Candidate’s activism started in schools

Alicia Robinson

Community activist Mirna Burciaga isn’t afraid to point out problems

she wants to solve, even if it doesn’t make her popular.

Now a candidate for City Council, Burciaga has a history of

involvement in schools and the business community, and she’s had an

official voice in the city since being appointed to the Parks

Commission in December 2003.

A native of El Salvador, Burciaga has lived in the U.S. for 22

years and moved to Costa Mesa nine years ago. Her community

involvement here began in the schools her children attended.

“I believe that if you get involved in your children’s education,

chances are they will be successful,” she said. “Because of my

involvement with the schools, I started noticing there were concerns

that weren’t being resolved.”

Burciaga filed a complaint against the Newport-Mesa Unified School

District for not adequately educating students who are learning

English. Some people were upset about the complaint, including other

parents.

But she didn’t give up, and after she took the issue to the state

and federal levels, the district was eventually ordered to correct

the problems. Today, the school district has an advisory committee

and a comprehensive plan to address English learners’ needs, and the

district and parents work together, Burciaga said.

“I really feel good about that, because we aren’t only creating a

work force, we are preparing children to be able to choose and say,

‘I want to go to college,’” she said.

Since 1988, Burciaga has operated El Chinaco, a restaurant serving

Mexican and Salvadoran food. She started the restaurant because she

likes to cook, but now she uses the freedom of being her own boss to

spend more time with her family and community activities.

As a parks commissioner, Burciaga has had the opportunity to see

another side of government and learn the city’s rules, she said. With

the experience she’s gained from her community involvement, she

thinks it’s time for her to make the step to the City Council.

As a council member, she would base her decisions on information

and what’s best for everyone rather than just her opinion, she said.

She likes to do research, she said, and she encourages others to

use the Internet and other resources to decide on issues.

Her top priority is her family, but that doesn’t mean her other

obligations are not important to her.

“I think you have to find a balance in yourself,” she said. “You

cannot be just a mom or a business owner or dedicate yourself to

community service.”