There has been plenty of Latine representation this week at the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, which wraps up on Thursday (August 22) with presidential hopeful Kamala Harris officially accepting the Democratic nomination.
From U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s powerful speech to actress Eva Longoria name dropping Selena, Democrats know how important the Latine vote will be on Election Day. So, how can the Harris campaign target more Latine voters, especially in swing states that will ultimately decide the election?
Meet Julie Chávez Rodriguez, campaign manager for Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign. Chávez Rodriguez, who is the granddaughter of late labor leader Cesar Chávez, transitioned into her role after holding the same position during President Joe Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign before he dropped out of the race late last month.
Born in Delano, California, Chávez Rodriguez was raised doing outreach activities with her family for the United Farm Workers of America (UFWA). She earned a degree in Latin American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.
During the Barack Obama administration, she worked as the deputy director of the Office of Public Engagement and later as Special Assistant to the President. In 2016, Harris, who was a California Senator at the time, appointed Chávez Rodriguez as her state director. Four years later, Biden hired her to oversee Latino outreach as a senior advisor during his 2020 presidential campaign.
With her strong background in grassroots campaigning, Chávez Rodriguez is doing everything she can to make sure Latines nationwide know that Harris has their best interests at heart.
“I’ve seen who [Harris is] fighting for when she’s in the halls of power,” Chávez Rodriguez said. “She fights for families like ours.”