NLLC Chair
State Senator
Fabian Doñate
District 10
Born in East LA to hardworking parents who were following the American dream, Fabian Doñate and his family made Las Vegas their home at the age of 2. At 17, Fabian faced a pivotal moment that shaped his future forever when he was faced with the difficult task of translating to his father a medical diagnosis that his father had Type 2 Diabetes. Seeing the disparities that existed in Latino families, like many other first-generation Spanish-speaking Latinos, often having to help their parents with everyday tasks such as translations; Fabian wanted to make a difference.
He enrolled at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas majoring in Public Health after that moment with his father, in order to be that change he saw was needed. Upon being the first in his family to graduate college, he continued on his journey in Public Health which took him to Washington DC where he worked and gained a Masters's in Public Health from the University of Maryland.
When COVID-19 hit in 2020, Doñate’s family was faced with layoffs leading him to come back home to Las Vegas. Fabian took this time to become vocal surrounding issues the city and state were facing. He had the opportunity to be appointed to President Biden’s Health Policy committee to drop his health policy. An opportunity arose after President Biden won and Las Vegas’s District 10 Senator resigned leaving a vacancy to fill. Fabian was recruited to apply for the vacancy to catapult his mission to bring change to his community. In February of 2021 Fabian officially became Senator of District 10, but what was a district senator position to some, was personal to him. Not only was District 10 where he called home, but also where his Tios and Tias called home, 8 of his family members called District 10 home, making it all the more imperative to help his community.
In December of 2022, Fabian was elected chair of the Nevada Latino Caucus. His focuses as chair and as part of the caucus as a whole include giving all Nevadans access to healthcare regardless of immigration status, education equity for all Latino students to have the same opportunities in education as any other Nevadan, and language access to all in order to ensure our state is welcoming to all students.
Fabian believes in the Latino voice and the power of representation, noting that though Latinos make up 30% of the population in the state, at the government level they are vastly underrepresented. When asked why he feels it is vital to have more Latinos in government roles Doñate said “It is important to be heard and represented so that we have a better understanding of who we are trying to serve.”
NLLC Vice-Chair
Assemblywoman
Elaine Marzola
District 21
Elaine Marzola was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and immigrated with her parents to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1984. She has twin brothers, who were born and raised in Las Vegas and both served in the Marine Corps.
Elaine graduated from the University of Nevada Las Vegas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Women’s Studies. During her undergraduate years, she first volunteered, then was employed by SafeNest Domestic Violence Shelter. Next, she attended Thomas M. Cooley Law School, earning her Juris Doctorate in 2010. In the fall of 2011, she became a member of the Nevada State Bar. Elaine is proud to tell you that she was a single mom of a son who made the higher education journey with her.
After graduating from law school, Elaine served as a judicial law clerk. Working for a judge, Elaine was able to learn first-hand how the justice system works and to understand the importance of a strong advocate representing clients in order to get them the justice they deserve. Among the many aspects of Las Vegas that influenced Elaine’s progress, which continues to this day, is her membership and active participation in St. Thomas More Catholic Church, the Nevada Bar Association, and the Nevada Justice Association.
NLLC Secretary / Treasurer
Assemblywoman
Selena Torres
District 03
Selena Torres is an educator and was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her father fled the Salvadoran civil war and her mother left Hawaii to pursue her career as a high school English teacher. Selena’s parents taught her the values of hard work, education, and the importance of giving back to her community. Her parents eventually made Assembly District 3 their home because the diversity reflected that of their own family.
Selena is a product of Nevada’s public education. She attended Clark County School District for K-12, the College of Southern Nevada, and received her Bachelor’s in English Literature at the University of Nevada, Reno. Upon graduation from UNR, she returned to Las Vegas and worked at a small law firm that specialized in immigration.
She founded the Cesar Chavez Day, Las Vegas festival five years ago which created a scholarship to encourage high school participants to pursue higher education. She continues to work with high school students as an English teacher. Every day Selena encourages her students to be involved in their community and work hard to fulfill their dreams.
State Senator
Edgar Flores
District 02
My family’s story echoes in similarity all across Nevada, but especially in Assembly District 28. Before I was born my parents, tired of feeling lost and trapped, packed as many memories as they could carry on their backs and started a new life in the United States. They arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada with no money and without knowing a single word of English. Today my parents’ hands have tattooed blisters that tell a story of sacrifice and hard work. In an attempt to repay them for everything they have done for me. I made my way through the Clark County education system, obtained my bachelor’s degree in English from UNLV, and afterward my Juris Doctorate degree from William S. Boyd School of Law. Education was my salvation and today it lays the foundation for my future. The struggles presented to my family as I was growing up, today provide me with a unique lens that will never allow me to forget how much there is to fight for. I was born and raised in this beautiful state and I am ready to work tirelessly for it.
