Yanira in the News
April 20, 2026, Source NM, New Mexico Primary 2026: NM House of Representatives, District 16
Two Democratic candidates will vie (again) to represent Albuquerque’s west side
“Being a teacher, you would be with students and hear their needs and their families’ too. Poverty is generational, and we need to make sure our students have a first chance.”
April 20, 2026, KRQE-13, Unique kind of affordable housing coming to Albuquerque westside with preschool on site
A new kind of affordable housing broke ground last week, focused on providing more and more financial help for families with children. The West Mesa Ridge apartments by Coors and Fortuna on the west side will be a 128-unit affordable housing complex, with a preschool on site. Rep. Gurrola put
April 18, 2026, KOB-4, New legislative office opens in Albuquerque, connects New Mexicans to lawmakers
The new office gives people a place to meet lawmakers and talk about concerns in their community. This office and a dozen others around the state also give legislators, including Rep. Yanira Gurrola, a chance to connect with people.
“It’s a close place. We work in Santa Fe one time a year and then nobody knows where we are. So this is where they can come find us,” said Yanira Gurrola.
February 15, 2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, Lawmaker has been top advocate for advancing bilingual programs
Gurrola, 50, a former bilingual math teacher elected to her seat in 2022, has been a staunch advocate in the Legislature for bilingual and multicultural education measures, co-sponsoring almost every recent effort to bolster programs across the state.
February 2, 2026, Source New Mexico, Bill refining allowable restraint and seclusion practices in schools advances out of House committee
Several lawmakers voiced concerns about safety and overrestricting teacher responses
House Bill 120, co-sponsored by Rep. Yanira Gurrola (D-Albuquerque), would amend the Public School Code by clarifying what restraint and seclusion are — used when students show dangerous or threatening behavior — and what actions are prohibited. “It’s a tool for teachers that keeps students safe and treated with dignity,” Gurrola told the committee Monday morning.
January 25, 2024, Source NM, “Higher education leaders show up to support Yazzie-Martinez bill”
Bill seeking $27M appropriation to boost language instruction clears first committee
House Bill 39, introduced by Rep. Yanira Gurrola (D-Albuquerque), asks for more than $27 million in appropriations to fund more than 40 items, which intend to support bilingual education programs in public colleges, universities and tribal colleges. There are goals to use that investment to build pipelines to bring bilingual educators into K-12 schools after graduation.
January 25, 2024, NM Political Report, “Governmental Conduct Act updates approved in first committee”
A bill that seeks to clarify the Governmental Conduct Act and increase possible penalties for violation of the law passed its first community unanimously. HB 8 would provide a new section to the law defining intent, provide specific guidance to public officers and employees about prohibited acts, clarify provisions prohibiting abuse of office, quid pro quo corruption, acquisition of financial interests resulting from an official act, and misuse of public property.
January 16, 2023, Source New Mexico, “Lawmaker, educator, wants language programs to lead public school education reform”
Proposal seeks $27M to build ‘pipelines’ to fund bilingual education programs in higher ed that can train teachers to go into K-12 schools in New Mexico.
March 4, 2023, LA Daily Post, “Expanded Human Rights Act Passes New Mexico House”
SANTA FE — House Bill 207, which would expand the discrimination protections included in the New Mexico Human Rights Act, passed the House of Representatives Friday with a vote of 47-20. The legislation would extend the scope of the New Mexico Human Rights Act, which was put in place in 1969 to help ensure that everyone in the state is protected from discrimination in employment, housing, accessing credit and public accommodation. House Bill 207 is sponsored by Reps. Ortez, Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe), Linda Serrato (D-Santa Fe), Yanira Gurrola (D-Albuquerque), Senate Majority Floor Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe), and Senator Carrie Hamblen (D-Las Cruces).
March 3, 2023, Albuquerque Journal, “Bilingual educator Yanira Gurrola forging unique path as first-term lawmaker”
As she settles in as a legislator, Gurrola said she plans to focus on education, worker protection and school safety issues. She also said her background as a bilingual teacher with an engineering degree from the Instituto Tecnológico de Chihuahua could provide her with unique perspectives on issues.
January 13, 2023, Source NM, “Educator ready to serve her first term in the Roundhouse”
As a bilingual educator with the nonprofit Dual Language Education of New Mexico and former math teacher in Albuquerque Public Schools, she’s also trying to keep in mind what she used to tell students who would come to her and say, “I don’t know this.”
“It’s always, ‘You don’t know it yet,’” she emphasized, because she’s all about changing that mindset. “I’m very open. I love to learn. I don’t have free time right now because I’m only invested in this. So that’s how I’m getting ready.”
As to her focus, she’s passionate about education. It will always be a top concern, “and it is a priority in every district, especially in ours,” she said. “So making sure that the students have opportunities — not only at school and in the classroom, but definitely outside the classroom, too.”
Gurrola Valenzuela is also thinking about elders on the Westside who need access to technology and transportation.
January 10, 2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Bilingual math teacher selected to fill House seat”
Commissioner Eric Olivas, one of the new members who voted in support of Gurrola Valenzuela, said the district would be served well “by just about” any of the candidates. But he said Gurrola Valenzuela stood out.
“Her background as an educator is really important,” he said. “She’s worked at some tough schools, and she’s done some amazing work, and I think that’s something that we really need to see in the statehouse. She brings a really unique perspective as an immigrant, an educator, as somebody that’s worked in dual language programs and also worked in the maquiladoras and the manufacturing region around the border. I think that she’ll be somebody that’s able to really bring a nexus of education and economic opportunity.”