Alma Hernandez

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Alma Hernandez

| image = Alma Hernandez by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg

| caption = Hernandez in 2022

| state_house = Arizona

| district = 20th

| alongside = Betty Villegas

| term_start = January 9, 2023

| term_end =

| predecessor = Shawnna Bolick

| successor =

| state_house1 = Arizona

| district1 = 3rd

| alongside1 = Andrés Cano

| term_start1 = January 14, 2019

| term_end1 = January 9, 2023

| predecessor1 = Macario Saldate

| successor1 = Alexander Kolodin

| birth_date = {{nowrap|{{birth date and age|1993|4|11}}}}

| birth_place = Tucson, Arizona, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| relatives = Consuelo Hernandez (sister)
Daniel Hernández Jr. (brother)

| education = University of Arizona (BS, MPH, MLS)
Arizona State University, Tempe

}}

Alma Hernandez (born April 11, 1993) is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Arizona House of Representatives for the 20th district. Hernandez was elected in 2018 to succeed Macario Saldate, who was term-limited.{{cite web |url=https://tucson.com/news/local/steller-column-hernandez-siblings-could-reshape-tucson-politics/article_8fc551f7-7b76-59ff-a9f5-2620dad2e213.html |title=Steller column: 3 Hernandez siblings could reshape Tucson politics |author=Steller, Tim |access-date=January 13, 2019 |date=February 18, 2018 |publisher=Tucson.com}} She was the youngest woman elected to the Arizona House of Representatives.[https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2019/05/20/arizona-representative-alma-hernandez-appears-advertisements-eloquii-plus-size-clothing-brand/3737317002/ Arizona lawmaker Alma Hernandez appears as model in advertisements for clothing brand ELOQUII]

Early life and education

Hernandez is a native of Tucson, Arizona, and attended the University of Arizona before becoming involved as the program coordinator of Bridging the Gap, a program that helps women living with HIV/AIDS.{{cite web |url=https://www.almaforarizona.org/about_alma |title=About Alma |access-date=January 13, 2019 |publisher=Alma Hernandez for State House}}

At the age of 14, when she was a student at Sunnyside High School, Hernandez was assaulted by two 19-year-old seniors outside the school, and then also assaulted by the School Resource Officer who intervened. This has left her with damage to her spine.[https://www.jewishaz.com/community/az-rep-hernandez-wins-de-escalation-training-for-school-cops/article_f38350ae-9cf7-11e9-ac4a-3b6c6753090a.html AZ Rep. Hernandez wins de-escalation training for school cops], by Phyllis Braun, at JewishAZ.com; published July 2, 2019; retrieved January 3, 2023

Political career

On August 29, 2018, Hernandez finished in second place in the primary election of the Democratic Party for the 3rd Legislative District, which allowed her to advance to the elections to the Arizona House of Representatives. She was elected on November 6, 2018.[https://ballotpedia.org/Arizona_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2018 Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2018]

Her first achievement as an elected official was the approval[https://thehill.com/latino/454384-the-hills-latina-leaders-to-watch-2019 The Hill's Latina Leaders to Watch 2019]. The Hill with bipartisan support of an agreement to initiate mandatory training in crisis intervention and de-escalation for school resource officers in July 2019. On July 6, 2021, a bill sponsored by Hernandez requiring Holocaust education in public schools in Arizona was passed by the State Legislature. This made Arizona the 16th state of the United States to make Holocaust education mandatory.[https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com/arizona-passes-holocaust-education-bill-despite-antisemitism-definition-debate/ Arizona passes Holocaust education bill despite antisemitism definition debate]. Pittsburg Jewish Chronicle

In April 2023, Hernandez was one of five House Democrats who voted to override Governor Katie Hobbs' veto of HB2509, a bill that would have legalized sales of "cottage foods" and became well-known nationally as the "Tamale Bill."{{cite web |title=Bill history for HB2509 |url=https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/78650 |website=AZ Leg. Website |access-date=28 April 2023}}{{cite news |title=The Hot Issue Bedeviling Arizona's New Governor: Tamales |work=The New York Times |date=April 25, 2023 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/25/us/arizona-tamales-katie-hobbs-veto.html |access-date=28 April 2023 |last1=Healy |first1=Jack }} The veto override failed by 5 votes, with 12 Democrats changing their vote from the original House vote to the override.{{cite web |last1=Duda |first1=Jeremy |title=Dems mostly side with Hobbs to block override of "tamale bill" veto |url=https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2023/04/25/democrats-arizona-hobbs-block-tamale-bill-veto |website=Axios Phoenix |access-date=28 April 2023 |date=25 April 2023}} Alma said that her allegiance was "to Arizonans, not to Hobbs" in an interview with Arizona Mirror.{{cite web |last1=Gomez |first1=Gloria Rebecca |title=GOP push to override veto of 'tamale bill' fails after Democrats balk at going against Hobbs |url=https://www.azmirror.com/2023/04/25/gop-push-to-override-veto-of-tamale-bill-fails-after-democrats-balk-at-going-against-hobbs/ |website=AZ Mirror |access-date=28 April 2023 |date=25 April 2023}}

