Three young women from the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) have launched their careers in Texas government after studying at the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). These women were able to explore careers in government, which led some of them to internships and job positions at the Texas Capitol in Austin and even outside the state of Texas!
Meet 3 Badass Women Putting the RGV on the Map!
Mireya Garcia (she/her) works at the Texas Capitol as both the Legislative Director and Communications Director for State Representative Ron Reynolds. Garcia is a Valley native, born and raised in Harlingen, but also claims San Benito.
Garcia attended UTRGV for her higher education, graduating with a degree in political science and a minor in Mexican American studies.
At UTRGV, Garcia discovered her love for advocacy, which led to her start in government. What began as her work as a campus organizer for Texas Rising, focusing on issues like LGBTQIA+, voting, and immigration rights, soon evolved into something much more.
Garcia’s career in Texas government began in 2023, when she secured an internship at the Texas Legislature for State Representative Erin Gámez, who represents the Brownsville area.
After interning for Gámez, Garcia returned to working in the Valley, focusing on organizing around reproductive justice. Garcia also shared that in January of last year, she was able to work in the Federal Government. She interned at the White House at the U.S. Trade Representative’s office for five months. Then she started a full-time job during the Biden-Harris administration, working as a confidential assistant with the U.S. Department of Education. Unfortunately, Garcia’s job ended on Inauguration Day of this year, and she decided to shift back to working in the state legislature instead.
Garcia discussed what it feels like to be a woman working in the government. “At times, it can be difficult. I feel like in general in all spaces, especially government, women are […] overlooked in some ways. […] My situation is usually different. […] I graduated college at 19, so I’m often the youngest person either in my position or in the room, and then also on top of that, being a woman, being Latina, being a queer person, I think if anything, it’s motivated me more,” she said.
But, despite the challenges, seeing women excel in their positions greatly inspires Garcia. She feels there is a great sense of authentic community around working with other badass women in political spaces!
Marleen Yvette Salazar (she/her/ella) is a UTRGV student and community organizer. Salazar is from Brownsville but spent much of her younger years living in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Salazar is a senior at UTRGV studying political science with a minor in legal studies. “The narrative always goes [that] in Brownsville or in the Valley, you’ll never grow. […] I think that’s something false. I got to [attend] UTRGV and stay at home. I have my family with me, and being at UTRGV, I have gotten opportunities where I worked at the legislative session. I got [an] internship with the ACLU of Texas. This coming Spring, I’ll be going to DC for an internship with the [Archer Fellowship Program]. I think those are opportunities that a lot of people think [are] not possible if you stay here, but in reality, it is,” she said.
Salazar participated in the Valley Legislative Internship Program (VLIP) and Texas Legislative Fellowship Program (TLFP), where she and 12 other UTRGV students were selected to be placed in Texas legislators’ offices during the 89th Texas Legislative Session from January 14 to June 2.
Salazar’s advice to any woman out there who wants to start a career in government is: “Keep your head up. At the end of the day, you deserve that seat at the table because you worked hard for it. Don’t let anybody tell you that you don’t belong there, because you do!”
Venisha Colón (she/her) is a UTRGV student who worked as a Legislative and Communications Aide during the VLIP and TLFP. Colón was born in San Diego, California, but has lived her whole life in Brownsville.
Colón is a senior at UTRGV, majoring in political science and minoring in communication and marketing. She also works as the Social Media Editor for The Rider, the UTRGV newspaper.
“Studying at UTRGV has helped me keep home close to heart. A lot of people told me I had to leave the Valley for college, and while I did consider doing that, I’m glad I stayed,” Colón shared. “Not only do I have the unique experience of attending a blooming university in an expanding region, but I also had so many opportunities awarded to me, like my internship,” she said.
Politics had always been interesting to Colón, but she never saw a career in it when she was younger. At first, Colón was a biology major with plans to become a veterinarian, but the political tides turning in the country were a big motivating factor for her decision to pursue a career in government. “I’m also a young woman, I’m queer, and I’m Hispanic. I wanted to see more people in government [who] represented me and my peers,” she said.
Colón had a pleasant experience while interning at the capital. However, she did feel there were moments when she traveled back in time at the Capitol. “The building is filled with people, mainly men, from an older time. It was a bit of a shock to someone like me who mostly spends time in inclusive, “modern” spaces. I didn’t experience anything egregiously sexist, but the building is old and so are its ways,” she said.
Women Can Be Anything They Want To Be!
These three brilliant women are putting in the work to create change! Women should never be defined or limited in any way because society already places far too many barriers for all of us. Many women decide to be everything all at once: the mother, the caregiver, the student, the graduate, and the boss!
If you want to support local women making a change through advocacy, always check in on what Bloom RGV, Border Workers United, and Planned Parenthood South Texas are doing for women and everyone in the Valley!
