Why I’m Running

When I decided to run for Alderman I got in my car and drove around the 5th Ward, Rockford’s Southwest side. I, with two friends, used a paper map and drove the entire perimeter and through the neighborhoods for hours taking notes of everything we saw. Although I’ve lived in the 5th ward my entire life, I saw it that day with a fresh pair of eyes and it gave me a rejuvenated pride for the “Southside,” my home. It’s easy to focus on what we don’t have at times, but this was a great exercise in quantifying all of the assets that we do. Twelve parks, an arboretum, three museums, six schools, two community centers, a library, historic churches, a lake, Rockford’s best burger, the city’s best taquerias, the only places in Rockford to get authentic granitas, and arguably the most ethnically diverse population of Rockford citizens. 

I’m so proud of where I live, it has molded me into who I am today - a third generation Southside resident and a leader in my community. My Grandparents migrated to South Rockford from Arkansas in the 1940’s and I still live in the neighborhood they raised their family in. My late Grandfather, Rev. Samuel J. Brown of Bethel Baptist Church, was the first Black union president of the local UAW 718, board member of the Booker T. Washington Center, and marched in Washington D.C. with Martin Luther King. My father’s parents were also hardworking Filipino immigrants who came to America for greater opportunity and to establish a good life for their children. It is my family that has taught me service before self. And it is because of my heritage that I wish to represent all of the diverse backgrounds that live in the 5th Ward.

In my role with the U.S. House of Representatives I was a Constituent Advocate for Rockford citizens. I answered countless phone calls, responded to letters, and sat with citizens one-on-one to work through various issues and helped them find resolutions to their problems. It was also my job to help residents navigate through our large government to find the appropriate services they needed. You deserve someone with experience in office that knows how to solve critical issues and helps guide you to the right resources. Not all problems have a happy ending, but you deserve a representative in city government that has demonstrated compassion, that will deliver a high level of service, and makes you feel valued. My opponents don’t have experience in this work, but I do.

My network and access to resources around education, safety, community organizing, economic development, immigration, and various social services will be impactful towards offering the necessary support to citizens and business owners throughout the 5th ward and the city of Rockford as a whole. I will also use my experiences and education in communication strategies to expand citizen engagement in our ward. I want citizens and business owners fully equipped with the information and resources they need to be successful. The Southside deserves a style of leadership we’ve never seen.

I’m hopeful that the way we've been, is not the way we always have to be. I need your vote to ensure that together we can re-imagine a future for the Southside where we are left behind, no longer.