Candidate for
State Senator; District 26

Sandra's career has always been devoted to the public interest, whether representing victims of human trafficking and domestic violence or advocating for progressive legislation.

Sandra came to national attention in 2012 when she testified before members of Congress regarding comprehensive insurance coverage for birth control. She then took on Rush Limbaugh and other conservative commentators when they launched sexist attacks against her, never giving up and instead using this platform as a powerful tool for advancing progressive causes.

Sandra is one of the longest running volunteer attorneys at the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking, representing victims of human trafficking, including girls in Los Angeles. She has also helped victims of domestic violence get restraining orders and represented those victims in court.

Sandra has helped draft, negotiate, and pass various pieces of legislation, including tackling student loan debt, expanding worker protections, access to early childhood education and raising the minimum wage.

Growing up in a middle-class family and being the first in her dad's family to earn a bachelor's degree drives Sandra's commitment to everyday priorities like education, jobs, the environment, and ensuring opportunity for all families.

Sandra is a recognized leader for gender equality and reproductive justice. As State Senator, she will fight to ensure that women's health care decisions are protected and respected, to guarantee that women, regardless of citizenship status or income level, have control over their own bodies and the health care they need.

Nationally, Sandra is frequently recognized for her powerful address to the Democratic National Convention in 2012. She served as a surrogate for President Obama in his reelection, and she campaigned for more than a dozen Democrats running in competitive U.S. House and Senate races.

Sandra graduated cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center as a Public Interest Law Scholar with a Certificate in Refugee and Humanitarian Emergencies. In 2003, she received a B.S. from Cornell University in Policy Analysis and Management, as well as Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Sandra and her husband, Adam, live in West Hollywood with their dog, Mr. President.