Over the past 10 years I have been given the privilege of running and working with numerous youth programs helping students from underprivileged communities prepare for college, realize there is a place for them in the white-collar world, and ultimately gain the confidence to realize with hard work they can do anything. Mentorship is pivotal to success.
Most importantly I embark on this journey because my mother’s old maid uniform deserves a voice. My father who has worked 12 hours a day every day since the day I was born deserves a voice. Our students whose dreams are being crumbled by our failing education system deserve a voice. Furthermore, hard-working parents who with sweat and tears do all they can to provide for their children deserve a voice. We cannot change everything at once for that reason my motto is simple we need to “change a little…change often.” This is the pathway to success. Change a little… change often.
Majority Floor Leader
Assemblywoman
Sandra Jauregui
District 41
Sandra Jauregui was born and raised in Hacienda Heights, California. Sandra moved to Las Vegas in 2009 to complete her bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While attending college she interned and later worked with the United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. As the foreclosure mitigation lead, she offered direct assistance to constituents with their housing issues and organized various mortgage assistance workshops to bring resources to our state. In this capacity, she also kept the Senator up to date on the needs and current events of housing and real estate in Nevada.
Sandra Jauregui was born and raised in Hacienda Heights, California. Sandra moved to Las Vegas in 2009 to complete her bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While attending college she interned and later worked with the United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. As the foreclosure mitigation lead, she offered direct assistance to constituents with their housing issues and organized various mortgage assistance workshops to bring resources to our state. In this capacity, she also kept the Senator up to date on the needs and current events of housing and real estate in Nevada.
Her passion and drive for community involvement led her to her next position with the Financial Guidance Center where she served as Director of Community Development and Partnerships and as Director for the Attorney General’s housing program, Home Again: The Nevada Homeowner Relief Program. This role allowed her the ability to directly assist Nevadans by providing free education to help them establish a sound financial future. She is dedicated to helping Nevadans with housing and giving them the knowledge to take control of their financial future and become educated consumers.
Recently, Sandra made the transition into the private sector and joined Ticor Title of Nevada. In her new role, she is actively out servicing the Hispanic Real Estate industry and providing services to agents and lenders to ensure that their needs are also being met and serviced. Sandra has been very involved in the community throughout her duration in Nevada.
She served as the Chair of Government Affairs and Public Relations for NAHREP Nevada, the National Association of Real Estate Professionals. Through this organization, she helped the Latino community realize the dream of sustainable homeownership. She currently serves on the policy committee of the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Nevada. Past community service includes Councilman Coffins Latino Network, a steering committee designed to bring resources to the Hispanic Community and lobby for them in the state legislature; Come out 2 Vegas, an LGBTQ organization that promotes tourism to Vegas within the LGBTQ community; Latin Chamber of Commerce education committee; and Advisory board member to the Asian Real Estate Association of America. Sandra was an active PAYBAC speaker and was profiled by the Latin Chamber as the next Rising Latina Star.
State Senator
Dina Neal
District 04
A native Nevadan, Dina Neal was born in North Las Vegas, Nevada, and is a single mother of two children. All of her siblings including herself went to elementary, middle, and high school in Clark County.
As the daughter of former state Sen. Joe Neal, Dina Neal has been soaked in politics since birth. Her first trip to the Legislature came a year after she was born, when her dad, the first black person to serve in the state Senate, arrived for the first of his eight consecutive terms. She was raised mostly by her mother Estelle Neal, a dietitian, whom Dina lost in a long battle with breast cancer in 1997.
Dina’s parents were the bedrock of the moral values which, she stands for today. Both of her parents believed that most battles worth fighting for are the fights, which are the toughest. Dina, at 15, started her first lesson of learning unrelenting commitment from her mother. Her mother had two battles with cancer, fighting each day to live the best life and to serve others. Her mother served St. James Catholic Church, maintained her own consulting business, and left a legacy of warmth, caring, and dedication to her friends and church. Her father did the same in his quest to serve the state with respect, integrity, honesty, and dignity.
