MY FAMILY:
CARMEN - the greatest mother in the world; always there for us; taught us how to care and help others in need (Thanks Mom)
MIGUEL (aka June): 23 years-old
JOEY: 17 years-old
MOISES: 13 years-old
COSSETTE: MY PARTNER (always there for me)
Thank you for being there and supporting me each and every time. You motivate me each second. minute, hour, day and year we are together.
PROUD TO HAVE ATTENDED & GRADUATED FROM:
1. Eastside High School: Paterson, NJ
(Movie "Lean On Me" was filmed here in 1989)
2. Hostos Community College (CUNY)
Associate Degree in Public Administration
3. Lehman College (CUNY)
Bachelors Degree in Political Science
PROUD TO HAVE WORKED FOR THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS:
1. Food Bank For New York City – Community Programs Specialist (January 2006 - Present)
2. CUNY Preparatory Transitional High School – Assistant to Director/Principal (Oct. 2003 - Jan. 2006)
3. New York Cares – Office Manager
4. Community School Board #1 – Administrative Assistant
5. Hostos Community College (CUNY) – Admissions Office
6. Big Brothers Big Sisters of NY – Outreach Coordinator
7. Hands On New York, Inc. - Founder/Executive Director (August 2002 - Present)
MY PERSONAL AND POLITICAL ROLE MODELS:
1. Carmen (my mother)
2. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
3. US Senator & Presidential Candidate Barack Obama
4. [Miami Mayor] Manny Diaz
5. [Los Angeles Mayor] Antonio Villaraigosa
6. [Newark Mayor] Cory Booker
7. US Presidents John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton
8. [NYS Assemblyman] Jose Rivera
9. [Former Mayor of Haverhill, MA] Jim Rurak
10. [Los Angeles Mayor] Antonio Villaraigosa
********************************************************************************************************************************************
MORE ABOUT ME ......
I grew up in a poor but humble home with no father-figure present. To this day, I have never met my father. My humble beginnings lead me to live a life where I am always helping others - and I take great pride in doing so. That’s what I saw my mother doing as I grew up: always helping others with food, clothing, and shelter.
In the summer of 2002, I invited a group offriends from college and asked them to help me create an organization to help low-income children and families in the Bronx. On August 2, 2002, Hands On New York is officially registered with the NYS Department of State. Ever since, I have devoted all of my free time to helping kids find and maintain their jobs, helping new immigrants apply for college and government services, organized toy drives for kids in shelters and hospitals and advocated for better services and reform in government. When possible, I find myself testifying at hearings in City Hall, something I enjoy doing.
My mother also instilled in me the importance of becoming politically involved. She was one that to this day, knows that electing the right people is the best way to guarantee that the neediest are helped. Since moving to New York in 1998, I have volunteered in many Local and State-wide campaigns. Most notable are those of NYS Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat, Eliot Spitzer for Attorney General (1998), Hillary Clinton for US Senate, Fernando Ferrer’s Mayoral Campaign and Alan Hevesi for NYS Comptroller.
FAVORITE POSTER
(found hanging in my office at home)
Collage made by: Haile Rivera