Brenda Pérez wins Humboldt’s Democrat of the Year award

The Humboldt Democratic Central Committee announced Brenda Pérez as Democrat of the Year. Pérez received the award on Sept. 27, 2025, at the Sequoia Conference Center in Eureka, making Humboldt history as the first Indigenous migrant woman to receive the award. 

“Our Democrat of the Year event is a fundraiser for us where we try to elevate someone from the community that represents what would be democratic party values,” said Eureka City Council member Mario Fernandez.

Pérez is from Chalchicomula, Mexico, where her interest in politics was shaped from a young age by her hometown. Perez was inspired by Zapatismo, a movement and commitment to Indigenous traditions and self-determination.

“The environment was very much in constant debate and discussion about how to transform the country at the time. As a child, listening to these conversations on how the Cuban revolution was won, Zapatismo it was just nourishing to my spirit to believe that another space was possible, another type of relationship was possible,” Pérez said.

Pérez has a multitude of accomplishments in advocacy and activism within the community that extend far beyond Humboldt County. 

“Seeing the work that Brenda’s done with and through Centro Del Pueblo, how would we not want to recognize this person,” Fernandez said.

Pérez attended the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in 2016, where she began her PhD research on the relationship between illegal plants and the people working in the industries that grow them. In 2017, UNAM recommended she take on guest research at Cal Poly Humboldt. 

After her research, Pérez flourished in her new Humboldt community. She led many successful campaigns, including one that contributed to Humboldt County’s local sanctuary law called the Measure K Sanctuary Ordinance. This law prevents local employees from assisting federal immigration enforcement by disseminating information about an individual’s release status or investigating citizenship status. Pérez also had an active role in the closure of the Yuba City detention center in 2023 and has continued to advocate and create spaces for voices to be heard. 

Among many community efforts, Pérez is the coordinator at Cal Poly Humboldt for El Centro Académico Cultural de Humboldt. The space primarily works with students of Latine descent to support, serve and affirm cultural identities. Student assistant Irma Rodriguez at El Centro shared her experience working alongside Pérez.

“She cares for everyone in the community even if you don’t agree with her. She’s a very selfless person and does a lot for the community, not just for the school, but outside of the school. She tries to make everyone feel included,” Rodriguez said.

Pérez continues to advocate for the community in an effort to uplift the voices not being heard.

“People have their voice,” Pérez said. “You need to listen to that voice and be humble, and mindful, and respectful and foster an environment so that we get to listen to that voice and transform that voice into action.”