In the most difficult days of the pandemic, while Roosevelt Avenue remained almost empty, the Latino families of Queens fought to survive selling tamales on the corners, delivering food door to door, taking care of ourselves as we know how. Nobody came to rescue us. We ourselves lift up our community. We secured food from farms in our state and won the Excluded Workers Fund for unemployment insurance.
Today we face another decisive moment. With Donald Trump in the White House attacking cities like ours, this New York mayoral election is no game. Latinos and immigrants have too much to lose.
Some candidates in this race promise a lot, shout loudly and grab headlines. But New York needs more than just speeches. We need leadership with experience, mettle, and the ability to take on Trump from day one. That’s why I support Andrew Cuomo for mayor.
I have criticized Cuomo publicly for many years and in 2021 I called for his resignation. I stand by my decision then and I stand by my decision today to support him for mayor..
At this critical moment, I think about my children and those in our community. I think of the undocumented workers who today live in fear, of the Latino merchants who struggle to keep their businesses open, of the families who depend on Medicaid and the public programs that Trump wants to defund.
I also think about my city and the danger that is coming if we vote for inexperienced slogans. We need a mayor who will protect our city’s resources in partnership with Albany and win the fight against Washington DC. We must be prepared to use every legal and political tool available to stop Trump from taking away funds and rights from us. Cuomo has shown that he knows how to do it.
On the other side is Zohran Mamdani who has captivated the youth with his vision. His legislative career is just beginning and therefore it is difficult to bet on a leadership that has never been tested. There is too much at stake and we cannot improvise. The next mayor must be ready from day one.
The future of our children, of our neighborhoods, depends on who wins this election. On Tuesday, June 24, let’s make the Latino voice heard at the polls. Let’s vote with our heads and with our hearts, thinking about the well-being of our families and the protection of our city. I will vote for Andrew Cuomo. I invite you to do the same.
Jessica Ramos is a New York State Senator
(Opinion columns only represent the views of the authors).
The post Our neighborhoods are at stake: why Latinos should vote for Cuomo appeared first on Veritas News.
