City Brooklyn Boro

Daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants seeks City Council seat

September 8, 2017 By John Alexander Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Sara Gonzalez. Photo by Linda Billingsley
Sara Gonzalez. Photo by Linda Billingsley
Share this:

Community leader Sara M. Gonzalez is challenging incumbent City Councilmember Carlos Menchaca to win back her old job. Menchaca unseated Gonzalez in 2014 after she served 12 years in the City Council representing District 38, which includes Sunset Park, Red Hook, Greenwood Heights and Windsor Terrace.

Gonzalez is credited with being an exemplary community leader. She fought for decades to bring Sunset Park its first high school, fought to save I.S. 136 Charles Dewey from closing, brought hundreds of early childhood seats to the community and secured funds for vital improvements in Red Hook and Borough Park schools.

Besides Menchaca, her Democratic primary opponents include Assemblymember Felix Ortiz, Javier Nieves, Delvis Valdez, Chris Miao and Green Party candidate Carmen Hulbert.

Subscribe to our newsletters

Gonzalez recently spoke to the Brooklyn Eagle days before the Sept. 12 Democratic primary.

 

Eagle: What do you bring to the table as the daughter of hardworking Puerto Rican immigrants? Your mother worked as a garment worker and your father was a military veteran and merchant marine. How did that influence your desire to seek public office?

Gonzalez: Being a Puerto Rican immigrant myself, (I came Brooklyn as a 1-year-old) has had a profound impact on my desire to run for public office. I saw the challenges my family faced as newcomers to this city. It instilled a strong work ethic and a desire to help build a strong community in District 38. That is why I dedicated my entire adult life to public service — from youth employment programs to social nonprofit groups to the Community Board and eventually the City Council — and ensuring our community remains vibrant, inclusive and always improving.

 

Eagle: Did your early childhood growing up in Sunset Park help motivate you to want to represent your community?

Gonzalez: Absolutely. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve spent my entire life since [I was] 1 year old in District 38. I’ve raised my children and grandchildren here. I am deeply devoted and dedicated to this community and public office was the best way I can think of to represent the only community I’ve ever called home.

 

Eagle: You went to Fort Hamilton High School in Bay Ridge and graduated from CUNY’s College of Staten Island before attending Columbia School of Business. Being a product of the public school system, how does that impact your views on the education system today?

Gonzalez: As a public school student and eventually a public school parent and grandparent, I am well-versed in the many shortcomings of our school system, as well as the many successes, including the thousands of exceptional teachers and parents who are so invested in our children’s futures. I will continue to work with parents, students, teachers, school administration and my colleagues in city, state and federal government in order to improve the quality of our public schools. Additionally, I will fight as I’ve done in the past to secure millions of dollars in capital funds in order to build more school seats in my district and throughout Brooklyn.

 

Eagle: You were the first Latina chairperson of Community Board 7, which serves Sunset Park and Greenwood Heights, correct?

Gonzalez: Yes, I was. It was a great honor to serve Community Board 7. Our community boards are our first level of government and seeing so many residents actively dedicated to CB7 — and for no pay at all — was inspiring.

 

Eagle: You’ve been married to your high school sweetheart for 40 years and have two children. And now you are raising your grandchildren here. What makes Brooklyn so special that you never wanted to leave?

Gonzalez: It’s really the only home I’ve ever truly known. The culture, parks and small businesses are all incredible, but it’s the people that make our borough so special. 

 

Eagle: What unique qualities do you bring to the table that makes you the right choice in this primary?

Gonzalez: I am a great collaborator, have a track record of bringing people together from varied backgrounds in order to get things done and I know how to fight for my district’s interest. I am also the only woman, daughter, mother and grandmother in the race, and I think those titles bring [many more] qualities benefitting an elected official than I can list here.

 

Eagle: You fought for decades to bring Sunset Park its first  high school. Tell me about some of the projects you helped initiate in Sunset Park, especially regarding schools and education.

Gonzalez: I brought tens of millions of dollars for new schools in District 38, including its first-ever high school. I also secured funds for PS 971. I fought to bring cultural and arts programs into the community, as well as countless technology and infrastructure improvements to local public schools. Just as important, I spearheaded the City Council’s adult literacy initiative which provides millions of New Yorkers with free ESL, GED and Adult Basic Education services as well as services geared towards our immigrant communities.

 

Eagle: What makes you the best-qualified candidate for City Council, and why distinguishes you from your opponents in this race?

Gonzalez: I have a record of achievement, public service and devotion to this community that is unrivaled by my opponents. I didn’t just move into this community during an election year to satisfy personal political ambitions. I have and will always be here and I am truly invested in District 38’s success and well-being.

 


Leave a Comment

Related Articles

Leave a Comment