""I am a husband, father, small business owner and union member," Ortega said. "My wife and I are also renters. Her parents are Ethiopian immigrants who realized the American dream. My family was able to afford a Hayward home on one income - yet for families like ours, homeownership is out of reach today.""
""Some of my earliest memories are thumbing through an illustrated children's book or playing with toys while my parents watched the news," he said. "Family history research is a big part of my life, specifically learning about my great-great-grandfather, Jose Urbano Ortega, who served in the New Mexico state legislature in the 1920s and 1930s. "I take heart in reading his words fighting for the poor, taking on corruption and championing anti-child labor laws.""
Matt Ortega, 41, announced a campaign for California's 14th Congressional District as a progressive activist and longtime community organizer. Ortega was born in Oakland, grew up in Hayward, later lived in Danville, and now resides in San Leandro with his wife Sophia and two young sons. Ortega is a small business owner, union member, husband, father, and renter; his wife’s Ethiopian-immigrant parents achieved the American dream. Ortega emphasizes housing affordability and the shrinking possibility of homeownership for families like his. Eric Swalwell is running for governor, leaving the district open and several candidates already entered the race. Family history and the early loss of his mother influenced Ortega's commitment to public service.
Read at The Mercury News
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