Monica De La Cruz-Hernandez
Monica De La Cruz-Hernandez comes from humble beginnings. Her grandmother immigrated to the United States as a child to flee political injustice in Mexico. Monica’s grandfather was a first-generation American, and proudly served in the U.S. Navy. Monica’s mother, Norma, singlehandedly raised her and her brother in Brownsville, Texas. Growing up, Monica’s family built strong foundations of perseverance, respect, and courage that motivated Monica to be involved in community leadership roles from a young age. She served as class president and head cheerleader at James Pace High School and as an altar server at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Living on the border and attending a public high school, Monica saw firsthand the effects of a broken immigration system and failed government policies.