Mexico Trucker Online

President-elect Barack Obama has named a national Latina leader to a top White House staff job.

The Obama transition team today announced the selection of Cecilia Muñoz as his Director of the White House Office for Intergovernmental Affairs. That office directs White House outreach to state and local governments, as well as constituency groups.

The Detroit-born Muñoz currently serves as senior vice president for the research, advocacy and legislation at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). She has been a prominent voice on civil rights issues, education and immigration.

Muñoz, 46, is the youngest of four children of parents who had moved to the Michigan from La Paz, Bolivia, so that her father, an automotive engineer, could attend the University of Michigan. Muñoz, who grew up in the Detroit suburb of Livonia, attended the University of Michigan and received degrees in English and Latin studies in 1984.

In addition to her La Raza post, she also is the board chair of Center for Community Change and serves on the U.S. Programs Board of the Open Society Institute and the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Philanthropies.

Reaction to the appointment was positive. John Trasviña, President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund (MALDEF) and NHLA chair:

“Cecilia Muñoz has been a national leader for Latinos, immigrants, children and working people for the past two decades. The nation will be well served by the energy and passion she devotes to ensuring that all persons have a voice in our society.”

Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:

”

Ms. Muñoz has a long history of serving this country’s most vulnerable populations through her advocacy work in the fields of immigration, civil rights, employment, education, health and poverty. Through her work at the National Council of La Raza and as a past Vice-Chair of the National Immigration Forum Board of Directors, Ms. Muñoz provided the leadership and vision to strengthen our efforts to reform our nation’s broken immigration system.

“The daughter of Bolivian immigrants, Ms. Muñoz has devoted her life to creating a fair and just society for all. She is a tireless advocate and an inspiration to the immigration advocacy community. Her appointment represents further evidence that the Obama administration intends to take immigration reform seriously in the coming years. We applaud this excellent choice.”

I imagine Willy Gheen and his Geritol geriatrics are having fits over this!

I’m liking this Obama cat with each passing day!