=Stances=

==Jewish community==

Hernandez has worked as the coordinator of Tucson’s Jewish Community Relations Council, and has been involved in the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

On May 18, 2021, one of the doors of the Congregation Chaverim, which Hernandez belongs to, was smashed with a rock, and on June 7, 2021, a Chabad synagogue was vandalized in Tucson. She denounced both incidents on Twitter.[https://kvoa.com/news/2021/06/24/arrest-made-after-tucson-synagogue-spray-painted-with-swastika-antisemitic-slur/ Arrest made after Tucson synagogue spray-painted with swastika, antisemitic slur]. KVOA

On July 11, 2021, Hernandez spoke at a rally organized by pro-Israel Jewish organizations held in front of the United States Capitol, denouncing antisemitism and stating her support of Israel.[https://www.jewishvoicesnj.org/articles/rally-in-dc-denounces-anti-semitism-and-shows-support-for-israel/ Rally in DC denounces anti-Semitism and shows support for Israel] Additionally, in 2021, Hernandez introduced and passed a bill to make Holocaust education mandatory in Arizona.{{cite web |title=REP. ALMA HERNANDEZ ON HOW SHE AND HER FIRST-GRADE TEACHER BROUGHT HOLOCAUST EDUCATION TO ARIZONA, DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO SLOW IT DOWN |url=https://antisemitism.org/rep-alma-hernandez-on-how-she-and-her-first-grade-teacher-brought-holocaust-education-to-arizona-despite-attempts-to-slow-it-down/ |website=Campaign Against Antisemitism |publisher=Campaign Against Antisemitism |access-date=8 February 2024 |date=17 August 2023}}

In 2023, following the Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians, Hernandez was targeted by anti-Israel activists in her home neighborhood.{{cite web |last1=Wurst |first1=Erika |title=Tucson lawmaker: Flyer condemning her stance on Israel includes home address |url=https://tucson.com/news/local/government-politics/tucson-lawmaker-flyer-condemning-her-stance-on-israel-includes-home-address/article_59493914-9b93-11ee-98e1-f77c430720bd.html |website=Tucson.com |access-date=8 February 2024 |date=16 December 2023}} She has been a vocal leader of Arizona Democrats rallying against pro-Palestinian organizations such as Mass Liberation.{{cite web |last1=Stern |first1=Ray |title=A progressive group backs Hamas, splitting opinion on Arizona's Democratic Party |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2023/10/26/mass-liberation-clashes-with-arizona-lawmaker-over-hamas-support/71321319007/ |website=AZ Central |access-date=8 February 2024}}

In 2024, Hernandez wrote that labeling all Jews as white is "inherently racist and antisemitic". She described indigenous Jewish communities in Arab countries and Iran "who never left" until they were forced to flee in the 20th century; Black Jews; Latin American Jews; and Asian Jews.{{cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Rep. Alma |date=2024-12-09 |title=The Modern Face of Antisemitism and the Diversity of Jewish Identity |url=https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/combating-antisemitism/the-modern-face-of-antisemitism/ |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=American Bar Association}}

==Immigration==

Hernandez has served with the Young Democrats of America Hispanic caucus, and participated in rallies protesting Trump Administration's family separation policy,[https://www.fastcompany.com/90178669/this-jewish-latina-wants-to-bridge-political-divides-at-the-border This Jewish Latina wants to bridge political divides at the border]. Fast Company as well as coordinated deliveries of basic necessities to poor families in the Mexican border town of Nogales, where her mother is originally from, on behalf of a progressive activist group she co-founded, Tucson Jews for Justice.[https://www.timesofisrael.com/meet-the-mexican-american-jew-running-for-office-on-arizonas-southern-border/ Meet the Mexican-American Jew running for office on Arizona’s southern border]. Times of Israel

Personal life

Hernandez was raised in a non-religious home and converted to Judaism in 2015; she became interested in learning about Judaism during her teenage years after discovering that her maternal grandfather was Jewish. Her sister Consuelo Hernandez also serves as a State Representative and her brother Daniel Hernández Jr. is a former State Representative and Candidate for US Congress.

After being elected to the Arizona House of Representatives, she was featured, along with seven other women, in advertisement campaign for the plus-size clothing brand ELOQUII.