Coda Rayo-Garza, Research & Data Director

Coda Rayo-Garza serves as Every Texan’s Director of Research and Data. She is a fronteriza born and raised in Laredo, Texas. Coda has worked in the nonprofit and government sectors in various roles and is also a former Lecturer of Political Science. A first-generation college graduate and daughter of immigrants, Coda earned her M.A. in Political Science from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a B.A. in Philosophy from Texas State University. She is also a current PhD student in Applied Demography at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her areas of expertise include racial, ethnic, gender, and poverty disparities, especially along border areas. Coda currently serves on the Board of Directors for Communicare Health Centers, Blue Horizon Texas, and Fiesta Wishes (which she co-founded). Coda is also co-authoring a book through Polity Press titled Latinos in the US: Diversity and Change. When she is not working, Coda is spending time with her children and partner, likely at a local park or library.

Coda's Recent Work

On The Road To A BETTER TEXAS

At CPPP, we believe in the people of Texas. And we believe that all Texans deserve a chance to live a safe and healthy life–seeing a doctor when they need

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2013 Lege–SNAP and WIC

By Jeanie Donovan More than 3.5 million Texans, including nearly 2 million children, rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to ensure that they don’t go to bed hungry

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2013 Lege–Universal School Breakfast

Last school year Texas’ school cafeterias served an astonishing 300 million breakfasts.  But remarkably, that only covered 60 percent of the students who received free or reduced price lunches during

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“A Fighting Chance” Is Now Online

Last week, our documentary “A Fighting Chance” aired on KLRU-Austin PBS, followed by a moving Civic Summit panel discussion about the struggles Texas families face just to meet their basic

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