Anamarie Ávila Farías

Anamarie Avila Farias is a Democratic member of the California State Assembly representing District 15, which encompasses communities across Contra Costa County and the East Bay, including Antioch, Brentwood, Clayton, Concord, Martinez, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek. ^[1,2] The granddaughter of Mexican immigrants who arrived under the Bracero Program in the 1950s, Avila Farias was raised by a single mother after her father passed away when she was three years old, and she became one of the first in her family to earn an advanced degree. ^[3,5] A third-generation Contra Costa County resident, she built a career in affordable housing and community development before winning election to the Assembly in November 2024, succeeding fellow Democrat Tim Grayson. ^[1,3] Her legislative agenda focuses heavily on expanding government-funded housing programs, environmental regulation, and social services. ^[6] While her personal story of perseverance and upward mobility resonates with family-centered values, Avila Farias has frequently taken positions that diverge from CFC's family-focused policy priorities, particularly on issues of parental rights, religious liberty, and the sanctity of life. With a 15% CFC Biblical Values Scorecard rating, her legislative record has consistently diverged from the California Family Council's worldview framework on the sanctity of life (Chapter 6), parental authority in education (Chapter 8), and religious liberty (Chapter 9).

Avila Farias earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Master of Science in Information Systems Management from the University of San Francisco. ^[1,5] She launched her public service career at the local level, making history in 2012 as the first Latina elected to the Martinez City Council. ^[3,5] She also chaired the Martinez Planning Commission and served on the Parks and Recreation and Marina Commission.

Avila Farias entered the 2024 Assembly race after Tim Grayson opted to run for the State Senate. ^[1] She finished second in the March 2024 primary with 30.4 percent of the vote, advancing to the general election alongside Republican Sonia Ledo. ^[1] She won decisively in November with 64.1 percent of the vote, backed by endorsements from organized labor including SEIU 1021, the California Teachers Association, and the National Union of Healthcare Workers.

Her 13.8% Biblical Values Scorecard rating across 29 scored floor votes reflects consistent divergence from CFC's worldview framework. Her voting record has supported abortion access expansion over the sanctity of human life, government-directed education over parental authority and school choice, and progressive social mandates over religious liberty protections.

Avila Farias lives in Martinez with her husband, an architect, and their two children. ^[3,5] She has been actively involved in her community beyond elected office, serving on the board of the Juvenile Hall Auxiliary of Contra Costa County for over a decade and on the board of the Carquinez Regional Environmental Education Center.