My name is Cecilia Lunaparra and I am the first undergraduate, Latina, and openly queer woman of color to be elected to represent Berkeley City Council District 7. 

I am a progressive urbanist, working to create a safe, beautiful, and habitable city for all. I grew up in Illinois and moved to the Bay Area Peninsula when I was 10. As a teenager, I spent my time leading and organizing political actions advocating for stronger gun control, the end to sexual harassment in schools, and robust student representation on the San Mateo Board of Education. This work sparked my curiosity in local politics and the legislative process. As a UC Berkeley student I dedicated myself to fighting for values of equity and justice through involvement in on and off campus political organizing. I served as the President of Cal Berkeley Democrats, the official arm of the Democratic Party on UC Berkeley’s campus, and Telegraph for People, a progressive urbanist organization working to create a pedestrian plaza on Telegraph Avenue in Southside and advocating for transit justice. I also organized with the Cal Young Democratic Socialists of America, fought for a permanent ceasefire in Palestine, opposed UC Austerity, supported striking workers, and more. Within these organizations, I partnered with other activists and community members to give motivated students the tools and support they need to fight for progressive legislation.

In 2024, I ran for office to serve as a conduit for all who live, work, and study in Southside. Students make up 25% of Berkeley’s population but oftentimes feel that their voices go unheard. Our District 7 community deserves a strong say in how our City is run and I have remained committed to empowering young people to engage in local government. One of the most impactful parts of my tenure has been connecting with creative, brilliant, and passionate young people across our City as we collectively find our voices and create the world we hope to see. 

My top priorities in office are creating equitable zoning reform, building safe pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure, increasing density and building more housing, developing robust mechanisms for independent police oversight, making our legislative processes accessible to all, and protecting and strengthening tenants rights.