Coda Rayo-Garza, PhD, serves as the Senior Director of Research and Data at Every Texan. A fronteriza born and raised in Laredo, Texas, Coda is a daughter of immigrants and a first-generation college graduate. Her diverse career spans the nonprofit and government sectors, including previous work as a Lecturer of Political Science.
Coda earned her B.A. in Philosophy from Texas State University, followed by an M.A. in Political Science and a PhD in Applied Demography from the University of Texas at San Antonio. In addition to her research, she is a co-founder of Fiesta Wishes and serves on the Board of Directors for CommuniCare Health Centers. She is also the co-author of Latinos in the US: Diversity and Change (2nd Edition), published by Polity Press.
Where to find me during session: Crunching numbers and defending survey data
My surprising hobby: I play the drums
Over 1 million Texans are currently receiving unemployment insurance benefits, which have been critical for them and their families, and for starts to get back on its feet, and more
Every Texan supports HB 4139 relating to the Office for Health Equity. The COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately burdening Black and Hispanic Texans and has magnified long-standing health inequities for communities
All children deserve the opportunity for a healthy life. However, in Texas, not all children have the food security, healthcare access, and economic security they need to thrive due to
As the spread of COVID-19 became a global pandemic, disrupting every facet of our daily lives, Texas schools pivoted without warning or additional funding to continue the promise of public
This op-ed was originally featured in the Austin-American Statesman. As Governor Abbott lays out his State of the State address on Monday, we wanted to share our perspective from Every Texan on
While Census counting officially ended in October, the 2020 Census is far from over. In addition to pending litigation, important data processing and tabulation are currently underway as the Census
As we approach the 2021 Legislative Session after an historic presidential election and a continuing pandemic that is not showing signs of slowing down, the nation is ready to leave
Collin County is a rapidly growing community with many assets, including a young and diversifying workforce. But barriers to opportunity remain for residents based on race and ethnicity, income and
In Texas, opportunity isn’t the same for everyone – despite our state’s wealth. Texans are working hard to support their families and contribute to our state, but millions lack access
For many Texas public school children, fall’s usual back-to-school routine has been replaced by a necessary experiment in remote learning. This shift to online instruction has brought attention to an
