The daughter of hardworking immigrant parents, Melissa grew up in the Valley. She learned firsthand from her parents that hard work, a good education and perseverance is fundamental to success. Melissa is the first from her family to graduate from college. After graduating from Sacramento State University, Melissa returned home to the Valley to serve her community and build a better life for Valley families. She advocated for teachers, patients and working families — helping lead the fight for good wages, access to quality health care and retirement security.
Senator Melissa Hurtado, representing the 14th Senate District in California, launched the inaugural 2019 Hurtado Holiday Baby Formula and Infant Nutrition Drive, in partnership with Central California Food Bank and the California Association of Food Banks. The drive addresses the need to tackle the southern Central Valley’s child food insecurity rate, which currently sits at almost 25 percent in Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties.