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Janet Murguía
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Janet Murguía has become a key figure among the next generation of leaders in the Latino community. Since January 1, 2005, she has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S.

Murguía began her career in Washington, DC as legislative counsel to former Kansas Congressman Jim Slattery, serving for seven years. She then worked at the White House from 1994 to 2000, ultimately serving as deputy assistant to President Clinton, providing strategic and legislative advice to the president on key issues. She served as deputy director of legislative affairs, managing the legislative staff and acting as a senior White House liaison to Congress.

She then served as deputy campaign manager and director of constituency outreach for the Gore/Lieberman presidential campaign. In that role, she was the primary liaison between former Vice President Gore and national constituency groups. She also served as a spokesperson for the campaign, working with radio, print, and TV media outlets.

In 2001, Murguía joined the University of Kansas (KU) as Executive Vice Chancellor for University Relations, overseeing KU’s internal and external relations with the public, including governmental and public affairs. She coordinated the university's strategic planning and marketing efforts at the four KU campuses with those of the Alumni Association, the Athletics Corporation, and the Endowment Association.

Murguía is currently a Board member of the Independent Sector, a coalition of leading nonprofits, foundations, and corporations committed to connecting, informing, and advocating on behalf of the nonprofit and philanthropic community. She is also a member of the Merrill Lynch Diversity & Inclusion Council and is an executive committee member of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. In addition, Murguía sits on the Board of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility and the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda.

2008: Was the first Hispanic to give the keynote speech at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Breakfast in Birmingham, Alabama

2007: Featured in Newsweek’s Third Annual Women and Leadership issue Named to Poder magazine’s “The Poderosos 100”
Chosen for Latino Leaders magazine’s “101 Top Leaders of the Hispanic Community”
Selected for Hispanic magazine’s “Powerful Latinos 2007”

2006: Named to Washingtonian magazine’s “100 Most Powerful Women in Washington”
Chosen for The NonProfit Times’ “Power and Influence Top 50” leaders
Named to People En Español’s “100 Most Influential Hispanics 2006”

2005: Finalist for Hispanic Business magazine’s “Woman of the Year Award”
Received the “KU Law Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus/na Award”

2004: Selected for Hispanic magazine’s annual list of "100 Top Latinas"
Chosen for Hispanic Business magazine’s "100 Most Influential Hispanics"

Janet Murguía grew up in Kansas City, Kansas. She received three degrees from KU: a B.S. degree in journalism (1982), a B.A. degree in Spanish (1982), and a J.D. degree (1985) from the School of Law.

Blog Entries by Janet Murguía

Why The AG Settlement Is Good For Communities Of Color

Posted February 9, 2012 | 2/9/12

This is a joint blog post with Marc Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League

Yesterday, state Attorneys General (AG) announced that they arrived at a $25 billion agreement with mortgage servicers in response to the "robosigning" scandal that broke 18 months ago. When New...

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Survey Affirms AT&T as Industry Leader on the Issue of Diversity

2 Comments | Posted January 13, 2012 | 1/13/12

The news last month was dominated by AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile. The proposed merger generated considerable debate within the civil rights and progressive communities, with some organizations, including many labor unions, strongly in favor and others, principally consumer advocates, deeply opposed. While NCLR did not take a position on...

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Standing Strong Against Discrimination

17 Comments | Posted December 22, 2011 | 12/22/11

Last Saturday it was my privilege to speak to the thousands of participants at the "One Family, One Alabama: HB 56 Hurts All Alabamians" rally held on the steps of the state capitol in Montgomery, Alabama. The rallygoers were a rich mosaic of Alabamians from all walks of life representing...

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A Lot More Than Just Angst In Alabama

Posted October 1, 2011 | 10/1/11

It is difficult to find the right words to express National Council of La Raza's (NCLR) outrage at U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Blackburn's decision to let stand the most egregious provisions of HB 56, Alabama's harsh and draconian version of Arizona's infamous anti-immigrant and anti-Latino law. It...

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Failing Schools--Not Just a Label, a Fact

Posted September 20, 2011 | 9/20/11

Last Thursday, Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Richard Burr (R-NC), and Mark Kirk (R-IL) introduced a series of five bills to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Sadly, these bills are replicas of the same rhetoric and philosophy introduced by their colleagues in the...

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A Celebration Of Latino Entertainment

Posted September 16, 2011 | 9/16/11

This week marks the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) is proud to help kick off our community's celebration with the NCLR ALMA Awards® airing tonight at 8:00 p.m. on NBC.

Tonight's show is not just another awards show; it is recognition...

