"I'm not a leader yet, I'm just the first to stand up and say: Why Not Me, why not us, why not now"

I am the first to step forward in this movement—a Staten Islander who knows what it’s like to face real-life challenges and who believes that those challenges are exactly what our government needs to understand. In many ways, I am patient zero, fighting to cure a system infected by the politics of privilege, power, and pay-to-play influence.

I was raised in a big, blended family, and my Staten Island community taught me the power of looking out for each other. I’ve had my share of struggles, and I know what it means to live paycheck to paycheck.

Today, I work as a teacher’s assistant, helping students who face challenges like I once did. While my students would never consider me a “nobody,” in society’s eyes, that’s exactly what I am—an everyday person, not wealthy or powerful, not a career politician. But that’s exactly why I asked myself, Why not me?

I am the “patient zero” of this movement, but I don’t want to be the last. I’m stepping up to show that it’s time for people like us—people who have felt overlooked, who know what it means to struggle—to have a voice. And I invite everyone who shares this vision to step up with me.

Let’s build a government that fights for us, respects us, and is led by the people it was meant to serve—by people who understand the struggles of everyday life and are committed to creating a better future for all.

Affordable housing means everyone deserves safe, stable place to call home. Quality education should be accessible to every child, regardless of background. Community safety relies on common-sense polices and resources to keep out neighborhoods secure. Economic justice ensures fair wages and opportunities for working families. At the heart of it all is the belief that everyone should have an equal voice and fair access to opportunities. Together, these values strengthen our communities and uphold the freedoms that keep us united.