Luis has proudly called Tennessee home for 24 years, ever since his family moved from Guadalajara, Mexico when he was a toddler. His life story is a reflection of how anything is possible in this country. A decade-long community leader and public policy advocate, Luis is now running to represent District 49 (La Vergne, Smyrna, Murfreesboro), in our State Legislature because it’s time to send a fresh perspective and a proven problem solver to our State Capitol to get things done. As extremist lawmakers work to divide us and put party over people, it’s never been more clear: Now is the time to elect leaders who will restore balance and deliver real solutions.

With a decade-long career as a Public Policy Advocate, Luis has been a driving force behind significant legislation at both the local and state levels. He helped pass bipartisan legislation aimed at strengthening our workforce. He helped lead some of the state’s strongest electoral campaigns to elect leaders at the local, state, and national levels who will fight for working families.

Before becoming a US Citizen, unjust state laws tried to deny him the opportunity to access college due to his immigration status. So, he became a leader in the fight for progress and for a future that one day can and will exist. Luis worked three jobs in order to put himself through college - including waiting tables and serving as the Legal Assistant at the Office of Immigrant Services assisting victims of domestic violence navigate the immigration and criminal legal systems - a testament to his dedication and perseverance.

During his time at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville, he co-founded a student organization that serves as a political home for immigrant students in Knoxville. He was awarded the prestigious Beacon of Change award, the highest student award conferred by students, for his commitment to improve the lives of his community members. Luis became the first person in his family to attend college and earn a bachelor’s degree.

The bottom line: Luis has a proven track record of fighting for progress, advocating for working families, and delivering real solutions.

Luis’s determination to fight for a Tennessee where we can all belong and thrive is motivated by the story of his family.

He was raised by a single, immigrant mother. At the age of 25, she decided to leave everything she knew & loved behind in Mexico for an opportunity at a better life for them here in Tennessee. She sacrificed her dreams to give him and his siblings the opportunity to pursue theirs. His mother taught him that when you want change, you don’t wait for it, you fight for it. Like so many Tennesseans, he grew up living paycheck to paycheck trying to make ends meet, lacking access to healthcare, and attending underfunded public schools. Tennesseans deserve so much better. Luis knows about the issues facing Rutherford County, because he’s lived them.

At the core of Luis’s story is his unwavering commitment to building a better future for the community that has given him so much.

Now, he’s ready to continue his work for all Tennesseeans in our State Capitol. He would become the first-ever Latino immigrant state legislator in Tennessee history - but he’s not running to make history, he’s running to make progress.