John Ortega is the founder and acting director of Canal Human and Economic Development Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to the civic, social and economic betterment of the poor and disenfranchised communities of Marin. Under his leadership, the association builds partnerships that bridge race and class divisions to initiate and sustain positive change.
He was introduced to "la causa" in 1960 by mentor Bert Corona through the Mexican American Political Association. Ortega has been involved over 47 years throughout the state, from the Mexican border to Northern California, in seeking social, economic and political change. Actively using traditional and innovative tools, he organizes the community through voter registration, immigrant rights organizations, legislative advocate representation, urban and rural legal activities, school board and city council campaigning.
Born in Los Angeles, Ortega attended Bay Area schools. He is a Korean War veteran and resides in San Rafael, California.
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