Meet Antonio
A fifth generation resident of San Ysidro, Antonio Martinez was born and raised in District 8. While attending the University of Pennsylvania on a scholarship, he quickly realized that just being in the room didn’t erase the divide. He saw firsthand the gap between those in power and the communities they were supposed to serve. Antonio returned home to San Ysidro and dedicated his career to help his own community succeed.
Since graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Antonio has turned his knowledge into public service as a Congressional Staffer for Congressman Juan Vargas. In this role, he has managed constituent casework for members of California’s 52nd Congressional District to ensure San Diegan’s tax dollars go toward vital services in the district. He has worked directly with community members, local businesses and government officials to solve problems and make San Diego a more fair and equitable place to work and live.
In 2012, Martinez was elected to the San Ysidro School Board where he has since served four terms. As a member of the board, he established the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee to ensure transparency and oversight on how taxpayer money is spent. He has upgraded the infrastructure of our public schools by building new playgrounds, updating classrooms and renovating outdated structures on school properties. Additionally, he has worked with students and parents to provide outside educational and career counseling resources to ensure the families in the community have their needs met.
Meet Antonio
A fifth generation resident of San Ysidro, Antonio Martinez was born and raised in District 8. While attending the University of Pennsylvania on a scholarship, he quickly realized that just being in the room didn’t erase the divide. He saw firsthand the gap between those in power and the communities they were supposed to serve. Antonio returned home to San Ysidro and dedicated his career to help his own community succeed.
Since graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Antonio has turned his knowledge into public service as a Congressional Staffer for Congressman Juan Vargas. In this role, he has managed constituent casework for members of California’s 52nd Congressional District to ensure San Diegan’s tax dollars go toward vital services in the district. He has worked directly with community members, local businesses and government officials to solve problems and make San Diego a more fair and equitable place to work and live.
In 2012, Martinez was elected to the San Ysidro School Board where he has since served four terms. As a member of the board, he established the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee to ensure transparency and oversight on how taxpayer money is spent. He has upgraded the infrastructure of our public schools by building new playgrounds, updating classrooms and renovating outdated structures on school properties. Additionally, he has worked with students and parents to provide outside educational and career counseling resources to ensure the families in the community have their needs met.
San Diego City Hall has a long history of prioritizing wealthy and well connected districts, leaving communities like those in District 8 to fend for themselves. Antonio is running to be an advocate for our people and ensure our district gets the resources it needs to thrive.
That fight starts with investing in the future generation of San Diegans. As a member of the San Ysidro School Board, Antonio has fought to improve our schools and support our students and families. As a City Councilmember, he will prioritize the same kind of development he’s brought to San Ysidro schools for students throughout District 8, ensuring our children are set up for success from day one.
One of Antonio’s top priorities is addressing the housing and homelessness crisis. At City Hall, he will bring together community organizations, developers and social service providers to address the homelessness crisis with compassion and urgency. He will also work with stakeholders and city officials to streamline development of affordable housing units in the district to ensure our people aren’t priced out of their home.
Working class people are the backbone of District 8. As a Councilmember, Antonio will fight to raise wages, strengthen the labor movement and ensure that working people’s voices are heard. He will support workers and union leaders to expand living and prevailing wages, support PLAs and organizing agreements and advocate for all workers who deserve a better deal.
Finally, Antonio will secure long overdue investments in public safety and infrastructure for District 8 that have been historically neglected in city budgets. That means paving our roadways, developing new parks and open spaces for the community, staffing up first responders to address long wait times, and working with city planners to improve the flow of traffic in our neighborhoods. Above all, Antonio will ensure community members have a voice in the decision-making process.
As a staffer for Congressman Vargas, Antonio worked directly with constituents and advocated for our community to ensure our tax dollars come back into our district to serve our most vulnerable residents. As a San Ysidro School Board member, he invested in improving our schools, curriculums and resources to ensure the next generation is set up for success. As a lifelong resident of District Eight, he’s seen the progress made and knows what we can achieve moving forward when we work together.