Hector Bustos

Hector Bustos is an openly LGBTQ educator, organizer, and public school champion serving as President of the Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Education. Raised in the same community he now represents, he is a proud product of Santa Ana’s public schools and the son of an immigrant mother. His lived experience navigating under-resourced systems informs his commitment to equity, dignity, and opportunity for all students and families. At 23, Hector became one of the youngest elected school board members in California and the first openly LGBTQ person elected to the Santa Ana Unified School District Board. As board president, he has led efforts to protect LGBTQ students, expand mental health supports, strengthen anti-bullying policies, and ensure schools remain safe and inclusive, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or immigration status. Grounded in community organizing and coalition-building, Hector views school boards as a critical frontline in the fight for LGBTQ equality. He continues to show up visibly and unapologetically, using his platform to defend LGBTQ youth and families and to build a future where every student is affirmed, protected, and empowered to thrive.