Juan Vargas
Encyclopedia
Juan C. Vargas is a Senator in the State of California, 40th District. He is a Democrat
and former member of the California State Assembly
, San Diego City Council, and Order of the Jesuits, having fought for the poor, aged, and infirmed.
, where he grew up very poor. He is the third of ten children of Tomas and Celina Vargas, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico
in the late 1940s as part of the Bracero program.
Vargas graduated Magna Cum Laude
with a BA from University of San Diego
and earned an MA in Humanities from Fordham University
in New York
. After college, Vargas joined the Jesuit
Novitiate (introduction) in Santa Barbara
. In the Jesuits, Juan served in an orphanage in the civil-war-torn jungles of El Salvador. Later, he was accepted into Harvard Law School, graduated with a JD
from Harvard Law School
where he was classmates with President Barack Obama
.
During the 1999 armed conflict
in Kosovo, Vargas welcomed a Kosovar refugee family into his family's home for nearly two years. He and his wife Adrienne live in the Golden Hill area of San Diego and have two daughters.
City Council from 1993–2000. While on the Council, he created "Operation Restore" to employ homeless
individuals to remove graffiti
and to rehabilitate homes.
November 2000, Vargas was elected to represent the 79th District in the California State Assembly in by a wide margin. On June 6, 2006, Vargas received 43% of the vote, the best result for any challenger in a California congressional primary. Vargas has a "bitter" rivalry with Democratic congressman
Bob Filner
and has run against Filner in the Democratic primary three times.
After serving in the State Assembly until 2006, Juan took a job with a home, auto and small business insurance company and was tasked with creating jobs and outreach in diverse San Diego Communities as part of the company's diversity initiative. Vargas left his job at the end of 2009 to return to public service as a Democratic candidate for the California State Senate.
Vargas won again in 2010, this time a seat in the California State Senate, 40th District. Education, good paying jobs, job training, and social services for the aged and infirmed are among his policy priorities and accomplishments.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and former member of the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
, San Diego City Council, and Order of the Jesuits, having fought for the poor, aged, and infirmed.
Personal life
Juan Vargas was born on an egg ranch in National City, CaliforniaNational City, California
National City is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 58,582 at the 2010 census, up from 54,260 at the 2000 census. National City is the second oldest city in San Diego County and has a historic past.-History:...
, where he grew up very poor. He is the third of ten children of Tomas and Celina Vargas, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in the late 1940s as part of the Bracero program.
Vargas graduated Magna Cum Laude
Latin honors
Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. This system is primarily used in the United States, Canada, and in many countries of continental Europe, though some institutions also use the English translation of these...
with a BA from University of San Diego
University of San Diego
The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic university in San Diego, California. USD offers more than sixty bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral programs...
and earned an MA in Humanities from Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. After college, Vargas joined the Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
Novitiate (introduction) in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
. In the Jesuits, Juan served in an orphanage in the civil-war-torn jungles of El Salvador. Later, he was accepted into Harvard Law School, graduated with a JD
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
where he was classmates with President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
During the 1999 armed conflict
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
in Kosovo, Vargas welcomed a Kosovar refugee family into his family's home for nearly two years. He and his wife Adrienne live in the Golden Hill area of San Diego and have two daughters.
Political career
Vargas served on the San DiegoSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
City Council from 1993–2000. While on the Council, he created "Operation Restore" to employ homeless
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
individuals to remove graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
and to rehabilitate homes.
November 2000, Vargas was elected to represent the 79th District in the California State Assembly in by a wide margin. On June 6, 2006, Vargas received 43% of the vote, the best result for any challenger in a California congressional primary. Vargas has a "bitter" rivalry with Democratic congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Bob Filner
Bob Filner
Robert Earl Filner is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 50th, serving since 1993, and Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
and has run against Filner in the Democratic primary three times.
After serving in the State Assembly until 2006, Juan took a job with a home, auto and small business insurance company and was tasked with creating jobs and outreach in diverse San Diego Communities as part of the company's diversity initiative. Vargas left his job at the end of 2009 to return to public service as a Democratic candidate for the California State Senate.
Vargas won again in 2010, this time a seat in the California State Senate, 40th District. Education, good paying jobs, job training, and social services for the aged and infirmed are among his policy priorities and accomplishments.