Campaign website
What is one life experience you have that voters should know about?
I have served Philadelphia communities in various governmental capacities for over 25 years. There are many experiences which are near and dear to my heart, but one that I am most proud of is being part of the founding group and inception of a Sixers program called, La Liga Del Barrio Basketball League. La Liga has been in existence for over 20 years and is a sports organization that has been critical and beneficial for kids across the city. La Liga has served and impacted the lives of over 15,000 youth participants, helping them to build success and gain access to key resources. La Liga members have gone on to achieve amazing goals, such as playing professional basketball, giving back to their communities, volunteering their time to coach the growing number of La Liga youth, and much more. Being part of such a useful, positive, and life changing program is just one example of how impactful community work can be and I look forward to more opportunities like this in the years to come.
What would be your top three policy priorities in office?
Public Safety: Polls show that Philadelphians no longer feel safe. We love our city and know our potential, but public safety continues to cripple our neighborhoods. As a City Councilmember, I have placed public safety as a top priority. I am prepared and equipped to work directly with communities and city agencies, to foster a space which encourages honest dialogue. This collaboration will result in actionable goals and benchmarks which prioritize the quality of life and safety of all Philadelphians.
Economic Opportunity: Philadelphia is a world-class city that continues to grow in opportunity. As a City Councilmember, I will be committed to partnering with businesses and federal agencies to ensure resources are accessible and equitable for all.
Education: Investing in education is the best way to ensure children are given a bright hope for a future. It is our responsibility to provide them with the essential tools and skills to become educated, passionate leaders who will support our communities in countless ways. Among these top campaign priorities is investing in programs and policies that support the infrastructure of sustainable, world-class education in Philadelphia.
What sets you apart from other candidates?
What sets me apart from other candidates is my experience. I have 25 years of experience working in various roles for the City of Philadelphia, which includes several Councilmembers At-Large. What also sets me apart from other candidates is being appointed in 2016 by Governor Tom Wolf to serve as the Executive Director for the Latino Affairs Commission. Within this role in his administration, I built key relationships and partnered with all State agencies to ensure the quality of services for over 1.5 million Latinos across the Commonwealth. In addition to the work with the Governor, I collaborated alongside other commissions, like the LGBTQ Commission, Women’s Commission, African American Commission and Asian Pacific Commission, to discuss and address overlapping issues relating to our most vulnerable populations.
How do you plan to work across ideological lines to achieve shared goals?
The City of Philadelphia is a melting pot of cultures, religions, ideologies, races, and much more. This creates a unique and fascinating opportunity to bridge the gaps within and between our communities, creating an environment where the betterment of this city’s diverse population is in the forefront. It is my job, as a public servant, to ensure communities across Philadelphia feel seen, considered, and represented, especially when dealing with public health and safety issues. I fully understand and believe that in order to create policies of substance and fairness, we must rely on our communities and core groups for feedback, input, and creative ideas which will benefit city residents, wherever they may live, work, play, and pray.
The Committee of Seventy has partnered with the Carter Center to promote the Candidate Principles for Trusted Elections to improve the voting process, encourage honest leadership, and promote civic engagement. Do you support the Candidate Principles?
Yes