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Saving Jobs, Saving Homes, and Building a Better Future

Posted September 13, 2011 | 9/13/11

By Janet Murguía, President & CEO, NCLR, Marc Morial, President, National Urban League, and Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development

In this era of budget slashing, some cuts just don't make sense, particularly when they push families further away from achieving the American Dream...

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Improving the Odds: Winning the Fight to Rebuild the Latino Middle Class

Posted September 5, 2011 | 9/5/11

America has always been a nation that prides itself on rising above adversity and beating the odds. But this Labor Day, more than two years since the end of the most punishing recession since the Great Depression, American families hoping to stay in the middle class are facing long odds.

...
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Turning Up the Volume on the Latino Voice

Posted August 10, 2011 | 8/10/11

When the results of the 2010 Census were revealed earlier this year, they turned what was critically important for the Latino community into something urgent. The gap between the demographic power of Latinos -- 50 million Americans and counting -- and our political power has never been larger....

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Comer Bien: The Challenges of Nourishing Latino Children and Families

Posted July 25, 2011 | 7/25/11

Latino families, like millions of others across the United States, do their best to put nutritious food on their tables every day, but the healthiest foods are too often unaffordable or inaccessible -- and the current economic climate has only added to family budgetary challenges. Many Americans struggle to buy...

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2011 All-Star Game

Posted July 12, 2011 | 7/12/11

On Tuesday night, millions of Latino baseball fans will watch with pride as players with names like Gonzalez, Ortiz, and Reyes take the field at the 82nd Annual All-Star Game. But as the camera pans across Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, it will also be a painful reminder that when...

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Defending America's Housing Dream

Posted April 22, 2011 | 4/22/11

Homeownership is the cornerstone of the American Dream, and like all Americans, Latinos work toward that dream and a stable financial future. In recent years, however, problems in the housing market have made the dream impossible for many Latino families. In today's tough economic and political climate, some politicians blame...

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Georgia: On Immigration, Speeding Down a Dead-End Street

Posted March 17, 2011 | 3/17/11

Last year, Arizona set off a national firestorm when it passed SB 1070, legislation widely seen as unconstitutional and condemned for legitimizing racial profiling. The brand of politics that led to this law pushes all the buttons of a public legitimately frustrated with federal inaction on immigration. Sadly, it delivers...

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Peck's Remarks on Immigrants and Feral Hogs Offensive to Kansas -- Offensive to America

Posted March 16, 2011 | 3/16/11

Kansas State Representative Virgil Peck might think he was being funny Monday, but to Hispanics everywhere his comments are no joke.

According to Tuesday's Lawrence World Journal, Peck told his state's House Appropriations Committee, "It might be a good idea to control illegal immigration the way the feral...

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The Latino State of the Union -- A Challenge to Lawmakers

Posted January 27, 2011 | 1/27/11

President Obama's State of the Union address was a direct challenge to lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle to work together toward a more prosperous and globally competitive America. The president called for investments in innovation, education, and infrastructure to jump-start economic growth. He also pledged to get...

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Latino Leaders Urge the U.S. Senate to Make the "DREAM Act" a Reality

Posted December 16, 2010 | 12/16/10

Today, a cross-section of distinguished Latino leaders from across the political spectrum, as well as in business, government, public service, entertainment, and sports, sent a letter (below) to the leadership of the U.S. Senate urging them to pass the "DREAM Act," legislation that would allow undocumented youth who have grown...

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Why Hispanic Activists Must Fight to Eliminate the Nation's Debt

Posted December 10, 2010 | 12/10/10

No policy issue poses a greater threat to the long-term prosperity of American children and the nation overall than our growing national debt. The agreement on taxes struck this week does not improve the future picture of our debt, even though it is urgently needed in the short...

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No More Excuses: Latino Voters Want Action on "DREAM Act"

Posted December 2, 2010 | 12/2/10

NCLR has long supported the "Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act." For nearly a decade, we have urged Congress to do the right thing. We have worked with a distinguished group of bipartisan senators and other members of Congress to try to get this legislation passed. Yet,...

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Solutions to the Latino Child Nutrition Crisis In the U.S.

Posted November 17, 2010 | 11/17/10

With Thanksgiving around the corner, most of us are making preparations for a day of feasting. However, as we give thanks for the nourishment of food and family, we must remember that putting healthy food on the table every day is a tremendous struggle for many American families, including Latinos....

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October We March, November We Vote

Posted October 1, 2010 | 10/1/10

On Saturday, October, 2, exactly one month before Election Day, I will march beside Americans of all backgrounds to urge our political leaders to take bold steps to rebuild our economy. More than 100,000 people from across the country, including leading human and civil rights organizations, labor unions, students, and...

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