SPOTLIGHT RACE: Maria Beltran for WA-SD14
As our next State Senator, Maria Beltran, will hit the ground running. Born and raised right here in Yakima, Maria has worked in federal, state, and local government and will be our voice in Olympia.
Maria is the oldest of three. She is the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants (thanks to President Ronald Reagan, legal residents) and agricultural workers. Both of her parents are union members through their seasonal work at Del Monte Foods.
Growing up, her parents didn’t have access to affordable and reliable childcare, so during the weekends and summers, they took Maria picking with them. She remembers running around in the orchards, carrying water jugs and helping pick the low-hanging fruit (apples, cherries, pears), or trying to sleep on the wooden bins because they couldn’t leave her alone in the car. Maria’s parents woke up early and would start picking as soon as the sun rose to maximize their time before it got too hot to continue. Her parents taught her the values of hard work, perseverance and determination, values that have grounded Maria’s life and will help her serve us well in the State Senate.
Maria’s parents emphasized the importance of obtaining an education. She attended Yakima schools and graduated from A.C. Davis High School and was the first in her family to graduate. Maria earned an associate’s degree from Yakima Valley College and her bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University. Yakima has always been home, and after graduating college, she came back here.
Maria has spent her career working for her community and for Washington State. She spent time working for Meals on Wheels and local food banks and has experience at all levels of government with a blend of policy and campaign experience, including for U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier, who served on the House Committee on Agriculture, and State Rep. Debra Entenman.
In these roles, Maria worked directly with farmers and growers, ensuring they had access to resources and grants to help their businesses thrive. She worked with farm workers and labor unions to protect family-wage jobs, safe working conditions and retirement benefits. During times of crisis, she worked with families, veterans, and seniors to navigate housing and food assistance resources and helped folks who had lost jobs or were living on limited incomes find opportunities to get back up and back on track.
In 2020, Maria became the youngest Board President of OneAmerica, a statewide non-profit organization that advocates for immigrants and refugees. She recently completed AgForestry, a leadership program for individuals in the agriculture, forestry, and natural resources industries. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Maria believes everyone deserves to feel safe, seen, and loved.
Maria still lives in Yakima, where she loves to enjoy nature, spend time with her family, watch her little sister follow in her footsteps competing in cross country, and attend track meets at her alma mater.
https://votemariabeltran.com