Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published April 24, 2020.

Where are you from? How did you end up in Rochester?

I was born in Highland Hospital and grew up in the South Wedge; we moved to Pittsford when I was 13 and I attended Mendon. I went out of state for school, did the Peace Corps in Guatemala, and worked around the east coast for a few years before getting married and moving back to Rochester in 2018.

As you get married and think about where you want to start a family, I knew in Rochester I could have the kind of lifestyle I wanted, and lots of my family is still here. I’ve worked on different issues like senior care, climate change, and inequity in education, and I knew I could continue to work on addressing those issues in the Rochester area. I wanted to take my experiences and apply them here at home.

What is your favorite part of living in Rochester?

My favorite part has always been the people. I’m a very social person and love talking and listening to people. One of the amazing things about Rochester is that the people are so open to connection, truly, especially compared to other cities. Now, as I settle down as an adult, that really stands out to me. I also appreciate the diversity of activities; on any given day, there is something to do here. During every day of social distancing, we’ve gone on a different walk. 

What are some hidden gems you've discovered around Rochester?

Part of campaigning is learning all the different crevices of the district, and mine stretches from Irondequoit down to Naples. So a few spots I’ve discovered along the way: Main Street Cafe in Honeoye Falls is one. They’re owned by a family and have tons of homemade deliciousness, and great sandwiches. I love the breakfast burrito at the Founders Cafe. And at Glen Edith, the almond milk hot chocolate is like a warm hug on a dreary day. 

What are some of your favorite local nonprofits to support?

I’m on the board for REACH Advocacy, which gives housing to folks experiencing homelessness during the winter months. We’ve grown the board almost twofold and are now focusing on the more chronic need. We’ve been working on serving our clients, and now we’re looking at how to do more advocacy work to address the bigger, systemic issue here. We want to create sustainable solutions instead of just one-time ones in the winter. I’m bringing my fundraising and critical thinking skills to that.

What's your favorite neighborhood in the city? 

It depends on the day, because each neighborhood offers such different things. Lately I’ve enjoyed walking in the Highland Park neighborhood. I can’t wait for the lilacs!

If you could only eat one Rochester food for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

It would be Wegmans cookie cake. It’s not a healthy choice at all! We got married in Jersey City in 2018, and I asked my mom to bring Wegmans chocolate chip cookies as favors; she brought enough for 150 people. 

What is your personal coping mechanism for cold/gray weather? 

Exercise helps me. I love the warm weather, being outside and walking around. To release endorphins in a different way, I rely on exercise. It really boosts your mood. The other thing is just being with people. I make a concerted effort to go visit my family or friends.

What's one memory you have that captures what Rochester means to you? 

It’s not a specific memory, but anytime I run into someone I know at the grocery store, or every time I order an almond milk hot chocolate and the barista remembers me,those are the reasons why I love being in a small enough city that it feels like family. That’s a powerful thing about Rochester, there’s this connective tissue and connectivity between people. Seeing so many people checking in on their neighbors during coronavirus reminds me why I love being here.

What makes Rochester unique? 

The way we come out for good weather in the summer. We get maybe 80 or 90 days of beautiful weather, and people go all-out to take advantage of it in a pretty remarkable way. I don’t know if I’ve ever been somewhere with as many street festivals as Rochester. It’s amazing that people don’t tire of our art festivals. I have great memories of Park Ave Fest, Clothesline Fest, and Corn Hill helping my mom, who is an artist, with her booth.

What would you like to see change in Rochester in the next year? 

I’d like Rochester to have a whole new coalition of democratic state senators in Albany to help us move forward--specifically for the 55th, 56th, and 61st District. I’m running in the 55th District.

What inspired you to run for office? 

It’s an extension of the work I’ve done before; my entire life, I’ve been trying to seek out the problems and be part of the solutions. In college when Katrina hit, I went down with a group of people for a month and helped clinics navigate FEMA paperwork and removed mold. You don’t need dollars or degrees, you can just go and help. When I graduated, I was really compelled to go and seek challenges in other parts of the world. I went to Guatemala and did health education. I was helping bring water to rural skills, working with NGOs and school districts to build capacity. I kept doing capacity-building work when I came back to the U.S. I’ve worked on issues like recycling education, inequity in education, and senior care. The policies are not taking into account the people I’ve been working with. My personal and professional experiences are needed in Albany; that’s where I think I can create the most difference, in the way we approach lawmaking. We need to make sure more people’s voices are heard and that we’re prepared for the future. Climate change, our education, and the dwindling middle class aren’t going away; we have to address them. 

My dad was an Ethiopian immigrant, and he’d always ask, “What are you doing to help those around you? What have you done for others?” That’s why now I’m thinking about how I can effect the most change and make sure the people around me are taken care of.

What does a state senator do?

For me, it’s about representing the needs of your constituents. State senators should be asking, “How do I make sure the 294,000 people in my district are taken care of?” It’s about finding a way for the government to meet the needs of the residents. The second part is making sure Rochester has a voice at the table. We need representatives who are capable and willing to reach out to every corner of the district and make sure everyone is represented. How are you connecting with human beings in your district? How do you distill complex human experiences into policy? There are 63 members in the State Senate, and you need to build relationships so they are willing to hear you.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to get involved in local politics or run for office? 

The biggest thing is getting involved in the community now. Listen to people, volunteer, show up at school board meetings. You don’t have to be an expert, you just have to step foot into the room. Show up and listen. Whatever you’re passionate about, jump in and start listening. Being able to truly listen and pull out the needs expressed to you is an important part of being a representative. Volunteering for political campaigns is also a great experience. Be willing to work and listen. Join a local political committee for your town or district. 

Also, if you feel you shouldn’t run for office because no one is encouraging you to or you don’t feel capable, this is not something you’re born into. It’s not a natural ability. It’s about working hard and learning on the job. If you want to learn how to code, there are boot camps and webinars to teach you that. The same types of resources exist for learning how to run for office. I took five different trainings to learn the ins and outs of building a campaign and running for office. Check out Women Elect, Vote Run Lead, Arena, Emily’s List, Run for Something, and Eleanor’s Legacy. We need to re-democratize the whole process; we need more candidates and more women out there. We need to expand voting rights and accessibility, and all of the organizations I mentioned are aimed at doing just that.