| I was born and raised on Milwaukee's South Side. My family struggled to get by and, more than once, relied on the neighborhood church for food and other necessities. I became aware at a very early age how difficult life can be for those with little to fall back on when my family resided in Puerto Rico and survived solely on the food we planted, the animals we raised, and the clothes we made. I remember my parents constantly emphasizing that the surest way out of poverty is through a good education and I credit my quality public education for getting me to where I am today. I took my parents' advice and I earned two bachelor's degrees from UW-Madison and a law degree from Michigan State University.
Because of my modest childhood, I am committed to working hard and making my community better. I am an entrepeneur, respected immigration attorney, and former chair of both the Democratic Party of Wisconsin's (DPW) Latino Caucus and Milwaukee's Fire and Police Commission. Additionally, I am a member of Voces de la Frontera, the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL), and the National Association of Latino Elected Officials.
I received the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County's 2016 Rising Star Award for my work as chair of the DPW's Latino Caucus. In 2018, I received the Community Champion Award from Citizen Action of Wisconsin and was recognized by Madison365 as one of Wisconsin's Most Powerful Latinos. Most recently, I was appointed Vice Chair of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators 2020 Immigration Task Force. |