Born to an immigrant mother, I learned the meaning of perseverance and kindness from a mother that sought to create a better life for her kids.

My mom raised my two younger sisters and I on food stamps and welfare often on her own in El Paso, TX and Albuquerque, NM. Growing up, I wondered if there would be presents under the Christmas tree or if I had to borrow school supplies that academic year. I learned that the government worked to improve the lives of families like mine and I seek to ensure that Boston is a place where no child has to grow up how I did.

I got my start in politics on Obama's 2012 Campaign.

In my senior year of high school, I was approached by a leader for Barack Obama's campaign in New Mexico after a speech that I gave before city hall in Albuquerque. I was excited to join the campaign of a leader I believed stood for the values of the America I was raised to know. I was an organizing fellow in charge of the biggest district in what was then still considered a purple state. In my time with the campaign, I first learned the power of organizing and how people can really push a movement. Not to brag, but I worked a door down from now-Governor Debra Haaland as she was the lead Native American organizer for the campaign.

My journey to Boston was similar that of many residents that make up this great city.

I was born in Los Angeles, moved to Texas and then to New Mexico. When applying to colleges, I looked to move as far away from the West as I could. Naturally, that led me to look at Boston, a city whose teams I was already a big fan of (Albuquerque and El Paso have no big 4 sports teams and I admit I was a bandwagoner). I was accepted to Tufts University, but we couldn't afford a plane ticket, so I took a 2-day long bus ride across the country. Sheesh! Coming out of the South Station bus terminal was exhilarating and quickly I grew to love Boston.

2 Councilors, 5 years

After college, I worked in retail and administration, at places like Starbucks and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. It was in 2021 when I applied to work for then-Councilor Kenzie Bok. I was inspired by her wonky approach to local politics and her commitment to making her district as safe and livable as possible. She understood that the beauty of Boston is in its walkability and I worked on policy she sponsored to that end. Kenzie left the city council in March 2023 to become BHA administrator and for what felt like forever, two colleagues and I held down the district 8 office without a councilor. In August 2023, Sharon Durkan won the special election to fill the seat and asked me to join her staff. With Councilor Durkan, I helped push an agenda of urbanism, including abolishing parking minimums for residential development.

In case you care to really know me

I am an avowed nerd. On weekends, you can find me and my wife Alena playing video games, board games and/or birding. Also a huge music snob, so naturally I am awful at playing piano. Really picky eater, so please don't hold my lack of knowledge of Boston's food scene against me. Lastly, big history buff, so let me know everything I don't already know about Boston.