Profession
Artist & Community Organizer
Campaign Phone
585-667-8744
City Council is stronger when its members bring a diversity of backgrounds and experiences to the table. My work as an artist has taught me to think creatively, manage complex, multi-phase projects, and collaborate across cultures and communities to bring ideas to life. It’s also given me a deep understanding of the importance of planning ahead for better outcomes and long-term cost savings.
As a community organizer, I’ve worked to make sure residents’ voices lead decision-making—and to help people better understand how local government works, so they can engage with it and hold it accountable. Over the past year, I’ve built on that experience by serving as a legislative aide—supporting constituents and learning the inner workings of City Council in preparation for stepping into the role.
We are facing an unknown future, and I believe my experience in working collaboratively in finding solutions to novel challenges will be an asset to the body and our city.
Rochester faces a serious housing crisis. Over 63% of our residents are renters, and too many are living one rent hike away from eviction or displacement. We need to stabilize housing by preserving and repairing what we have, expanding affordable options, preventing private equity takeovers, and giving tenants a real path to ownership. Housing is a foundation for stability, safety, and opportunity, and we can’t build a strong city without it.
The second major challenge is preparing for the growing impacts of climate change and economic uncertainty. That means investing now in local food production, clean public power, and programs that strengthen community connections and economic independence. If we want a city where everyone can thrive—not just survive—we need to build resilience into everything we do, starting now.
Rather than focusing on endless growth, we should support our residents and local economy by investing in care infrastructure. New York State is facing a care crisis, with a large boomer generation aging out of the workforce and into needing care. We need a strong workforce of home health aides, childcare providers, and care workers—and we can create good jobs by investing in training, fair wages, and career pathways in these fields. Supporting a care-based economy would strengthen families, help seniors age safely at home, and create real opportunities for both youth and adults.
We should also expand programs that create jobs through repairing homes, growing local food, and building clean energy systems. Every investment we make should put our people to work solving real community needs—not just chasing flashy developments that leave residents behind.
Yes, Rochester has a serious shortage of safe and affordable housing. Much of our housing stock is aging and in need of major repairs, and too often, absentee and corporate landlords take out more than they invest in, letting property conditions decline, and ignoring occupancy rules. City Council can address this by investing in programs that help preserve and repair existing homes, expanding affordable housing options, and creating pathways for tenants to become owners. We also need stronger protections for renters and policies that prevent private equity firms from stripping wealth out of our neighborhoods.
Profession
Foodlink's Chief Impact Officer
Campaign Phone
585-690-6844
I am an executive leader at the regional food bank, helping to convene the entire network of emergency food providers in Rochester. I have started some of the most impactful public health and workforce development programs in Rochester, including the largest mobile grocery store in the region and the only culinary apprenticeship in NYS.
I obtained a PhD in History from the University of Rochester and developed strong analytical skills and a deep grounding of American history.
Perhaps most importantly, I have served City Council for eight years and have been a consistent, transparent, and accessible leader for people in every part of our community.
I pride myself on my record of service and my responsiveness to my constituents.
The primary challenge we face is poverty, and the new urgent crisis of the day is the constant attacks from the federal government.
There are no single policies that Rochester can implement to address poverty, in part because we do not have the budget to do a larger Guaranteed Income program for the whole community. One substantial thing we can do is create more housing opportunities. We will adopt a new zoning code in the next year that will make it easier and more affordable to build in Rochester. This will help alleviate poverty by creating more homeownership opportunities and improving housing stability.
As for fighting the federal government, we need to work together as Democrats and stay focused on the legal fights in front of us. Instead of getting distracted by the noise coming out of DC, we need to remain strategic and work closely with other municipalities and the NYS AG office.
Having experienced legislators is immensely important.
City Council can invest in thoughtful workforce development programming.
At Foodlink, I helped to start the only culinary apprenticeship in NYS. This job training has helped people develop a pathway out of poverty and go from being unemployed to earning a competitive salary.
We can do this work in all sectors, including some emerging ones like green energy and cannabis.
Yes. We need to update the zoning code to allow for more flexible buildings and projects. We have very few townhouses, condos, or coops for sale in Rochester, but that must change.
We also need to continue to invest in code enforcement, and ensure that we are enforcing the rules that we have in place. We have invested significant resources in code enforcement since I have been the Finance Committee Chair, but hiring and training enforcement officers has taken some time. We are making progress right now, as evidenced by the few stories in the last few years where we have fined absentee landlords to a significant enough extent that they sell their properties and move on.
