About Sammy

I'm 27 years old and for the last two years, while working full-time in Santa Monica, I was also my grandfather's caregiver as he battled cancer. He passed away last year, at home, in Montebello, in the house he helped build with 3 generations of what I call "Montebelleros."

Those two years showed me, up close, where Montebello fails its own people. I didn't have a car for a while, so we relied on Dial-a-Ride to get my grandfather to his appointments, and more than once it showed up late. My little brother, who's 3, can only take swimming classes a couple times a year because apparently there isn't enough funding to keep the program open year-round. My grandfather didn't even know about resources the city offered until he was well into his cancer. And when we had real emergencies, there were times emergency responders came too slow to feel like help.

Through all of it, he still loved the small joys Montebello had to offer, the Christmas events, walking through the little markets, going to the Superior store together. He loved this city even when it didn't always show up for him.

I couldn't stay quiet about that. So when I saw millions in city contracts going to outside corporations while local businesses got a fraction of that, I spoke up. That moment resonated with more people than I expected, but the truth is, it's connected to everything I just told you. A city that can find money for outside corporations should be able to fund a Dial-a-Ride that shows up on time, a swimming program that runs all year, and a police response that arrives when it's needed.

I'm running for Montebello City Council District 3 because my grandfather taught me what it means to show up for people, even when it's hard. I'm ready to make sure our city shows up too. I hope to make him proud.