Senator Alex Padilla’s story doesn’t start with him, it starts with his parents, Santos and Lupe Padilla, two Mexican immigrants who crossed borders, both literal and figurative, to build a life in Los Angeles. They didn’t arrive with wealth or political connections. Santos came from Jalisco, and Lupe from Chihuahua, two regions in Mexico with rich cultural histories but limited economic opportunities at the time. Like so many immigrants, they were drawn to the U.S. by the promise of something better, a shot at the American Dream, even if it meant starting from zero.
From Mexico to California: The Journey of Santos and Lupe Padilla
Alex Padilla’s father Santos spent four decades as a short-order cook, flipping burgers and serving meals in diners across L.A. His mother Lupe cleaned houses, working long hours to help support their three kids. They didn’t have formal education, but they had something just as powerful: relentless work ethic and a deep belief in the value of service.
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Alex often recalls how his parents instilled in him the importance of education, community, and giving back. Weekends weren’t just for rest, they were for neighborhood clean-ups, volunteering, and teaching their children that success wasn’t just about personal gain but about lifting others up too.
The Padilla household was steeped in Mexican culture: music, food, and traditions. Lupe loved singing Mexican ballads and even had a soft spot for Stevie Wonder (“I Just Called to Say I Love You” was a family favorite). Santos, despite the exhaustion of his job, never let his kids forget where they came from.
When Alex brought his dad to a labor union meeting early in his political career, it wasn’t just for support, it was a reminder of the struggles Santos faced as a worker, including losing his union health benefits and later his job. That moment shaped Alex’s understanding of dignity, labor rights, and why representation matters.
A Latino Legacy in American Politics
Alex Padilla’s ethnicity and race aren’t just footnotes in his biography, they’re central to his identity and his political mission. As the son of Mexican immigrants, he’s part of a generation of Latino leaders reshaping American politics. California, where Latinos make up nearly 40% of the population, had never had a Latino U.S. senator until Padilla was appointed in 2021. That’s a big deal, not just symbolically but because it means policies affecting immigrant families, workers, and communities of color finally have a direct advocate in the Senate.
Growing up in Pacoima, a working-class neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley, Padilla saw firsthand how anti-immigrant policies like Proposition 187 (which sought to deny public services to undocumented immigrants) targeted families like his. That law, which was later struck down, politicized him. He went from a math-and-science whiz at MIT to a community organizer, then a politician, fighting for immigrant rights, voting access, and economic justice. His career has been a rebuttal to the idea that immigrants are “takers.” Instead, he’s proof that they’re the backbone of the country.
Padilla’s racial and ethnic identity also influences his policy work. As the first Latino to chair the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, he’s pushed for pathways to citizenship for essential workers, many of whom are immigrants. He’s fought voter suppression laws that disproportionately affect Latino communities. And he’s been vocal about the need for climate policies that address environmental racism, knowing that neighborhoods like Pacoima face higher pollution levels than wealthier, whiter areas.
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But perhaps the most powerful testament to his heritage is how he honors his parents. When Lupe passed away in 2018, Alex Padilla shared a heartfelt tribute calling her “Mama Padilla,” a matriarch who touched countless lives through her kindness. Santos lived long enough to see his son sworn into the Senate, a full-circle moment for a family that started with so little and built so much. Their story is the story of millions of immigrant families: quiet, relentless, and foundational to America’s future.
In a political landscape where race and ethnicity are often weaponized, Padilla’s life is a reminder that diversity isn’t just a buzzword, it’s what makes the country stronger. And for him, that diversity isn’t abstract. It’s his dad’s hands, calloused from decades of cooking meals for strangers. It’s his mom’s voice, singing Mexican folk songs while she cleaned houses. It’s the reason he fights, not just for himself, but for every family like his.