Profession
Nonprofit Executive/Social Worker
Campaign Phone
15852100754
I bring a unique combination of lived experience, proven leadership, and deep community connection that makes me well-qualified to serve on Rochester City Council. I was born and raised in this city, and I’ve dedicated my life to serving my community.
As the Executive Director of Connected Communities, I’ve led major neighborhood revitalization efforts—bringing together residents, nonprofits, and public institutions to address housing, education, economic opportunity, and community safety. Under my leadership, we’ve developed over 50 units of affordable housing, expanded homeownership, and invested in programs that support families and youth.
What also sets me apart is that I know what it’s like to overcome real challenges. I became a mom at 14 and a CEO by 34. That journey shaped my commitment to equity and my belief that government should work for everyone. I bring both professional skill and personal passion to this work, and I’m ready to serve with integrity, urgency, and heart.
Rochester faces two major challenges: housing instability and economic inequality. Too many families struggle with rising rents, poor housing conditions, and limited paths to homeownership. I’ve led the development of over 50 units of affordable housing in Beechwood and EMMA and partnered with Habitat for Humanity to expand homeownership. I’ll fight for more affordable units, stronger tenant protections, and home repair programs to keep families housed.
At the same time, many residents are working hard but still can’t get ahead. We need stronger career pipelines, support for small businesses, and investment in youth and re-entry programs. I’ll advocate for workforce training, local hiring, and neighborhood-driven development that centers equity. As someone who’s led this work at the ground level, I’m ready to take bold, community-rooted solutions to City Hall.
City Council can help create jobs by investing in workforce development, supporting small businesses, and expanding youth employment programs. We need to fund training and job placement in high-demand fields like construction, healthcare, and green energy, while partnering with unions, schools, and employers. Strengthening youth employment programs will give teens real-world experience and pathways to long-term careers. Supporting entrepreneurship—especially for residents in underserved neighborhoods—creates local jobs and builds community wealth. The Council should also prioritize local hiring on city-funded projects and work with labor and nonprofit partners to create a strong pipeline from training to employment. With the right investment, we can build an economy where everyone has a chance to work, earn, and thrive.
Yes, there is a clear shortage of safe and affordable housing in Rochester. Too many families are paying more than they can afford, living in poor conditions, or unable to access homeownership.
City Council can address this by:
Investing in new affordable housing and revising zoning laws to allow for more diverse housing types.
Supporting homeownership through down payment assistance, rehab programs, and partnerships like those I’ve led with Habitat for Humanity.
Protecting renters with policies like Good Cause Eviction to prevent unfair displacement.
Preserving existing housing by funding repairs and weatherization programs for seniors and low-income homeowners.
Prioritizing community voice so residents help shape housing solutions in their neighborhoods.
We need bold action that combines new development, tenant protections, and investment in stability—and I bring the experience to help lead that work.
Profession
Mental Health Counselor
Campaign Phone
585-210-2278
As a mental health counselor, and civil rights advocate, I bring a unique lens to governance that truly respects the voices of residents and recognizes that holistic strategies that meet the diverse material needs of residents, result in a thriving city.
Our communities are under attack. The federal government's cuts to healthcare and life affirming services including food, libraries and programs that increase accessibility for marginalized communities is causing harm to Rochesterians. My experience as a current Councilmember who has fiercely advocated for human rights, won protections for tenants and developed programs that invest in youth and vulnerable communities has prepared me for this moment.
By leading with courage and empathy I will continue to implement bold solutions in collaboration with neighbors and government partners.
The two main challenges the City faces are poverty and lack of safe, affordable housing.
