Antonio City Council in 1971. Julián has said his mother was the main reason he and his brother went into public service.
His father, Jessie Guzman, was a math teacher and also a political activist. His parents never married and separated when the brothers were eight years old.
School and College Years
Castro went to Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio. He played football, basketball, and tennis. He graduated in 1992 and went to Stanford University with his brother, Joaquin.
At Stanford, he studied political science and communications. He and his brother both ran for student senate and won. Castro has said that affirmative action, a policy that helps minorities get into college, helped him get into Stanford. He graduated in 1996.
After Stanford, Castro went to Harvard Law School and graduated in 2000 with a law degree. He and his brother then worked at a law firm before starting their own firm in 2005.
Starting in Politics
In 2001, at age 26, Castro was elected to the San Antonio City Council. He was the youngest councilman in the city's history. He represented District 7, an area on the city's west side. He served on the council until 2005.
Mayor of His Hometown
Castro first ran for mayor of San Antonio in 2005 but lost. He ran again in 2009 and won with over 56% of the vote. He became the youngest mayor of a major American city. He was easily re-elected in 2011 and 2013.
As mayor, Castro started several programs to help the people of San Antonio.
- SA2020: A project where citizens shared their ideas for the city's future.
- Cafe College: A center that gives college advice to students.
- Pre-K for SA: A program to provide pre-kindergarten education for more children, paid for by a small tax increase.
In 2012, Castro gave the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. This brought him national attention.
Working for President Obama
In 2014, President Barack Obama asked Castro to be the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This department helps people find safe and affordable housing. Castro accepted the job and moved to Washington, D.C.
He was confirmed by the Senate on July 9, 2014, and served until the end of Obama's presidency in January 2017. As Secretary, he worked to help the housing market, rebuild communities after natural disasters, and protect families from lead paint in their homes.
Running for President in 2020
| Julian Castro | |
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| Campaign | 2020 United States presidential election (Democratic primaries) |
| Candidate | Julián Castro 16th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (2014–2017) Mayor of San Antonio, Texas (2009–2014) |
| Affiliation | Democratic Party |
| Announced | January 12, 2019 |
| Suspended | January 2, 2020 |
| Headquarters | San Antonio, Texas |
| Key people | Rep. Joaquin Castro (campaign chairman) Maya Rupert (campaign manager) Derek Eadon (deputy campaign manager) Jennifer Fiore (communications advisor) Scott Atlas (finance chairman) |
| Receipts | US$10,264,312.76 (12/31/2019) |
| Slogan | One Nation. One Destiny. |
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On January 12, 2019, Castro officially announced he was running for President of the United States. His campaign focused on ideas like Medicare for All, free pre-kindergarten for all children, and creating a path for undocumented immigrants to become citizens.
During the debates, Castro's performance was often praised. However, in one debate, he had a heated argument with fellow candidate Joe Biden about healthcare. Some people felt his comments were unfair and seen as a "low blow."
Castro ended his presidential campaign on January 2, 2020. He said in Spanish, "¡Ganaremos un día!" which means "One day we'll win!"
What He's Doing Now
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After ending his own campaign, Castro endorsed Elizabeth Warren for president. When she dropped out, he supported Joe Biden.
Since 2020, Castro has stayed involved in politics and public life.
- He started a weekly podcast called Our America with Julián Castro.
- He joined the board of directors of the Center for American Progress, a political research group.
- In 2021, he became a political commentator for NBC News and MSNBC.
What Julián Castro Believes
Here are some of Julián Castro's political positions on important issues.
- Economy: He supports raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. He also believes in having a balanced government budget.
- Education: He supports free pre-kindergarten for all children and wants to make the first two years of college tuition-free.
- Healthcare: He supports the Affordable Care Act and wants a system where everyone has health insurance. He suggests a "public option," which would be a government-run health insurance plan that people could choose.
- Environment: He supports the Paris climate accord and the Green New Deal, which are plans to fight climate change.
- Immigration: He supports creating a way for most undocumented immigrants to become U.S. citizens. He believes crossing the border without permission should be a civil issue, not a crime.
- LGBTQ Rights: He is a strong supporter of LGBTQ rights. As mayor, he supported same-sex marriage and was the first San Antonio mayor to be the grand marshal of the city's Pride Parade.
Personal Life
In 2007, Castro married Erica Lira, a teacher. They divorced in 2022. They have a daughter, born in 2009, and a son, born in 2014.
Castro is Catholic. He is not a native Spanish speaker but began learning the language in 2010.
See also
In Spanish: Julián Castro (político) para niños
