The Sacramento Bee and Nehemiah Leaders Programs are celebrating this year’s 60 Change Makers. Join them at our gala at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at the Grand Sheraton in downtown Sacramento. Buy tickets at sacramentochangemakers.com.
As a student at American River College, Sergio Robles got his first taste of community organizing when he helped coordinate buses to take local high schoolers to a college fair.
He recalled seeing Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna and former California Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg at the event.
“I didn’t know who they were,” he said. “I just knew I wanted to take a photo with them.”
The experience, he said, sparked his interest in serving the community.
After an internship in Washington, D.C., Robles ended up getting a job with U.S. Rep. Ami Bera back in Elk Grove. Then he “cut his teeth” as a member of the Elk Grove Planning Commission before deciding to join the Army National Guard.
“There was always a sense of pride and duty that I wanted to be a part of, when I would go to veteran events,” Robles said.
On his return from training in 2022, Robles ran for the Elk Grove’s City Council District 4 seat and won. During his tenure, he has pushed a program to assist first-time homebuyers with down payments for their first homes.
“This year, we implemented it in the budget,” he said.
Changemaker Sergio Robles, an Elk Grove city councilmember and enlisted member of the California National Guard, poses for a portrait at on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 in Sacramento. Robles serves his community through both public office and military service. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
In the midst of the government shut-down in the autumn of 2025, Robles helped secure a large grant for the Elk Grove Food Bank. He’s especially proud of the collaboration between the food bank and the nonprofit Al-Misbaah, where they provided halal meals and Thanksgiving dinners for families in an affordable housing site in his district.
“I can’t tell you the amount of joy and happiness that brought me,” Robles said.
At the moment, he’s passionate about his work within the Latino community in the greater Sacramento area, where, along with other professionals, “It’s like, hey, let’s mentor the next generation. Let’s empower them and make sure we’re able to advocate for ourselves.”
Related Stories from Sacramento Bee
The Sacramento Bee
Anne Ewbank is a service journalist and food reporter for The Sacramento Bee. Previously, she worked as a writer and editor for the New York-based travel website Atlas Obscura, where she covered food and culture. A California native, she is a graduate of Occidental College and Yale University.