Born and raised in Arizona, Mendez attended Tolleson Union High School and received an associate degree from Phoenix College.

[2] Mendez supports closing "tax loopholes" for out-of-state corporations, raising education funding, and more restrictions on gifts to legislators.

[4] Mendez gained national attention in 2013 for choosing to open a House meeting with a secular speech, rather than a traditional religious prayer.

[6] Mendez, along with fellow representatives Clark, Hale, Larkin, and Mach, introduced HB2283 in 2016 to enact Ranked-Choice Voting for all Arizona elections.

[7] Mendez serves on the City of Phoenix Human Services Advisory Committee, and manages the nonprofit Community Voice Mail, an organization devoted to helping the impoverished.