Bonita Peralta

*This name uses Spanish naming customs. The first or paternal family name is* de la Cruz*, while the second or maternal family name is* de Guzmán*.*

**Bonita Francisca Peralta** (née **de la Cruz de Guzmán**; born 10 May 1963) is a Californian politician and lawyer who has served as Minister of Internal Affairs since 2016. She has been a member of the Chamber of Deputies, representing Las Vegas, since 2010, and previously served as Minister of Minority Rights from 2014 to 2016.

Born to Bolivian immigrants to a lower-class family in Las Vegas, Peralta was raised in Downtown Las Vegas and graduated from Valley High School in 1981. Following her graduation, she enrolled in Stanford University and graduated with a degree in political science in 1985. She subsequently returned to Las Vegas and received her juris doctor from the University of Las Vegas in 1988. After completing law school, Peralta worked as a civil rights attorney in Las Vegas, primarily assisting low-income Mestizo and Black-Californians with discrimination cases. She founded her own law firm in 1995, but later left her law career in 2010 to begin a career in politics.

Peralta's political career began in 2010, when she was elected to the Chamber of Deputies as a member of the Social Democratic Party, representing Las Vegas. While a deputy, Peralta became a rising star in her party due to her fierce arguing on the chamber floor for policies she supported, and proposed the highest amount of legislation of any freshman deputy during her first term. After her party won a majority in the 2014 general election, Peralta was appointed Minister of Minority Rights by Prime Minister Kendrick Douglas. She was later promoted to Minister of Internal Affairs in 2016.

Throughout her political career, Peralta has been vocal on the issue of the rights of ethnic minorities and immigrants in California, especially during her tenure as Minister of Minority Rights. Among blacks and Mestizo-Californians, her approval rates are over 90%, higher than any other Californian politician. She has been theorized as a possible candidate for President of California in the 2020 presidential election, or a future Prime Minister candidate.

## Early life and family

Peralta was born on 10 May 1963 in Las Vegas to parents Cristóbal and Lucía de la Cruz (née *de Guzmán*). Both of her parents were Afro-Bolivian immigrants from La Paz, Bolivia who arrived in Las Vegas six months before Peralta's birth; Cristóbal worked in food preparation at Las Vegas hotels and casinos, while Lucía was a housekeeper at a hotel. Peralta grew up speaking solely Spanish, but learned English shortly after beginning school. Peralta is the eldest of four girls; her younger sisters include Carmen, born  (1966-02-03) 3 February 1966 (age 57), Nadia, born  (1967-11-29) 29 November 1967 (age 56), and Alejandra, born  (1970-04-11) 11 April 1970 (age 53). She was raised in a small apartment in Downtown Las Vegas, and had to share a bed with her three sisters.

## Education and early career

Peralta began her education in 1968, attending public schooling in Las Vegas. Throughout her youth, Peralta went by the nickname "Bonnie", as she hated her birth name. She did not begin to go by her birth name until she was in her early-twenties. In her early life, adolescence, and teenage years, Peralta has stated that she was ostracized by "everyone" in her community due to her race, as Spanish-speakers did not want to associate with her because she was black, and blacks did not want to associate with her because she was Spanish-speaking. Due to this, she formed close bonds with her younger sisters. Peralta began high school at Valley High School in 1977, where she was a high academic achiever. She graduated from high school as valedictorian in 1981.

After graduating from high school, Peralta enrolled in Stanford University, the most prestigious university in all of California. She majored in political science, and graduated in 1985. After graduating, Peralta returned to Las Vegas to attend the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Las Vegas, graduating with her juris doctor in 1988. Following her graduation, Peralta pursued a career in civil rights law. She specialized in cases of discrimination against blacks and Mestizo-Californians, and frequently took on cases for lower-class citizens. She founded her own law firm in 1995, but later left her law career in 2010 to begin a career in politics.

## Political career

### Chamber of Deputies

In 2009, Peralta was invited by the by the Social Democratic Party to be included on their ticket for the 2010 Californian general election in Las Vegas. The party ultimately won enough seats for Peralta to be seated, and she became a member of the Chamber of Deputies. Shortly after first receiving her seat, she became well-known throughout California for her fierce arguing on the chamber floor for policies she supported, and proposed the highest amount of legislation of any freshman deputy during her first term. She was later reelected in the 2014 election.

### Ministerial positions

After the Social Democratic Party won a parliamentary majority in the 2014 election, Peralta was appointed Minister of Minority Rights by Prime Minister Gretchen Conners. As Minister of Minority Rights, Peralta began receiving widespread attention throughout California for her passionate fighting for the rights of ethnic minorities in California. Following the resignation of Conners and the election of Kendrick Douglas as Prime Minister in 2016, he promoted Peralta to Minister of Internal Affairs.

## Personal life

Peralta began a relationship with philanthropist and University of Las Vegas sociology professor Miguel Peralta (of Afro-Colombian heritage) in 1990. They became engaged a year after dating, and married in March 1992. Prior to her election to the Chamber of Deputies, they resided in Henderson, a suburb of Las Vegas. They have two children together: Brianna, born  (1996-07-12) 12 July 1996 (age 27), and Joseph, born  (1998-01-30) 30 January 1998 (age 25). Peralta is a Roman Catholic.