0 1 0 . ▁ ▁She ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁California ▁State ▁Assembly ▁for ▁the ▁six ▁years ▁( 2 0 0 0 – 2 0 0 6 ) ▁prior ▁to ▁her ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁Senate . ▁ ▁O ro pe za ▁and ▁Tom ▁M ull ins ▁married ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁ ▁Education ▁O ro pe za ▁graduated ▁from ▁Al h amb ra ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁and ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁ear n ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁Business ▁Administration ▁from ▁California ▁State ▁University , ▁Long ▁Beach . ▁She ▁began ▁her ▁career ▁in ▁public ▁service ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁Lat ina ▁student ▁body ▁president , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁serve ▁two ▁terms , ▁at ▁California ▁State ▁University , ▁Long ▁Beach . ▁While ▁still ▁in ▁college , ▁she ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁then - g overn or ▁Jerry ▁Brown ▁to ▁the ▁C SU ▁system ' s ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁student ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁board . ▁ ▁Early ▁political ▁career ▁O ro pe za ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁Lat ina ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Long ▁Beach ▁Un ified ▁School ▁District ▁Board ▁of ▁Education ▁and ▁held ▁office ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁she ▁was ▁elected ▁the ▁first ▁Lat ina ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Long ▁Beach ▁City ▁Council ▁and ▁won ▁re - e lection ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁As ▁an ▁M TA ▁board ▁member ▁from