Omar Paz Jr.

Omar is a 4th generation settler of Sonoma Valley (Unceded Coast Miwok, Pomo, and Wappo Land) and 1st generation college graduate. Omar was born and raised in the El Verano/Boyes Hot Springs area of Sonoma Valley and graduated from Sonoma Valley High in 2011 as Senior Class President. As a White Mexican-American raised biculturally in separate, low-income households his culture and values instilled by his parents and life experience drive his work to bring justice, representation, and social & economic equity to underrepresented BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, Youth, Farmworkers, People with Disabilities, and Undocumented communities throughout Sonoma County. His passion for community is inspired by his father's journey through emigration from México at age 14 and self-starting Paz Landscape as well as his mother's lifelong community service and dedication to her children. Omar's father, Omar Paz Sr., immigrated to the U.S. from Ixtaro, Michoacán, México at age 14 persevering through countless hardships as an undocumented farmworker and handyman to eventually attaining naturalization and founding his own business: Paz Landscape. His mother, Laurie Pedroncelli, a descendant of German and Italian immigrants who made homes in Glen Ellen and Sonoma Valley, dedicated her life to her children despite numerous traumas and adversities in early adulthood, full-time care of Omar's oldest sister Monica who is a survivor of sexual assault with physical and mental disabilities, and who transitioned from her battle with Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer on 9/30/2021.

Omar holds three Associates Degrees in Environmental Studies, Natural, and Social Sciences from Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) and a Combined B.A. in Latin American & Latino Studies and Sociology with a Minor in Global Information & Social Enterprise Studies from UC Santa Cruz. He formerly served as the SRJC Associated Students President, Student Trustee, as well as the President of the Student Senate for CA Community Colleges representing 2.3 million community college students in Sacramento. He has also served Sonoma County as the Sheriff's appointee to the Community & Local Law Enforcement Task Force serving a half-term as chair of the Community Engagement & Healing Subcommittee. He was the first campaign manager and a core supporter of the successful 'Yes on Measure P’ campaign in Sonoma County where he joined grassroots organizations like Love & Light, What We are Fighting For, Sonoma County Black Coalition, and many more to build community power and voice in the justice movement for Andy Lopez and ALL victims of overmilitarized law enforcement. As a rising community organizer and non-profit professional, Omar is committed to social and economic equity within his community. His work is dedicated to underserved community members throughout Sonoma County with the goal of increasing access to and reforming local policy for public education, social services, language justice, immigrants’ rights, and youth leadership. Omar lives by the motto "If the work isn't accessible, collaborative, uplifting, and led by those impacted then it isn't for me."