Our People, Our Agency, Our City: Celebrating Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month

This is a love story.

Francisco and Vivian Rivera met in 2017 when they became parking control officers, or PCOs. The pair then got married four years ago.

“We started [at the agency] around the same time,” Francisco said. “And as new people, they put you on certain watches together. That’s how we got to know each other, and the rest is history.”

Vivian moved to the United States from Brazil when she was 19. She lived in Florida first and then traveled throughout the country before settling in the Bay Area. Francisco was born in San Francisco and grew up in the Mission. His parents came to the city from El Salvador.

Not only do Francisco and Vivian love each other, they love being PCOs.

“I like to work outside. I’ve never liked being inside at a desk,” Vivian explained. “So, I guess this is the perfect job for me.”

“I like to help people and show them how parking works,” Francisco said. “Because a lot of people need that. If we do our job and educate even one person, that’s one less person [who is confused].”

Vivian and Francisco also speak languages in addition to English. Vivian is fluent in Portuguese and speaks some Spanish. And Francisco is fluent in Spanish and is learning Portuguese from his wife. So, they can communicate with a variety of people who need their help.

The couple beams with pride when asked about this commemorative month.

“There are a lot of us [in the Latine and Hispanic community],” Vivian said. “And we bring a lot to the city. So, I think it’s a good thing that we’re recognized.” 

“Different parts of Latin America have different types of food and culture,” Francisco added. “So, everybody should get a chance to shine.” 

David Rojas, Technology Solutions and Integration Program Manager 

California always seemed like a dreamy place of sun, sea and possibilities to David Rojas when he was growing up. Rojas’ parents immigrated to the United States from Costa Rica, and he and his sister were born and raised in Maryland.

Rojas left the East Coast for Chicago. After earning a degree in electrical engineering, he began his career with an internship at the Chicago Transit Authority. Then a friend in the Bay Area invited him to visit.

That trip sealed the deal, and Rojas moved to San Francisco in 2008. After a few years at an engineering consulting firm, he came to the SFMTA. Rojas started as an engineer before moving into project management. He currently supervises technology programs that support Muni service.

Rojas is a Muni rider himself. In fact, he hasn’t had a car for 20 years.

“I think it’s important to be a consumer of what we deliver,” Rojas said. “I love Muni, and I love transit. That’s how I get around, and for me, it’s always an adventure.”

He also loves San Francisco’s character. “We live in an incredibly diverse area, and I feel lucky to be part of it. The Latine and Hispanic community is one piece of cultural, social and LGBTQ diversity. It’s this crazy melting pot which is, I think, a lot of fun.”

All that makes for a good career and good life. You might even call it a dream come true. 

Danny Cruz, Muni Operator 

 

Danny Cruz is relatively new to the agency. The San Francisco native became an operator about a year ago. But the job is something Cruz had his sights on for a long time.

“I always wanted to be a Muni driver,” he said. “As a kid, my mom would ask me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I always said, ‘Bus driver.’”

Cruz grew up taking Muni to school. During his middle and high school years he also would bus hop. He would pick a bus and ride it from end to end. Cruz’ favorite bus-hopping routes were the 44 O’Shaughnessy and the 29 Sunset.

“And back then, the 29 used to stop by Candlestick Park,” he explained. “I’m a big football and 49ers fan. So, just being able to see Candlestick was pretty cool.”

Now that Cruz is in the driver’s seat, he really enjoys what he does. He currently works on the 1 California line.

“I love picking up the passengers,” he said. “I get all kinds of people. I’ll get passengers [who] don’t know how to speak English. They want to get to certain destinations or learn how to transfer. So, I’ll explain it to them in Spanish.”

Cruz worked at a plumbing warehouse in the Mission before coming to the agency. But he plans to stay at Muni for years to come.

“I just wanted to give back to the people by operating a bus,” he said. “And to make my family happy by having a city job.” 

