Hi there, i'm Rocque
I’m a 26-year-old, proud born-and-raised Tucsonan, public education advocate, and former City Council member. As the oldest of two brothers, raised by a single mom who immigrated from Mexico, I learned early what hard work and sacrifice look like. I saw what it means when families like mine work their asses off just to get by. I’m running because we shouldn’t have to beg for the bare minimum while politicians prioritize their own agendas over our communities.
Rocque Perez was born and raised in Tucson alongside his younger brother, Carlos. His family’s roots span Southern Arizona and Mexico. He attended a mix of public and charter schools across Tucson and Marana. In sixth grade, Rocque crossed paths with Christina-Taylor Green, a fellow student council member whose life was tragically taken in the 2011 shooting targeting Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Helping raise funds for Christina’s memorial became Rocque’s first experience with public service born from loss.
Rocque attended the University of Arizona, where he was elected to represent the undergraduate student body for two consecutive terms. Serving during Trump’s first presidential term, he advanced values-driven student advocacy on promoting student voting access; supporting DACA recipients, LGBTQ+ students, student veterans, and students with disabilities; condemning political violence and bigotry; and strengthening institutional accountability. Additionally, supporting the University's relationships with local, state, and federal officials. When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, the university shutdown led to his layoff. Rocque was later selected for a congressional press internship in Washington, D.C. His first day was January 6, 2021, the day the U.S. Capitol was violently attacked. In the wake of that moment and the instability surrounding it, Rocque stepped away from the internship and coursework, beginning a nontraditional learning journey.
Rocque later rejoined the University of Arizona as a strategist supporting the university’s research enterprise. His work focused on environmental resilience, space sciences, the innovation ecosystem, and special initiatives. He helped launch the Women of Impact Awards, recognizing women whose work strengthened the university’s standing as a billion-dollar research institution. He later joined Arizona State University where he led communications around its designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and advanced inclusive excellence initiatives aligned with the university’s charter. Rocque eventually brought this experience to the Metro Education Commission, now known as the Southern Arizona Education Council, where he worked to strengthen regional college access support across Pima County in partnership with public school district, higher education institutions, and local government.
Simultaneously, Rocque returned home to live with his mother as his family navigated his younger brother Carlos’s long battle with addiction. After completing six months of treatment, Carlos overdosed shortly after returning home. That loss came amid a broader failure of public policy and political will. For Rocque, the connection between policy decisions and real-world consequences became painfully clear. Addiction is not a moral failure; it is a public health crisis shaped by corporate misconduct and foreign interests, and compounded by government inaction, delay, and misdirection. This loss sharpened Rocque’s resolve to pursue public service with urgency, accountability, and a refusal to look away from the human cost of political decisions.
In 2025, Rocque was unanimously appointed to the Tucson City Council, becoming the youngest official in city or county government in Arizona and the first member of Generation Z to hold such a role. During this time, the Tucson Mayor and Council confronted a wide range of municipal, regional, and intergovernmental issues, including fiscal governance, housing and homelessness, public health, infrastructure, climate resilience, civil rights, institutional accountability, and democratic process. Some of his proudest moments include:
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Directing half-a-million in investments to educational institutions, nonprofits, small businesses, and neighborhood projects across Tucson’s historic barrios and southside.
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Supported the creation of STAR Village, a low-barrier transitional housing pilot for women and non-binary Tucsonans
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Facilitating the continuation of free public transportation, senior meal services at the Quincie Douglas Center, and early childhood education investments for Sunnyside and Flowing Wells families.
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Successfully leading the County-City opposition to Trump's Federal Compact on Higher Education at the University of Arizona
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Striking down the proposed large scale data center development, known as Project Blue.
Meet Rocque
Meet Rocque
Rocque is a fourth-generation Tucsonan raised by a working-class single mother from Mexico, alongside his little brother, Carlos. He was shaped by public schools and the lived reality of families who are doing everything they can to get by. Rocque studied at the University of Arizona and went on to work there, before ASU, and eventually leading academic and civic empowerment programs through joint investment by the City and County. In 2025, he was unanimously appointed to the Tucson City Council, becoming the youngest official in city or county government in Arizona. He lives in Barrio Santa Rosa and can often be found in neighborhood coffee shops across Tucson.
