Party Enrolled In: Democratic
Current Occupation: I am currently the proud representative of the 18th Council District in the Bronx.
Previous Occupation(s): Prior to serving in the New York City Council, I worked at St. Vincent De Paul Senior Residence, where I became a practicing CNA and was elected as a union representative in 1994. In 1999, I was asked to join the staff at 1199 SEIU as a full time organizer, where I trained thousands of union members on health and safety issues. I was first elected to the New York City Council in a special election in the fall of 2003 and re-elected to my first full term in 2005.
Education: Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) from Bronx Community College; Business Administration from Monroe College.
Organizational Affiliations: Bronx County Democratic Committee, Emily's List, Working Families Party, NYC Black Latino and Asian Caucus.
Prior Public Experience: I am honored to have served the people of the 18th Council District since January 2004.
1. What is the most important issue in Council District 18 you would address if elected?
The most important issue has been, and will continue to be, improving the community I've lived in my entire life. I want nothing more than to continue working for, and with, my community and to continue fighting for better and increased access to affordable housing, great public schools, and good jobs that pay a living wage with benefits.
2. What other important issues would you address if elected?
I will continue to advocate for social justice, worker's rights, safer schools and a cleaner environment. I will continue to focus my efforts in the City Council towards ensuring that our libraries, community centers, senior centers and programs and local small businesses flourish.
3. What makes you the best candidate for this office?
I understand what it's like to struggle every single day to build a better life for your family - to not have health care or to know how you're going to meet this month's bills. and I've been the single parent rushing home from work to make it to the teacher conference. These are the reasons why I first ran for City Council - to make government more responsive to the needs of families in our community - and that is why I fight every single day to make sure government is doing all that it can to deliver the affordable housing, good schools and good jobs that our neighborhoods need.
Reprinted as supplied by the candidate. Participating in the NYC Campaign Finance Program.
This Guide lists all candidates who appear to be on the ballot for the primary election based on the latest information obtained from the New York City Board of Elections, even if a candidate did not submit a profile or record a video for the Guide. Profiles and video scripts were submitted to the CFB by the candidates and are reprinted as supplied, except in the case of egregious errors and minor formatting issues, which may be corrected by the CFB. Videos appearing in this Guide were recorded and approved for broadcast by the candidates. All the candidates have affirmed under penalty of perjury that the information in their profiles and videos is true to the best of their knowledge. Website and social media links were supplied by the candidates. The CFB is not responsible for non-working links, although it does correct or remove them to the extent practicable. The CFB removes links that are not campaign-related.
The views expressed in the candidate profiles, videos, and linked materials do not represent those of the New York City Campaign Finance Board.
