NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — From Micaela Rustia Moore's roots in the Philippines to her pivotal role in shaping the future of the City of North Las Vegas, her story is one of resilience, dedication and leadership.
"I feel like it is part of my passion for the city to help it grow, help it flourish, and help our residents have a better life here, and that is why I have committed to being a city manager," Moore said.
Before becoming a city manager, Moore was a city attorney. She took on that role in 2017 and says while out in the community, she identified the importance of people who look like her having a seat at the table.
"It really kind of resonated with me. Like wow. This means something to a lot of people, that maybe they have someone who looks like them or someone that has their background that can be in this position," she said.
During her time as the city attorney, Moore took on every civil and criminal legal matter for the city, keeping a firm grip on the law while also bringing about positive change.
She said she's kept her AAPI community close to heart, making sure the City of North Las Vegas made language access a priority.
"Give access to the government so that they can access it in their native language and feel comfortable to express their views or understand what is going on in their government," she said.
Moore's journey to becoming the first Filipina-American city manager this past April was not easy.
"With my personal story as an immigrant, someone who didn't speak English from the get-go, and that I can work hard and get to this level, it really does mean a lot," she said.
Moore moved to southern California from the Philippines as a child. She attended law school at the University of Southern California and came to Las Vegas in 2005 as a law clerk. There, she said she quickly made an impact at her firm, feeling a strong desire to help rebuild North Las Vegas, believing her skills could be put to good use.
"If anything happens in North Las Vegas, it's going to impact the whole valley because this was my home, because this was where my kids were growing up. It was really important for me to give back and be part of the solution," she said.
Moore said she understands the importance of serving one of Vegas' fastest-growing communities: the Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.
"It is possible for anybody that wants to do good for the community, wants to work. That kind of stuff can be recognized regardless of what your background is," she said.
Moore said she's determined to be a role model, showing younger generations that nothing's impossible.
"What message do you have for them," I asked.
"I would say embrace your culture as an immigrant. I wanted to assimilate and I think it is so important and it enriches who you are. It is a beautiful thing and it really is what makes our valley our nation an amazing place, the diversity of people."
