Candidate for
Trustee; Sacramento City Unified School District; Trustee Area 4

Gustavo Arroyo has over nine years of public policy and government experience. He is a former Senate Fellow, board member for his neighborhood association, and volunteer mentor for a Statewide Youth Leadership program. He currently serves as an Education Policy Consultant for the Senate Education Committee.

The future members of the Sacramento City Unified School District will have to make tough and well-informed decisions from day one. The district faces an unprecedented $25 million deficit and now more than ever, new leadership with a clear vision for the future is needed. In an editorial endorsing Arroyo, the Sacramento Bee wrote, "Arroyo will hit the ground running - something this board needs...he knows what school districts are up against, and he has strong ideas about what works".

As a long-time resident of South Sacramento, Gustavo understands the needs of our community. Gustavo overcame many challenges and can relate with students who come from families with low educational attainment. He was born in California, but spent much of his childhood in Mexico. His family's return to California was marked by the struggles most new immigrants face: learning a new language, adjusting to a new culture and way of life, and the risks associated with gang and youth violence.

Despite these obstacles, Gustavo focused on education, worked his way through college, and went on to graduate from Sacramento State University with a degree in Government. He is the first in his family to graduate from college. Soon after, he was accepted into the prestigious Senate Fellowship Program where he gained firsthand knowledge of the inner workings of state and local government and the passion for public service he still carries today.

Gustavo Arroyo has always had a passion for education and helping others. He is the proud father of a soon to be born child and hopes to use his experience to create a school district that parents can be proud of.