▁Her ▁father , ▁Will ie ▁Ros enc r ans , ▁encourag ed ▁her ▁to ▁work ▁on ▁his ▁campaign ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate . ▁Later , ▁she ▁married ▁Joe ▁C . ▁Ch ac ón ▁and ▁the ▁couple ▁had ▁three ▁children ▁together . ▁▁ ▁Ch ac ón ▁became ▁involved ▁various ▁leadership ▁positions ▁in ▁El ▁Pas o . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁she ▁was ▁serving ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁El ▁Pas o ▁County ▁Emp loy ees ▁Union ▁and ▁advoc ating ▁for ▁a ▁sal ary ▁increase ▁for ▁El ▁Pas o ▁County ▁employees . ▁She ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁and ▁was ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Y s le ta ▁Element ary ▁P TA . ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁she ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Y s le ta ▁Independent ▁School ▁Board . ▁Ch ac ón ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁His pan ic ▁person ▁to ▁hold ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁Y s le ta ▁school ▁board . ▁She ▁had ▁decided ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁the ▁school ▁board ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁poor ▁conditions ▁in ▁Y s le ta ▁and ▁Lower ▁Valley ▁schools . ▁Ch ac ón ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁school ▁board ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁she ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁elected ▁as ▁an ▁El ▁Pas o ▁local ▁government ▁official ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁elected ▁El ▁Pas o ▁county ▁cl erk . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁she ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁national ▁convention ▁delegate