Elisa Crespo doesn't have time to think about the historic nature of her campaign. Yes, she is running for the New York City Council representing the 15th District, a community in the Bronx. But frankly, there is too much work to be done. It includes creating a public option for jobs (more on that later) and bringing justice to a borough that is facing a disproportionately alarming health and economic crisis. According to Crespo, before COVID-19, the Bronx was already experiencing a pandemic, with unemployment (open in new tab) exceeding 20% in one neighborhood, nearly one-third of the community without a high school education (open in new tab), some without access to even WiFi, and a number of people who have been living in the Bronx for more than a decade with no access to health care.

"I am not here to make history. I didn't decide to run for office because I'm trans. I just happened to be a trans candidate. It's something I was born with, something I have no control over," Crespo told Marie Claire. But I do know that people struggle to get nutritious food. I also know that people need help getting jobs. We know that many people are living on starvation wages. We know that many schools are underfunded. We know that there is not enough affordable housing for the most vulnerable New Yorkers."

Crespo, 30, never imagined she would run for public office. The City Council seat she is vying for with nine other candidates was once occupied by Richie Torres, the first LGBTQ+ person of color to represent the Bronx and now a U.S. Congressman, and will be filled in a special election on March 23. However, Torres' term expires this year, so the winner will have to fight again in the June 22 New York primaries and, hopefully, the November general election.

Although the pandemic has changed his priorities, Crespo intends to build on the work Torres started in this district. That is, focus on economic recovery by developing public options for employment that build a pipeline to public service jobs for people living below the federal poverty line, the homeless, formerly incarcerated at-risk youth, and people with disabilities (opens in new tab). The plan will create a public workforce where people who are often shut out of the private sector can receive the training and jobs they need from the government, be provided a living wage and benefits, and create a green economy, for example.

Crespo knows what it is like to grow up poor. Raised in multiple boroughs of New York City by a working-class Latina mother, Crespo and his family had to rely on social safety net programs such as food stamps, Medicaid, and public housing to survive, began to discover his own identity. (And he began to discover his own identity. It was only when I saw myself in other people that I realized who I really was.") She attended college for a year but dropped out and did not return until several years later. In the meantime, Crespo spent her days by the Christopher Street pier with other black and brown queers.

Despite those formative years, Crespo grew into adulthood and realized that she had a dream she wanted to fulfill, even though she didn't really know what it was at the time. Eventually, she met, fell in love with, and married a nice young man. The nice young man's mother convinced her to go back to school. Deciding to study political science, she enrolled in John Jay College of Criminal Justice. There her life changed.

Crespo became involved in student government and learned the power of organizing. She traveled to the state capitol to discuss affordable and accessible higher education with legislators. It was a time when she was concerned about the rise of white supremacy and xenophobia, but also inspired by candidates talking about climate change and student loan debt After graduating in 2019, she landed an internship at the New York State Assembly. She will then work in the Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.'s office in the Community Education Council department, where she will help students and families in the borough navigate the city Department of Education.

In February 2020, Crespo ran for City Council (she planned to run whether Torres won or not) and decided that the best place to expand her work was in this City Council position, which oversees the budget of one of the largest cities in the United States, as well as city agencies and land use processes. She says, "Not only did I feel like the city needed a bold new generation of leaders to bring real institutional change to the city, but I also felt like so many voices, stories, and lived experiences were being shut out of the political process."

"This year is a unique opportunity to elect a city government that reflects the residents of New York and makes sure that everyone understands that politics is also about them, regardless of where they were born or where they come from."

Crespo's own upbringing as a survival sex worker drew national attention. An article ostensibly about her candidacy in the New York Post made little mention of her campaign or policy philosophy, instead calling her past work "prostitution (opens in new tab)." At the time of the article's publication, Crespo tweeted (opens in new tab), "It is shameful for anyone to weaponize transphobic damage."

Crespo knew that she had to be transparent about her past in deciding to run for office, but she is not interested in constantly reliving that part of her life. Instead, she wants to show her struggling constituents where she is headed, not where she has been.

"We take the best option we have. I had to take care of my family. We had to provide for ourselves. It wasn't until 2019 that the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (in New York) was passed (opens in new tab), so trans people are not afraid to go into the private sector and ask for an application or sit down and have an interview," Crespo was a survival sex worker when he He speaks. 'Unfortunately, it was a trauma I had to relive, but it is my story and I regret none of it. It taught me how to be a fighter. It taught me how to survive"

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Crespo does not place her identity at the center of her campaign, but the significance of her candidacy is also not lost on her. While transgender people may be steadily gaining political power (opens in new tab), she still wants people to remember that trans people are always left out (opens in new tab). That trans people are being killed in disproportionate numbers (opens in new tab). Trans people face barriers to employment (opens in new tab) simply because they are.

"The reality is that trans women of color like myself have an average life expectancy of 35 years (opens in new tab). There are many people in marginalized communities who struggle with employment opportunities, having their voices heard, and having a seat at the table," Crespo explains. The goal of my campaign is to help people who have never seen themselves among the candidates and to make them believe that they too can run for office," Crespo explains. I'm not the first, but I hope I won't be the last."

Running an election campaign is emotionally, physically, and mentally taxing, even without experiencing the scrutiny Crespo has endured as a trans woman. However, Crespo understands that this campaign is bigger than herself, and therefore she will continue to improve the quality of life in her community and make others feel seen, especially trans youth who continue to be attacked by legislators across the country (opens in new tab) She will continue to move forward to help these trans people.

"I really believe in the power of public service. I understand that what I'm doing has the opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of so many people, and that's what keeps me going."