December 20, 2011

 

 

 

Meet Artesia's City Council

Miguel Canales

City Councilmember


Email: mcanales@cityofartesia.us

Phone: (562) 865-6262

Elected: November 2011

Miguel Angel Canales was born on November 21, 1976 at County USC Hospital in the city of Los Angeles.

He was raised in the city by his working class parents Miguel and Magdalena Canales, who hail from the town of Miguel Auza, in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico. Growing up, Miguel was part of a large extended family, which include his younger brother Luis Alonso and his younger sister Magdalena. He fondly remembers family gatherings, parties, celebrations, and return trips to Miguel Auza, where his grandparents still live today.

Learning English as a second language made school initially difficult for Miguel. By fourth grade he was in all English classes and by the time he attended Belmont High School, he was taking college prep, honors and AP courses and succeeding in athletics.

In his youth, Miguel played basketball and volleyball, ran track and cross-country. It was his constant involvement in athletics that he credits with teaching him discipline and keeping him off the streets and out of gangs- a life that has claimed both friends and family members.

Going to college changed Miguel’s life forever. He left the “concrete jungle” of Los Angeles and attended The University of California, Santa Cruz, where he was surrounded by redwood trees. While there he majored in “American Studies,” learning about our country’s history and the struggles for liberty and justice that continue today. He was exposed to new perspectives, new ideas, and new people. His life would never be the same. It was at UC Santa Cruz that Miguel decided to be a teacher.

As soon as he graduated from UCSC, Miguel immediately enrolled in the Teacher Education program at Claremont Graduate University. It was there that he met his future wife, Veronica Elizabeth Bloomfield, also earning her Master’s degree in Education. Miguel returned to CGU in 2005 to earn his second Master’s degree in History.

Miguel taught Government, Economics, and History at Northview High School in Covina for nine years. He was also a soccer, track, and cross-country coach there, taking the team to statewide CIF championships in 2005.

In 2002, Miguel and Veronica were married and in 2003 they moved back to Artesia, Veronica’s hometown, where they live seven blocks from her childhood home, where her parents, Ed and Veronica Bloomfield still live today. In 2006, they celebrated the birth of their son, Henry, who has brought great joy and happiness to their lives.

Miguel made the move to Richard Gahr High School in 2008, where he continues to teach social science, college prep economics, and college prep and AP government courses. He is also a School Site Council member and a union representative.

In 2009, Miguel was appointed to the City of Artesia’s Planning Commission by the late Larry Nelson, Sr. He has enjoyed his role as Vice Chairperson, making important recommendations in accordance with the City Plan. In addition, he has enjoyed this opportunity to get to know the residents, merchants, developers, City staff and his fellow commissioners better.

Miguel carries with him a piece of each era from his life: He is still very close with his family. He is an avid Dodgers Fan. He still plays soccer on the weekends, and enjoys taking long runs in the community. He is dedicated to the field of education and is proud of the learning community he creates with his students each year.

Miguel has spent the last 13 years teaching government and now wants to experience the world of politics first hand. He brings a wealth of life experience to ground him in the days to come and looks forward with great anticipation to serving the City of Artesia.

 

Artesia City Council Members

 

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