Dina began her public service early in life. She spent her early days traveling to Carson City, to visit the legislature. She was always reading and analyzing even as a child. She walked her fathers’ district and put up campaign signs year after year. She took a special interest in reading the law and eventually went to law school.
When she left for college she continued her public service and leadership, she immediately became the Opinion Editor of the Southern A&M University newspaper for three years. She became president of the Pre-Law Association, Political Science Association, and Pi Sigma Alpha, plus reared her 6-month-old daughter, and made the Dean's List.
After her graduation, she left and enrolled in Southern University Law School, so as not to uproot her family. She worked actively on Social Justice and Environmental issues in Louisiana. She worked part-time while in law school and went to school full-time and raised her family.
After graduating from law school, she decided she wanted to teach, to help the children in Clark County. She spent years teaching English and being an Adjunct Professor at the College of Southern Nevada.
She got involved in local boards and community organizations, SNEC (Southern Nevada Economic Enterprise Board); Clark County Community Development Advisory Board; Assembly District Leader for 7; 2008 Democratic Caucus Chair for Precinct 4017; Clark County Democratic Party; NAACP Education Committee, Political Action, Legal Redress, and Economic Development.
Dina strongly believes in the success of working families; she is a part of that group, and she is determined to make sure that these families survive. She is a person who believes in people, who want to serve their best interests, not her own.
Assemblywoman
Bea Duran
District 11
Beatrice Duran was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Duran, and received her GED from a Colorado High School before moving to Las Vegas. She is the mother of two children and grandmother to four, and in her free time enjoys spending time with family, as well as organizing and attending union events.
Duran has been working in Nevada’s service industry since 1985 when she started work at the Four Queens as a server. After helping to unionize her workplace, she joined the staff of the Culinary Union Local 226 in 1999. For the last 10 years, she has worked as a grievance specialist, representing union members in workplace disputes. She works to help Culinary workers when they have disputes over injuries or unfair labor practices.
She enjoys traveling, hanging out with family, camping, fishing, and bowling. She also enjoys cooking Mexican food called “New Mexico” style that’s from Colorado and New Mexico. Furthermore, Beatrice loves to travel and has traveled to South America. She would like to travel throughout the entire United States someday.
Bea is an energetic, outgoing, friendly, easy-going, and empathetic person. She hopes to help those who have been unjustly persecuted or unfairly taken advantage of. She is willing to fight for her community. That is why she is here, as well as why she does what she does. Bea looks forward to doing her part to advance causes that she feels strongly about.
Assemblywoman
Cecelia González
District 16
Cecelia González is a Thai-Mexican American, daughter of immigrants, and native Nevadan. Both of her parents' families moved to the United States seeking the American Dream. Her family taught her the values of hard work, persistence, and giving back to the community. From a young age, Cecelia witnessed her single mother struggle to make ends meet for her and her two younger sisters.
The experience of growing up with limited resources in an immigrant family was instrumental in shaping Cecelia’s passion for fighting for social, environmental, and economic justice in her community. Part of her aim in seeking justice for those in her community is criminal justice reform.
Cecelia was directly impacted by the criminal justice system at an early age. Her biological father became incarcerated when Cecelia was only two years old. Cecelia was struck at the inhumanity of the prison industrial complex when she was not allowed to hug her father goodbye. Instead, she put her hand up to the thick glass window as she watched him being taken away in chains. That experience sparked a passion within her to fight to reform the criminal justice system. Cecelia has been an active member of the Mass Liberation Project housed under the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN). She has held leadership roles and has assisted in planning monthly membership meetings, community events & actions, and legislative policy. Passionate about being a voice for her community, she serves as the First Vice-Chair of the Asian American Pacific Islander Democratic Caucus.
In 2015, Cecelia became the first in her family to graduate from higher education. She graduated from the University of Nevada Las Vegas with a B.A. in Criminal Justice and a minor in Sociology. She also earned an M.Ed. in Multicultural Education in 2019. She is set to begin a doctoral program in Multicultural Education at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in the fall of 2020. Her research focuses on the school-to-prison pipeline, women in prisons, and violence against women.
Cecelia has dedicated her life to being a public servant for over a decade. She is a Nevada educator, a local community activist, and an organizer. She has organized around interpersonal violence, women’s health, criminal justice reform, education, raising the minimum wage, and many other important issues. Cecelia has received both academic and community awards for her volunteer work and activism.
Her dedication to public service, education, and reforming the criminal justice system has led her to run for Assembly District 16.