Illinois Elects Grinnell Posse Alum to State Senate

Last fall, Graciela Guzman made history as the first Posse alum elected to a state senate. A graduate of Grinnell College, Graciela was sworn in this January as an Illinois State Senator and recently completed her first “May frenzy” — the six-week budget sprint that marks the most intense part of the legislative calendar.

Graciela’s journey to public office began in Los Angeles, where she was raised by Salvadoran parents who had fled civil war. The eldest of five children, Graciela excelled in school, driven not only by ambition but also by a deep curiosity nurtured by caring teachers and mentors.

“All of my teachers poured so much into me,” she recalled. “They saw my curiosity and wanted to help feed and foster that.”

Her trajectory changed when a high school counselor nominated her for Posse. During the intensive interview process, she connected with mentors who recognized her emerging passion for social justice. Winning the Posse Scholarship to Grinnell, she says, was “an entire revolution of my brain.”

At Grinnell, Graciela sharpened her leadership skills, joining campus dialogues on race and class and organizing around issues facing Latino students. After graduating, she joined AmeriCorps, working in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood to advocate for patients who couldn’t afford their medications. That experience shifted her focus from direct service to policy reform.

Now, I get to help safeguard a future for people who’ve been underrepresented for far too long,

As a healthcare organizer, Graciela led successful campaigns to expand medical coverage for undocumented immigrants and to protect state health programs under threat. Her effectiveness caught the attention of then-State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas, who hired her as a legislative aide. When Pacione-Zayas stepped down in 2023, community leaders rallied behind Graciela, urging her to run. After holding over 50 listening sessions and knocking on more than 400,000 doors, she defeated a well-funded incumbent in a sweeping grassroots victory.

In Springfield, Graciela has emerged as both a disruptor and a coalition-builder, advocating for affordable housing, economic equity, and accessible healthcare.

“My job is to relate and to emotionally fortify,” she said. “When my neighbors face deportation or can’t complete cancer treatment, we don’t have time for wobbliness.”

Graciela credits Posse with helping her ground advocacy in relationship and humanity.

“I still draw strength from the peer mentoring I first experienced during Posse retreats,” she said. “Scholars tapped one another on the shoulder to affirm their potential. That feeling of being seen and supported — it’s carried me through every step.”

To current Posse Scholars, Graciela offers a powerful reminder: “You’re a Posse Scholar for a reason. You have something to contribute to this world. Lean into your community, build movements on campus, and trust that your voice matters.”

Now deep into her first term, Graciela remains centered in the values that have guided her from the start.

“I know who I am, and I know what my mission is,” she said. “Now, I get to help safeguard a future for people who’ve been underrepresented for far too long.”