Lupita Ibarra, Chief Transportation Officer 

 

Commuting more than 30 miles by bus in the Los Angeles area might turn some people off public transit. But that’s what inspired Lupita Ibarra to study transportation planning and pursue a career in transit.

As a UCLA student, Ibarra would take the bus from her hometown of La Puente in the San Gabriel Valley to class in Westwood. She had to transfer twice during the trip. And the bus she caught in La Puente only came every 30 to 40 minutes. Sometimes it wouldn’t show up at all.

After college and graduate school, Ibarra moved to the Bay Area to do an internship in transit operations here at the SFMTA. She worked her way up from there and now is our chief transportation officer. Ibarra oversees the full cycle of Muni service, from design and scheduling to management and evaluation.

Ibarra, who is married and has two children, briefly left the agency a few years ago. In 2022, she went back to Southern California and worked in transit operations there. But San Francisco called Ibarra back.

“We have community here that loves Muni,” she said. “And I wanted to be part of that again.”

Ibarra also recognizes the importance of representation and how her upper management work fits into that. “You don’t see a lot of Latinas in my role,” she explained. “I think it’s important to have role models, and I wanted other folks who are just starting out to see that this is a possibility.”

And with that recognition comes pride. “My parents are Mexican immigrants” Ibarra said. “And I wouldn’t trade that for the world.” 

George Cuza, Muni Operator 

 

When George Cuza was working as a senior paralegal in Los Angeles, he probably didn’t think he’d be driving buses in San Francisco a few years later. But life has a way of leading you to unexpected places.

Cuza grew up in the L.A. area and had no plans to leave until he met the woman who would become his wife. She is from the Bay Area, and he moved here in 2007 to be with her. Then the Great Recession hit, and Cuza couldn’t find work.

One day, as he was heading home from a disappointing job interview, Cuza saw an advertisement for big-rig drivers. And that’s how he got into transportation. A year later, he moved on to Solano County Transit. Then he came to Muni. He has been with the agency for 11 years and currently works on the 12 Folsom-Pacific and 43 Masonic bus routes.

Cuza’s mother was born in Colombia, raised in Nicaragua and moved to the United States in her 20s. His father came to the U.S from Cuba in the 1960s. Cuza welcomes any chance to recognize Latin America.

“We have different cultures and different backgrounds,” he said. “When we celebrate our culture, it brings so much joy. It’s an amazing feeling. It’s a very proud moment, too.”

And he finds that many of our riders appreciate seeing him behind the wheel of the bus. “When they see a Hispanic or Latine face in that seat, they get very happy. They let their guard down.” 

Andrea Contreras, Acting Chief Equity Officer 

 

The lure of public transit is very strong for Andrea Contreras. And it’s not just Bay Area public transit.

“When I travel, I enjoy taking a subway or bus to explore cities,” Contreras said. “I get to know other cultures through their public transportation system.”

Contreras grew up in a suburban area where there wasn’t a lot of public transit. People needed to drive. She now lives in San Francisco with her husband and daughter and loves the ease and freedom of getting around on Muni.

But Contreras developed a passion for transportation before she became a regular Muni rider. That happened during graduate school as she earned a master’s degree in urban planning. And her passion drove her to work in government.

Contreras came to the SFMTA in 2016 to manage the team of planners who make sure our capital projects meet state environmental regulations. In early 2024 she was named Acting Chief Equity Officer. She leads our Office of Racial Equity and Belonging, which develops strategies for advancing equity and mobility justice in our work.

Contreras believes this heritage month helps everyone recognize the complexity of the Latine and Hispanic community. “We’re native to three continents: North America, South America and Europe,” she said. “We have various histories and identities. We are racially very diverse. And it’s important for people not to stereotype us.” 

Join the celebration 

You can learn more about Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month on the national commemoration website. And the San Francisco Public Library’s ¡VIVA! Latine Heritage Celebration webpage features a selection of films, books and events that showcase the community.