District 30 is a great place to live and I am happy to have grown up surrounded by working-class families who support one another. Raised by the hardest-working mom in Maspeth, I was able to have my slice of suburban life while enjoying all that New York City has to offer. There is no denying, however, that we have clear divisions in this district that lead to inequality for our low-income and immigrant neighbors. Policies that have been in place for years with little regard for the marginalized communities who have been historically under-serviced due to gerrymandering and a lack of representation in our elected leadership.
If you asked me just a few years ago, I never thought government was a space I could enter, especially as the son of undocumented parents. It just didn’t seem like an option for me. I was actually interested in becoming a forensic scientist when I experienced the most horrifying moment of my life — one that has led me to this point of vying to be your City Council member: When I was younger, my mother was faced with the threat of an unjust deportation. I can tell you with the utmost sincerity I have never felt more afraid in my entire life. The thought of having my mom, the most important person in my life, taken away from me was a fear I never want to experience again.
