Washington, D.C. – Today, the Latino Victory Fund announced the endorsement of Anna Valencia for Illinois secretary of state. If elected, Valencia would be the first Latina, woman, and mom elected to this seat.
“Anna’s candidacy is historic for Latinos, women, and millennials. She’s a highly qualified candidate with a bold vision for modernizing the Secretary of State’s Office and ensuring it is accessible to everyone. She’s a stalwart public servant and the best candidate for secretary of state,” said Nathalie Rayes, Latino Victory Fund president & CEO. “Anna has demonstrated her leadership strength as the Chicago city clerk and throughout her career, going beyond her political aspirations by building a bench of young leaders to follow in her footsteps. Latino Victory is committed to increasing the number of Latinas elected to statewide office, and Anna’s candidacy will not only make her one of the select Latinas elected statewide in the country, but it will give Illinois’ 2 million Latinos one more voice in their elected government.”
Latino Victory supports candidates who would be the first Latinas elected to their seat and help build the next generation of Latina leaders, who are vastly underrepresented in elected office. The organization is committed to assisting Latina candidates like Valencia break barriers for the Latino community and future generations of Latina elected officials. The organization is also working to increase Latino representation at the statewide level, especially in states with large Latino populations such as Illinois, where 17 percent of the population is Latino, reflecting an ongoing trend of Latinos increasing their electoral and political power across the Midwest.
Meet Anna Valencia
Anna Valencia could become the first Latina, woman, and mom elected secretary of state in Illinois. Valencia made history in 2017 when she became the second Latina to serve as the Chicago city clerk. In this role, she serves 1.2 million Chicagoans and generates over $130 million annually. Under her leadership, the City Clerk’s office has made it a priority to find new and innovative ways to bring services directly to residents, increase civic engagement, and collaborate across government in the private and public sectors. Valencia, a millennial leader, uses innovative thinking and her working-class roots to guide her work.
Before being elected clerk, Valencia was the director of legislative counsel and government affairs (LCGA) in the Chicago Mayor’s Office, the second woman, and first Latina to hold this position. Valencia has also worked as an Illinois and national political professional for several elected officials, including U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, U.S. Senator Gary Peters, and U.S. Congressman Mike Quigley.
In 2018, Business Insider named Valencia one of the eight most influential millennial women in U.S. politics and was also included in Negocios Now’s 40 under 40 list for her work as part of the next generation of Latina leaders. Valencia earned her degree in international studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Valencia lives in the Tri-Taylor neighborhood with her husband, their daughter, and their dog.
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The Latino Victory Fund is a progressive political action committee with the mission of growing Latino political power by increasing Latino representation at every level of government – from the school board to the Senate to the White House.
