Senator Caroline Menjivar

Senator Caroline Menjivar was first elected in 2022 and is the first LGBTQ+ member to represent Burbank and the San Fernando Valley. She is a first-generation Salvadorean-American, who was raised in the very communities she now represents. Menjivar first came out in high school, but only within the confines of the school. Growing up in a religious, conservative family, she knew they would not accept her as a lesbian. As Menjivar navigated her sexual orientation, she encountered therapists who lacked cultural competency in supporting LGBTQ+ youth, and the results were damaging instead of healing. During her time in the U.S. Marine Corps, she was forced to continue to hide her sexual identity and girlfriend, now wife, due to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. These lived experiences inform Menjivar, who has always been motivated by a lifelong dedication to service and justice. Menjivar earned a Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Northridge, and a Master of Social Welfare from University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to becoming a senator, she sat on the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Los Angeles Board, where she fostered safe and culturally competent school environments for youth. Her ongoing goals include bringing an LGBTQ+ Community Center and an annual Pride Parade to the San Fernando Valley. Today, Senator Caroline Menjivar calls Panorama City home. She resides with her wife Jocelyn, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and their two doggies.