Meet Maria Pacheco
Maria Pacheco is a champion for Western Fresno County who has experienced many of the same struggles many families face today. As Mayor, an education advocate, wife, and proud mother of six, she has turned perseverance into public service and delivered real results for her community.
As the first Latina of Indigenous roots to serve as Mayor of Kerman, Maria worked to secure millions for public safety and parks, expanded workforce and education pathways, and brought investments directly to local families. She has built partnerships across cities and worked across the aisle to get results. Now, Maria is running to bring that same hands-on leadership to Fresno County, fighting for safer neighborhoods, stronger schools, access to quality housing, and an economy where everyone has opportunity to get ahead.
MARIA'S PLAN TO DELIVER FOr WEST FRESNO COUNTY
Priorities
Reduce Costs and Expand Housing
-Streamline permitting and reduce fees for ADUs, modular, and innovative housing to quickly increase supply in rural communities.
-Invest in water and sewer infrastructure to unlock affordable multi-family housing in underserved areas.
-Protect rural renters and mobile home residents by creating fair, local mediation to prevent displacement.
Create Opportunity
-Bring services directly to rural communities through mobile resource hubs with job support, social services, and mental health care.
-Launch a workforce program that connects people experiencing homelessness to paid public works jobs and pathways to stable housing.
-Partner with Fresno State and local agricultural leaders to create job training in ag-tech and climate-resilient farming.
Strengthen Community Safety
-Expand crisis response teams so trained professionals can handle mental health calls, allowing deputies to focus on serious crime.
-Invest in youth opportunity centers that provide after-school programs, mentorship, and job training.
-Ensure first responders are equipped with trauma-informed training to better serve families and de-escalate crises.
Protect Everyone's Quality of Life
-Work together with state leaders and agencies to protect residents from harassment and threats, including transnational repression.
-Create a secure, multilingual reporting system so residents feel safe to report concerns without fear.
-Support community organizations that educate families about their rights and access to resources.
Get Involved
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BACKED BY TRUSTED LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Endorsements
Anna Caballero
State senator
Esmeralda Soria
Assemblymember
Leticia Gonzalez
Madera County Supervisor
Rey Leon
Mayor of huron
Adam Flores-Cornejo
Mayor of San Joaquin
Martha Mejia
vice mayor of city of san joaquin
Berdie Hall
kerman city councilmember
Raj Dhaliwal
Kerman city councilmember
Rosa María Ramirez
city of San Joaquin Councilmember
Cristina Covarrubia
city of San Joaquin Councilmember
Anita Evans
madera city councilmember
Destiny Rodriguez
Vice president, State Center Community College District BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Nasreen Johnson
Member, State Center Community College District BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Magdalena Gomez
Member, State Center Community College District BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Karla Kirk
Board member, Central Unified School District
Keith Ford
President of State Center Federation of Teachers / AFT Local 1533
Cynthia Sterling
President of BWOPA SJV/Fresno
Julia Hernandez
FORMER Mayor oF SAN JOAQUIN
National Association of Social Workers
CALIFORNIA Chapter
Black Women Organized for Political Action
Dolores Huerta Action Fund
National Women's Political Caucus
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1027
Fresno County Democratic Women's Club
CAIR Action
Fresno Stonewall Democrats
SEIU Local 1000
San Joaquin Valley Democratic Club
Central Valley Progressive PAC
Valley Voters PAC
Press and media coverage
In the News
GV WIRE
Candidates Line Up for Fresno County Supervisorial District 1 Race
Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco also announced she is running for the Board of Supervisors. She is not related to Brian Pacheco.
“I believe the families of the west side deserve strong leadership, real opportunity, and a seat at every table where decisions about our future are being made,” she said in a news release.
Pacheco is a two-term mayor, first winning the two-year office in 2022. She also works as a senior field representative for Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno.
KSEE 24/CBS 47
How Kerman’s first indigenous mayor became a ‘fearless Latina’
Maria Pacheco’s story begins in the quiet neighborhoods of Kerman, California, where she was born and raised in a middle-class home on the edge of town.
The first Latina on the city council, and now the first Indigenous mayor, her rise to leadership is extraordinary, but the road was anything but easy.
Fresno state today
Kerman mayor finds strength in social work
When Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco graduated from Fresno State this past May with her bachelor’s degree in social work, it was more than just a special moment – it was a dream come true and a long time coming for the mother of six.
Now, she’s expanding on her dream by pursuing her Master of Social Work degree this fall as part of the Title IV-E Child Welfare Program, in which she hopes to further her policy and advocacy work around the Indian Child Welfare Act.
KVPR
Kerman farmworkers killed in crash are returned to Mexico as friends, family grieve
On the day of the crash, Fidel and Pedro Ojeda, Juvenal Talavera, Victor Hernandez, Alfredo Morales, Roberto Flores, Hector Orozco and Benito Perez were on their morning commute to work on a vineyard farm.
The California Highway Patrol suspects the driver of the pickup truck crossed the median and slammed into the workers' van. Perez was the sole survivor.
“It's devastating,” Pacheco said, “They were very young, most of them very young, with their whole lives ahead of them.”
She said the vigil was “about a celebration of life” for the men who died.
“People grieve in different ways,” Pacheco said.“We have to be able to move on as a community to collect ourselves together, bring ourselves back together, remember that life is precious.”
Pacheco is part of the organization FUERZA – a coalition of various community leaders – which helped organize the vigil. The organization helped raise more than $13,000 for families of the men. The funds were distributed evenly.
ABC30
Fresno City College launches free shuttle for Kerman students
The ride is free for students and has been a labor of love for Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco.
"I worked on this for about three years. Knocking on doors, creating meetings." Pacheco said.
Pacheco says transportation to Fresno City College became a passion project for her years ago while her own daughter was attending FCC.
A previous transportation option ended, leaving multiple students without a ride, so Pacheco ended up driving them herself.
Pacheco says knowing students have a consistent, reliable form of transportation makes the hard work worth it.
Fresno State News
Social work student balances studies while serving as city mayor
It was nearly one year ago, in November 2022, that Pacheco won the City of Kerman’s mayoral election. It was a tight race, and after two counts, Pacheco won by 90 votes.
Her win was historic.
Pacheco became the first Latina of indigenous roots to serve as Kerman’s mayor and, with no prior experience in politics, her road has been anything but typical. In fact, she never aspired to become mayor.
It was an opportunity that was suggested to her multiple times by friends and acquaintances in the political sphere, whom she met while advocating for funds for a transportation program in the city. At first, Pacheco laughed off their lofty suggestions, but soon realized it was a real possibility that would allow her to make a significant impact on the community that raised her.