Recognizing the poverty is a policy choice, I propose that City Council:
(1) Passes a living wage ordinance to ensure that workers in the City of Rochester are paid adequately for their labor
(2) Increase the City's minimum wage to $21.60 to ensure that city employees are paid equitably
(3)Expand the Universal Basic Income (UBI) program--studies show that people who receive UBI spend the money on housing and necessities to keep their families safe
(4) Join workers in advocating for passage of the PRO Act
(5) Amend city RFP process to prioritize contracting with unionized shops
To address the lack affordable housing crisis, I propose that City Council:
(1) Invest in rehabilitating vacant, abandoned single family and multi-family units, therefore increasing affordable housing stock
(2) Use City's Area Median Income, instead of County, to ensure that housing is truly affordable to city residents
To create jobs for youth, City Council can:
(1) Collaborate with skilled labor unions, and fund youth apprenticeship programs
(2) Create funding and oversight mechanism for creative youth who have new job proposals that may not fit into existing municipal structure
(3) Develop annual surveys and focus groups in collaboration with RCSD to gain insight into barriers youth face in seeking employment, and adjust to alleviate barriers
To create jobs for adults in Rochester, City Council can:
(1) Work with RCSD to meet housing and mental health needs of students, to ensure that they're able to focus in school, graduate and receive the requirements to seek higher education or enter the job market
(2) Prioritize grants and supportive services to small local businesses who provide jobs to residents
(3) Invest in local infrastructure like creating separated bike lanes, and developing new road design
(4)Meet material needs of community to increase safety, and keep and attract new businesses
There is a shortage of safe, affordable housing. Amidst our current housing crisis, Council must work collaboratively with community members and stakeholders to urgently implement a variety of solutions. City Council can:
(1) Invest in repairing vacant, abandoned single family and multi-family units, therefore increasing affordable housing stock
(2) Pass municipal Right To Counsel law, allowing tenants in unsafe housing to advocate in court, and have judges mandate repairs to enforce the warranty of habitability guaranteed to all tenants under New York State Law
(3) Increase investments in home repairs for Seniors and those on fixed incomes
(4) Implement inclusionary zoning laws to increase affordable housing
(5) Advocate to pass the Rent Emergency Stabilization for Tenants Act, enabling municipalities like the City of Rochester to pass rent stabilization laws
(6) Remove administrative barriers to accessing city grants for downpayment assistance for first time homeowners
Profession
Chief Community Engagement Officer, Ibero-American Action League, Inc.
Campaign Phone
585-280-1270
Thank you, Rochester, for the opportunity to serve.
Throughout my life, I have embraced opportunities to grow and lead— beginning as a part-time grassroots community organizer and rising to the executive leadership team at Ibero. My experience is rooted in problem-solving, collaboration, and leading grants, programs, and services that directly impact our community. I’ve worked in neighborhoods on quality-of-life issues, beautification, social cohesion, and advocacy.
As a Councilmember, I quickly learned the ropes and was honored to be selected as Council President in my first full term. In this role, I’ve launched new initiatives, restored funding to grassroots organizations through member items, and invested in public safety, affordable housing, and expanding opportunity. I’m deeply connected to the issues facing Rochester and committed to utilizing government to support everyday people.
In this time of federal uncertainty, I offer steady, experienced, and thoughtful leadership.
Public safety and housing are the two most pressing challenges Rochester faces.
On public safety, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach. This means strengthening community-police relationships, directing opioid settlement funds toward treatment and prevention in the neighborhoods most impacted by the epidemic, clarifying which first responders handle specific calls for service, and investing in neighborhood infrastructure. Residents are key partners in building safer communities, and we must ensure they feel supported and heard.
On housing, we need to increase investments in both new construction and rehabilitation, while ensuring code enforcement is equitable and consistent across all neighborhoods. We must also create conditions that stabilize homeownership, preserve affordability, and help residents build generational wealth. This includes monitoring federal changes and actions to ensure we are prepared to respond to any potential changes in our future.
City Council plays a key role in setting the conditions for economic growth. As a Councilmember, I’ve focused on expanding access to opportunity. I launched Roc the Block Community Employment Fairs—block party-style events in each city quadrant featuring food, music, and job opportunities. Thousands of residents have connected with employers and educational resources through these events, with many securing jobs.
I’ve supported the expansion of youth employment programs, invested in workforce development—including the creation of a mobile unit—and helped increase digital access through our libraries. I’ve also supported the creation of new City jobs and approved significant Main Street grant funding to support small business growth and access to capital. Council can—and must—do more in the space of business incubation to spark local entrepreneurship and create sustainable jobs.
Yes, there is a shortage of safe and affordable housing in Rochester, but I am consistently working on this problem. I’ve consistently allocated additional funding toward affordable housing whenever possible, using departmental underrun funds to fill gaps. We can’t build fast enough, so City Council must continue to support projects that expand inventory—especially through zoning reforms and creative approaches like modular and manufactured homes.
