In July 2022, she was appointed to be part of the transition team of the Gustavo Petro government along with Mauricio Lizcano, Carolina Corcho and Daniel Rojas.

[3][4] On February 27, 2023, she was appointed Minister of Education by President Gustavo Petro, replacing the outgoing Alejandro Gaviria.

[5][6] Aurora Vergara Figueroa was born in Cali, Cauca Valley but grew up in Itsmina, Chocó since she was four years old.

[citation needed] In 2003, she won the Convenio prize Andrés Bello in history, which allowed her to move to Cali and enter the Universidad del Valle to study sociology, despite the economic difficulties and having to work in various trades such as domestic service to pay for her expenses, she was able to complete her studies.

One of her professors encouraged her and helped her to apply for a scholarship at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, United States where she obtained a master's degree and a doctorate in sociology.