EDUCATION LEADER &
ASSEMBLY MEMBER
MEET MIGUEL
Miguel Santiago is a State Assemblymember who has dedicated his career to uplifting working Angelenos as a lawmaker, education leader, and community organizer. Miguel was first elected in November 2014 to represent one of the most vibrant and diverse districts in Los Angeles, encompassing Boyle Heights, Downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown, Pico Union and the surrounding areas.
Born in Los Angeles to hard-working immigrant parents, Miguel was the first in his family to graduate from college, earning his degree at the University of California in Los Angeles. At a young age, Santiago jumped into community organizing and public service – driven by a commitment to making healthcare and housing more affordable for all Californians.
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Miguel has worked tirelessly as a community college board member and Assemblymember to ensure every student can pursue higher education without incurring mountains of debt. Miguel is the author and architect of the Free Community College in California laws, signed by the Governor in 2017 and 2019. On the heels of his free community college victories, Miguel introduced AB 1062, which aims to create a pathway to help students graduate with a free bachelors degree and a bright future.
Miguel has also initiated forward-thinking policies to provide housing for Californians experiencing homelessness and stimulate the development of more affordable housing in his district and across the state. He is leading efforts to secure billions of dollars to fight homelessness — the humanitarian crisis in our midst. He continues to work on expanding childcare, has authored some of California’s toughest gun safety regulations, and fights for the fair and equal treatment of hardworking families. An environmental justice champion, Santiago has delivered over $573 million to urgently clean up the toxic contamination caused by corporate polluter Exide Technologies in the City of Vernon, and won't stop until every property is properly cleaned.
In his district, Miguel has leveraged millions of dollars in state funds to renovate the 6th Street Bridge, create new bike lanes and green space, repair crumbling sidewalks, clean up dirty air in disadvantaged communities, and reduce the number of jaywalking tickets given to pedestrians. Miguel secured $4 million to build the first-ever Korean American museum to be located in the heart of Koreatown. To strengthen the ability to make positive investments in districts like his, Miguel authored and passed AB 857, the Public Banking Act of 2019. This historic measure created a public banking system that gives local governments, instead of Wall Street banks, the power to determine how local money is being spent and invested.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Miguel worked with local and federal partners to direct financial relief to Californians to help pay for necessities such as gas, food and rent. He worked to expand vaccine distribution in hard-hit areas, protected renters from evictions, and distributed thousands of free meals to our most vulnerable populations.
Miguel and his wife Celina live in Boyle Heights, where they are raising their son, Ethan, little girl, Brielle, and their dogs, Thor and Ewok.