Rooted in Tucson
Rocque was born and raised in Tucson alongside his brother, Carlos. His family’s roots span Southern Arizona and Mexico. He attended a mix of public and charter schools across Tucson and Marana. In sixth grade, Rocque crossed paths with Christina-Taylor Green, a fellow student council member whose life was tragically taken in the 2011 shooting targeting Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Helping raise funds for Christina’s memorial became Rocque’s first experience with public service born from loss. During his senior year of high school, he was invited to get involved with the Metro Education Commission's Tucson Teen Congress and attend its Teen Town Hall. Through this work, he was introduced to local leadership, including Regina Romero, Paul Cunningham and Richard Fimbres. These exposures to public service and civic leadership—coinciding with the 2016 presidential election—marked a formative moment for Rocque and solidified his decision to pursue higher education.
Finding Direction Through Service
Rocque enrolled at the University of Arizona, where, at the end of his freshman year, he was elected to represent the undergraduate student body. Serving during Trump’s first presidential term, Rocque advanced a values-driven agenda centered on expanding student voting access; supporting DACA recipients, LGBTQ+ students, student veterans, and students with disabilities; condemning political violence and bigotry; and strengthening institutional accountability. Rocque simultaneously worked in the Office of Government and Community Relations, supporting relationships with local, state, and federal officials. As the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, the university shutdown led to his layoff. Rocque was later selected for a congressional press internship in Washington, D.C. His first day was January 6, 2021—the day the U.S. Capitol was violently attacked. In the wake of that moment and the instability surrounding it, Rocque stepped away from the internship and coursework, beginning a nontraditional learning journey.
Resolve Sharped by Loss
While working in public institutions, Rocque returned home to live with his mother as his family navigated his younger brother Carlos’s long battle with addiction. After completing six months of treatment, Carlos overdosed shortly after returning home. This loss occurred amid a national policy environment defined by failure and political obstruction. Federal efforts to address the influx of synthetic opioids were deliberately undermined by Trump, while Arizona Republicans redirected opioid settlement funds away from treatment, recovery, and prevention—choosing instead to funnel resources toward private prison interests.
For Rocque, the connection between policy decisions and real-world consequences became painfully clear. Addiction is not a moral failure; it is a public health crisis fueled by corporate misconduct and compounded by government inaction, delay, and misdirection. This loss sharpened Rocque’s resolve to pursue public service with urgency, accountability, and a refusal to look away from the human cost of political decisions.
Supporting Learners Across Public Institutions
Rocque rejoined the University of Arizona as a strategist supporting the university’s research enterprise. His work focused on its environmental resilience, space sciences, and innovation ecosystem, in addition to special initiatives. Rocque helped launch the Women of Impact Awards, recognizing women whose work strengthened the university’s standing as a billion-dollar research institution. He later joined ASU in the Office of the Provost, where he led communications around its designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and advanced inclusive excellence initiatives aligned with the university’s charter. His role also included executive communications and enrollment strategies. Rocque later brought this experience to the Metro Education Commission, where he worked to strengthen regional postsecondary access systems across Pima County in partnership with K–12 schools, higher education institutions, and local governments.
Delivering for Tucson
In 2025, Rocque was unanimously appointed to the Tucson City Council, becoming the youngest official in city or county government in Arizona and the first member of Generation Z to hold such a role. He temporarily left the Metro Education Commission but continued to lead its work as its Chair. During this period, the Tucson Mayor and Council addressed an unusually broad portfolio of municipal, regional, and intergovernmental issues, including fiscal governance, housing and homelessness, public health, infrastructure, climate resilience, civil rights, institutional accountability, and democratic processes. On Council, he supported advancements in each of these areas and directed more than $520,000 in investments across educational institutions, nonprofits, small businesses, and neighborhood projects in Tucson’s historic barrios and Southside. He also invested in the creation of STAR Village, a low-barrier transitional housing pilot, and the continuation of senior meal services at Quincie Douglas Center.
