The marriage between his Mexican father and younger, white Mormon mother, Bonnie Bird, ended in divorce when he was two years old.

His mother, who was 18 at the time, and his father relinquished custody of Mickey and his younger brother David to the Children's Service Society of Utah.

His responsibilities there included assisting with campaign strategy development, federal candidate support, political education, and state government affairs.

[6] At the White House, Mr. Ibarra was responsible for building support for the President's policy initiatives and responding to the concerns of state and local elected officials as well as the U.S.

In 1998, President Clinton appointed Ibarra to serve as a vice-chair of the White House Task Force for the 2002, Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games.

He is the editor of Latino Leaders Speak: Personal Stories of Struggle and Triumph, published by Arte Publico Press at the University of Houston.

[13] The Ohtli is one of Mexico's highest honors that recognizes outstanding individuals of Latino origin who have empowered the well-being and prosperity of Mexican communities abroad.

Additionally, he received the inaugural 2012 Mickey Ibarra Medallion for Excellence in Government Relations from the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute.

These stories of obstacles overcome to achieve success include former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; former general manager of the New York Mets, Omar Minaya; and Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa, the Chancellor of the University of Texas System.