A native Californian and fifth-generation Azusa resident, Xilonin is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant, and her passion for advocating for multilingual learners in California public schools has driven her entire career. She has served on the Azusa USD Board of Education since 2001 and currently serves as deputy director for Californians Together, a statewide coalition championing the success of multilingual learners through policy and advocacy work across the state.