UT alumna Montserrat Garibay started her campaign for Texas House District 49 like any former teacher would: with a notepad, a pencil and plenty of notes.

She has spent the first weeks of her campaign meeting with students, professors and community members across the district, holding listening sessions to learn about their concerns and priorities. Garibay announced her campaign last month after learning that current state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, is running for governor instead of the state House seat, which represents parts of Austin and Travis County, including UT and West Campus.

Garibay spent the last four years at the U.S. Department of Education, serving almost two years as the assistant deputy secretary for the Office of English Language Acquisition for the Biden administration. A former bilingual pre-K teacher who immigrated from Mexico as a child, she later became a labor organizer and advocate for immigrant and workers’ rights.

“As politicians, we need to listen to what our students and our community needs and wants. I don’t know everything, (and) I want to be informed,” Garibay said. “The reason why I like to take notes is because I like to really, truly, allow me to listen as I’m connecting with what they’re thinking.”

Mark Strama, director of the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life, wrote in an email that the student vote is a key constituency in the heavily Democratic District 49 and could play a role in the upcoming primary in March.

“Turnout in primaries is typically low, so students who live and vote in District 49 can have an outsized impact,” Strama wrote. 

He said candidates would be wise to maintain a regular presence on college campuses. He said candidates should hire students to intern or volunteer in their campaigns and focus on the issues that matter most to the students. Garibay is currently running against a field of Democratic candidates, including former City Council Member Kathie Tovo and state legislative staffer Josh Reyna.

Housing is a top concern for Garibay. She said many teachers, students and workers she has spoken with cannot afford to live in Austin and have to commute from outside cities to afford housing.

Garibay is also focused on higher education, particularly the potential cap on international students, which she said would negatively impact the richness of UT and other campuses. As a former undocumented student, she said a top priority is helping students who have lost in-state tuition, DACA status or funding by connecting with businesses and philanthropic organizations.

“I want people that look like me to know that there’s someone that believes in them, and that there’s a place for us at the table where we live with courage and integrity,” Garibay said. 

Garibay said she plans to advocate for reproductive rights, affordable healthcare for women and LGBTQ+ issues.

“I plan to be very vocal about LGBTQ+ issues in terms of our students and their freedom to choose who they are and to be safe and healthy in our communities,” Garibay said.