We’ve increased the number of code enforcement officers, added a senior trainer to improve housing safety, and brought on a housing attorney to hold negligent property owners accountable. We’ve also passed stronger tenant protections and updated our fines and fees to ensure compliance isn’t treated as just a cost of doing business. Increasing single-family home construction is a key priority to stabilize neighborhoods but remains a challenge due to cost. I am committed to creating more inventory that will ultimately lower housing costs.
Profession
Planning, Design and Construction Project Manager
Campaign Phone
585-310-2273
I believe a City Council member should have a balance of qualifications and experience. A council member should be an advocate for the community. I have been an advocate since coming out at the age of 16, starting with advocating for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community. My advocacy has only expanded over the years; I have worked and advocated for policy focused on housing, healthcare access, safer streets, and environmental justice, among several other social justice initiatives. Advocating isn’t enough if you can’t pull other members together and work within the system to get policy approved. A City Council member also needs to be able to govern and understand governance in this role. I have served on several boards, including the city’s Preservation Board. This has helped me understand the role of a governing body and how to work collectively with others to move forward policies and strategic plans for the betterment of the organization.
I believe that all our challenges are interconnected; the overarching challenge is the poverty in the community. There isn’t a single solution to solve this problem, but we can take steps to tackle it. We can work on expanding jobs and creating opportunities through job training and apprenticeship programs. One of the challenges with employment or meeting basic needs is access and transportation. We need to improve our transportation system and work on ensuring that work opportunities are in the city and not going to the outskirts of the county, so that everyone can get to them. We should also look at increasing the wages of city workers and increasing the minimum wage.
The other main challenge is our public safety challenges. We need to invest in intervention programs and address the root causes of the crime, especially focusing on our youth.
City Council can create several opportunities that would provide jobs to city residents. The city ambassador program should be expanded to create other opportunities that not only employ city residents but also improve the quality of life.
To create youth jobs City Council can work to expand the youth work program. The city can also work with the trades to create apprenticeship programs.
Yes, there is a shortage of safe and affordable housing. The city is taking some steps to address this through improving the zoning code, which will help create more housing options in broader parts of the City. The affordability will continue to be a challenge if not addressed correctly. However, the city needs to create an intentional and comprehensive housing plan. We need to create a plan that can help bring someone from homelessness to home ownership. I believe that supporting community-controlled models/community land trusts is a way o creating sustainable, affordable housing.
Profession
Program Officer
Campaign Phone
585-563-2923
I bring a lifetime of service, leadership, and lived experience. I’ve worked directly with youth, families, and communities impacted by violence, poverty, and systemic inequities. From managing violence prevention programs to founding grassroots initiatives like the 14621 food stands, I’ve led with a focus on community needs, not political agendas. I understand what it takes to listen to people, advocate for them, and implement real solutions that make a difference. My track record of organizing, advocacy, and public service has been rooted in action, not just talk — and that’s exactly the kind of leadership our City Council needs.
1. Community Violence and Public Safety:
We have to move beyond reactive policing to address the root causes — poverty, disinvestment, trauma, and lack of opportunity. I will push for stronger investment in mental health services, youth programs, violence prevention strategies, and real community partnerships that prioritize healing and safety.
2. Affordable Housing Crisis:
Far too many Rochester residents are struggling to afford a safe place to live. I will fight to expand deeply affordable housing, push for full enforcement of Good Cause Eviction protections, and advocate for investments in permanent supportive housing, especially for vulnerable populations like seniors, returning citizens, and our unhoused neighbors.
City Council can champion policies that invest directly in workforce development programs, youth employment initiatives, and partnerships with local businesses, unions, and trade programs. We should prioritize job training tied to growing industries — like clean energy, healthcare, and technology — and ensure access for youth, returning citizens, and low-income residents. Creating paid internship opportunities, supporting entrepreneurship, and expanding apprenticeships are key to building pathways to sustainable careers.
Yes, there is a severe shortage of safe, affordable, and accessible housing in Rochester.
City Council must:
• Expand funding for the development of deeply affordable housing units.
• Strengthen tenant protections, including full enforcement of Good Cause Eviction laws.
• Incentivize the rehabilitation of vacant properties for affordable use rather than luxury redevelopment.
• Push for zoning reforms that encourage mixed-income and multi-family developments.
• Prioritize “housing first” approaches that ensure people have access to shelter without unnecessary barriers.
No one should be criminalized for being homeless or priced out of the city they call home.
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