Video by Inspired Media 360 for the Historical League
Alfredo Gutierrez grew up in the Arizona copper-mining town of Miami. As a student, he founded Arizona State University's Mexican American Student Organization that evolved into the Moviento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán. He also played a key role in the founding of Chicano por la Causa and Valle del Sol in Phoenix that provide much needed resources to some of the state's underserved residents. Mr. Gutierrez served 14 years in the Arizona State Senate and was both majority leader and minority leader. Throughout his tenure, he worked with Burton Barr, Art Hamilton, and Governor Bruce Babbitt. During his legislative service, the Arizona Department of Transportation came into existence, the state's three universities began growing into top-tier institutions, and Arizona joined the Medicaid program, known in the state as Arizona Health Care Containment System. Mr. Gutierrez also served as president of Maricopa College Governing Board and on boards of the Greater Black Chamber of Commerce, the Phoenix Police Foundation, Greater Phoenix Leadership, the Kino Institute, and the Morrison Institute for Public Policy. Professionally, he co-founded a political public relations and policy firm and has also worked as consultant, public speaker, a talk-radio host, and as an educator. Mr. Gutierrez is the author of To Sin Against Hope: How America Has Failed Its Immigrants and is the founder of the online publication, La Frontera Times. He is a Vietnam War veteran and a Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Fellow. Arizona State has recognized him with an honorary doctoral degree.