From Hood River. For Hood River.
Gladys was born and raised right here in Hood River, the daughter of parents who came to this country believing this place could give their child a future. That belief shaped everything. Growing up in the Gorge, Gladys saw firsthand what it means when systems work, and what it costs when they don’t. She watched her family and neighbors navigate challenges that many Hood River families still face today. And instead of accepting that as just the way things are, she decided early: she was going to change it.
“I grew up understanding that where you live, how you get around, whether you feel like you belong — these things aren’t small. They determine everything. They are the difference between a community that lifts people up and one that leaves people behind.”
That calling has driven more than 15 years of work building systems that actually serve people — from the families of the Columbia River Gorge, to the city council chambers of Hood River, to the policy tables where decisions get made that ripple through every neighborhood. As the first Latina elected to Hood River City Council in its 125-year history, and now serving as Council President, Gladys has spent her time in office doing exactly what she promised: listening to residents across Hood River — especially those too often left out of the conversation — and making sure their voices shape what gets built, funded, and changed. That work extends to the state level, where she has spent years shaping policy that determines how resources reach communities, experience she brings directly to the mayor’s office.
Hood River is something rare. It is a place with deep roots. In its land, its orchards, its river, its people. And Gladys believes those roots are worth protecting. But she also knows that preserving what makes Hood River special means being honest about what needs to change. It means asking hard questions: Who can actually afford to live here? Who feels like they truly belong? Can Gorge families get to work, to school, to the grocery store without a car? Does a family who has lived here for three generations feel as seen as someone who moved here last year? Building the Hood River of the future means holding both things at once, cherishing what is already here, and having the courage to build the systems that make this community accessible, sustainable, and whole for everyone who calls it home.
“This campaign isn’t mine. It belongs to every person in Hood River who has ever felt like the future was being planned without them. I want to change that — together.”
Gladys has more than 15 years in healthcare, from hospitals, clinics, and state level work. She is the recipient of the Oregon Primary Care Association’s Health Equity and Social Justice Award and Soroptimist International’s Woman of Distinction (2024). She is a board member of the Mid-Columbia Community Action Council and Tsuruta Sister City Board. She is fluent in English and Spanish. And she is your neighbor.
