Today we’d like to introduce you to Angelica Duenas.
Angelica, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am a first-generation US Citizen. My parents immigrated from Mexico in the ’60s and ’70s. They are from neighboring towns in Jalisco, Mexico, but met in Pacoima California. I grew up in a low-income working-class home in Sun Valley, Ca. I remember living in fear of immigration raids and the fear of my parents being deported. Thankfully my parents were able to qualify for Amnesty in 1987.
My parents worked hard to provide all the necessities. My parents bought their home in the late ’80s. Things got extra tough here and there in the ’90s, like when my dad got hurt and lost his job or when my mom lost her Union job when the factory closed down. We went through some really low points; there were times that the only way for my dad to earn money was to collect recyclables. I would drive around with my dad on his pick up truck to different businesses and restaurants through the Valley looking for bottles, cans, and cardboard. There were times that we would eat food items that were still good enough to eat out of necessity. We almost lost the house a few times, but with hard work and determination, we made it.
My parents taught me that standing up for what is right is what needs to be done in order to make change happen. We might not always win, but we cannot stand by and do nothing while injustice is happening. I remember protesting Prop 187; the racist law passed that would keep undocumented people, including children from accessing non-emergency healthcare and other public services, including public education. Fortunately, the law was quickly overturned and deemed unconstitutional.
I attended public schools through the LAUSD system. My parents encouraged us to get an education and to get a profession that would help people. In college and university, I thought that I would end up in Law School, but life changed plans. I married my husband about two years before earning my BA in Political Science – Public Administration. We started a family, and Law School was not a possibility. I worked in Administrative and Customer Service roles through earning an MA in Organizational Leadership.
I am now a Human Resources professional, a role that has given me an opportunity to see the inequalities in compensation between service staff and executives. It has made it very clear to me that we need to fight for a living wage and for mega-corporations to pay their fair share. It is time for the richest country in the world to do what most every other advanced nation has done, provide universal healthcare, quality childcare, quality public education, tuition-free higher education and housing as a human right.
I am far from perfect. I am not a politician. I served in my local Neighborhood Council. I served two terms as President and one term as 1st VP of my Neighborhood Council. In 2016 after feverishly supporting and volunteering for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign I was appointed as a Delegate and represented the state of California at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. My stance on the issues is transparent. I am a corporate-free candidate and promise to stay that way. I am running for office because when I look into my childrens’ eyes and think of their future, I get sad. I get sad because I understand that if we continue to live life how we have been, my kids don’t have a future to look forward to. I am running in order to fight for those who can’t.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that when people hear about what we are about, they are fully on board. No, in the sense that we have a small grassroots team and a large district to cover. Our biggest struggle is resources and outreach. We need a larger team to hit more doors and more funds to get the material out to the community. But we are working a winning strategy and are confident that we will be making it to the General election in 2020.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
We are a 100% Grassroots Congressional campaign getting ready to take over one of the most powerful seats in the Valley. We are running against Tony Cardenas, corporate Democrat who is funded by Big Pharma and the Utility Companies. He has not taken a stand in support of Medicare for All or a Green New Deal.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I have lived in Sun Valley pretty much my whole life. I love the familiarity that I have with my surroundings. I love that my kids have attended the same elementary school that I did. One of my kids got to have a year with my old Kindergarten teacher. This community is helping us raise our kids and has made me the person I am today.
I dislike that we have been overlooked in so many ways. We have roads that are in constant need of repair and lack of advanced education programs in our schools. Most recently we have seen a rise in RVs parking on our streets. This is due to surrounding communities changing their local regulations to push out the homeless. We are in a critical need of low-income housing now.
Sun Valley, along with Pacoima and North Hills nearby, are among the most polluted in Southern California. We are home to many of the county’s Landfills, Junk Yards, and other polluting industries. We even have a power plant and a rock quarry in Sun Valley! Sometimes I feel that the East San Fernando Valley has been thrown away and forgotten, much like the literal trash that is trucked in week by week and day by day. We have so much room to improve our community or district and our city. I think that we have a perfect opportunity to explore on multifaceted solutions to combating climate change and pollution while at the same time bringing education and job opportunities to a community hungry for growth and in desperate need of change.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.angelica4congress.com
- Phone: 818-962-8392
- Email: angelica4congress@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelica4ca/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Angelica4CA
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Angelica4CA
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