Sergio Robles
Young Professionals 2022 by Ed Fletcher
Sergio Robles says he found his calling early in life as a student representative , but it was a walk in Washington , D . C . that helped bring him home .
“ I really love helping people ,” says Robles , as he describes his path from supporting fellow students at Sacramento ’ s Hiram Johnson High School to helping people across south Sacramento and Elk Grove . Robles ’ love of serving the community through politics took him to the University of California , Northridge and then to Washington D . C . as an intern working at the Mexican Embassy .
It was in Washington . that he made his own break . While walking along Capitol Mall one morning he noticed Congressman Ami Bera walking on the other side . He crossed over and engaged the Sacramentoarea representative in conversation . Bera convinced Robles that he could serve better in California , not Washington .
Now back living in Elk Grove and serving the south Sacramento region , Robles admits there was a lot to learn through helping his home community . “ Being in the district , you know , you learn it ’ s all about people ,” Robles says . From organizing tree plantings to listening to the concerns of residents , Robles says he ’ s not only Bera ’ s eyes and ears in the district , but also building his own understanding , should he be blessed with shaping national policy in the future .
Robles , 29 , is already shaping policy through his role on the Elk Grove planning commission . When he was appointed , he was the youngest of 16 applicants . Despite his relative lack of experience , Robles has strived to be a voice for young professionals and often asks how to make Elk Grove more hospitable for people early in their careers .
As planning commissioners , Robles and the other members don ’ t create developments to their liking from the ground up , but work with developers to help shape their projects . Robles points to an innovative developer who added spaces for business startups to his storage unit project to help fill two city needs in one project .
Robles also serves in the California National Guard , volunteers for the Elk Grove Food Bank Services and is a member of the Sacramento Tree Foundation Neighborhoods Committee .
His job with the California Army National Guard is with Army human resources , with his unit responsible for ensuring troops stay ready to respond to local , state or international issues . Robles says he has a continued desire to help others .
“ I have been able to do so both as a mentor to students who may be growing up with the same hardships I did . … My military service is the opportunity to serve my community in the face of natural disasters and other dangers .”
When he ’ s not working to improve or protect our community , he likes to stay fit by doing CrossFit at Galvanize in south Sacramento and golfing at courses throughout the region .
July 2022 | comstocksmag . com 53