Hello Bell Gardens,
My name is Jorgel Chavez, and I am proud to announce that I am seeking reelection to the Bell Gardens City Council. Our community deserves continued leadership and real progress. We need a leader who understands what it means to live and breathe the struggle of Bell Gardens, and I am here to continue serving in that position.
I am pleased to say that my parents chose to raise me in this beautiful city. I graduated from local schools within the Montebello Unified School District, and I am a proud Falcon from Bell Gardens Intermediate and Lancer from Bell Gardens High School. I graduated from the University of Southern California in May 2021 with a Master of Public Administration, a Bachelor’s in Political Science, and a Minor in Communications, Policy, and Law. I was the first in my family to graduate from high school and a 4-year institution. I am proud of my education, as I have been fortunate to have many mentors and teachers who always pushed me beyond my dreams. Although it has been difficult making it this far, I am pleased to say that without my city of Bell Gardens behind me, I would not be where I am today.
My background consists of my parents, Maria and Jorgel, who continue to mentor and be role models for me day in and day out. At a young age, my parents got married, hoping to make the American Dream a reality. To this day, my parents still have not achieved their dream. Times are tough, and the progress we have made has been put to a halt as for many other families. Luckily, my father serves as an essential worker providing shipping and receiving of goods for the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, and my mother worked in long-term care. Giving back has always been a lesson my parents taught me. They always told me, "Nunca olvides de donde vienes" (never forget where you come from).
In addition to my role on the city council, I am also a Union Organizer with SEIU California Fast Food Workers Union. In this position, I have fought tirelessly for workers’ rights, fair wages, and better working conditions. My experience with SEIU has deepened my commitment to social justice and advocacy, reinforcing my dedication to serving our community and working families.
Throughout these past four years on the city council, we have accomplished great things. Some of our most recent accomplishments include passing Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Evictions, expanding our senior programming, bolstering our public safety through our Neighborhood Watch Program, and building on our housing and homelessness services. I want to continue to build on this progress and bring forward economic development to our city and promote job growth and union apprenticeships for our local youth. United, we will continue achieving success for our incredible city.
Ultimately, I ask for your vote today because I understand what it means to live and breathe the struggle of Bell Gardens. I will continue to stand with responsibility, integrity, and transparency as these values drive who I am. Vote for me, Jorgel Chavez, for your Bell Gardens City Council!
Thank you,
-Jorgel Chavez