Castro, Julián (1974-…), served as the secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the administration of President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017. Castro, a member of the Democratic Party, previously served as the mayor of San Antonio. Castro first gained national notice after delivering a speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2012.
Julián Castro and his twin brother, Joaquin, were born in San Antonio on Sept. 16, 1974. Their mother, Rosie Castro, was a well-known Mexican American activist. The twins attended Stanford University, where both earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and communications in 1996. Both twins graduated from Harvard Law School in 2000.
In 2001, at age 26, Julián Castro won election to the San Antonio City Council. He was reelected in 2003. In 2005, he ran for mayor but narrowly lost a run-off election.
In 2009, Julián again ran for San Antonio mayor and won. He was reelected in 2011 and 2013. As mayor, Castro promoted higher education and encouraged high-technology companies to locate in San Antonio. He also supported increased investment in inner city neighborhoods and in pre-kindergarten education programs.
Castro delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, in September 2012. He became the first Hispanic American to deliver such a speech at the party’s convention. Castro served as President Obama’s HUD secretary from 2014 to 2017. In 2018, he published a memoir, An Unlikely Journey: Waking Up from My American Dream. In 2019, Castro began a campaign for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president. He dropped out of the race in early 2020, however, while trailing his competitors in fundraising and public opinion polls. He later became a political commentator for television news programs.
Julián’s brother Joaquin served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2003 to 2013. Joaquin has served in the United States House of Representatives since 2013.
