My parents came to Connecticut from Puerto Rico as teenagers in the 1960s. My mother came seeking independence. My father came looking for work, something that was difficult to find on the island then, as it is today. They came here chasing something everyone wants: opportunity.

 

They arrived with little, but they brought determination, faith, and a willingness to work. My father worked in manufacturing and as a union janitor. My mother built a career in commercial laundry. For more than 40 years, they worked physically demanding jobs, and my father worked two jobs throughout my childhood to make sure our family had what we needed

They moved to East Hartford because they wanted better housing, a safer neighborhood and better schools for their children. I grew up in a working-class neighborhood where people looked out for one another and supported each other when needed. Neighbors helped neighbors. Families made sacrifices for the next generation. My community shaped who I am today, instilling a spirit of community and concerns for others well-being.

 

I attended East Hartford Public Schools. I worked my way through college, became the first in my family to graduate from college, and built a life my parents could only hope would be possible when they arrived from Puerto Rico. I became a homeowner, married my high school sweetheart and today we are raising three children in our beloved hometown.

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That is my parents' version of the American Dream.

And that is why I serve.

 

I serve because I know what it means for a family to work hard and still need a community, a school, a teacher, a union, or a government willing to give them an opportunity to thrive and succeed. I serve because I know that opportunity does not happen by accident. My parents worked for it, my community invested in me, and countless people along the way opened doors that I could not have opened on my own.

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I serve because I believe the promise of public service is not simply to make our communities better today, but to make sure the next generation has a fair shot at building a better tomorrow. I think about my parents often. They came here as teenagers with no guarantee that their sacrifices would pay off. They simply believed that if they worked hard enough, their children might have opportunities they never had.

They were right.

 

I was given a chance.

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I received a strong public education. I was given a community that believed in me. I was given the opportunity to build a family, a career, and a future.

 

I believe the measure of my service is what I do with that chance and whether I help make sure someone else gets one, too.

 

That is why I serve.