Interview with John Gonzalez Jr.
For the People’s Tribune, Sandy Perry interviewed John Gonzalez Jr., who was recently elected Treasurer of the Philadelphia Green Party. Along with Glenn Davis and Tara Colon, he recently won election to the Green Party City Committee.
Peoples Tribune: What was the significance of these Green Party City Committee elections?
John Gonzalez Jr: These elections were important because they demonstrated the changing face of the Green Party in Philadelphia. For the first time, the Green Party is diversifying. This means not only getting into the Latino and African American community, but also addressing the serious, day-to-day economic and social issues confronting people of Philadelphia from all backgrounds and walks of life.
My agenda is transparency. I intend to push for every City Committee member to register 50 new Green Party voters every month. Our communities have not heard about the Green Party. The two major parties are so bad that many people have just given up hope. If we can get out the word about the Green Party, we can let people know there is a better alternative and restore their hope.
PT: What are the main day-to-day issues that are most important right now?
JG: One of them is immigration reform, especially in the Latino community. The immigration proposals from Democrats and Republicans are just not good enough. I have a cousin who is the grown daughter of an American Vietnam veteran. She has lived here almost all her life, but because she was born in Mexico and no one properly fixed her papers, she still has no documents and has a hard time getting work.
I recently spoke to a group of young people at a program called Youthadelphia. Immigration reform is one of their most important issues. They and their families work hard and contribute to society, but deportations are breaking up their families and destroying lives. Everyone should be treated equally and have a fair chance. This will just get worse unless we in the Green Party step up and help lead a campaign to do something about it.
Another critical issue is public education and school closures in Philadelphia, from elementary through high school. The young people never get a chance to speak up or have input in the decision, but they are the ones who suffer from it. They have to travel across town to another school, sometimes through hostile gang territories. Some kids drop out and end up staying home with no parents in the house and no food in the refrigerator. They feel ignored and bullied, they are in emotional distress, and they can’t find help. I question whether the politicians making these decisions have any children who even attend the schools they are doing this to.
I feel proud to be in the Green Party. The situation is bad – many in our community are very poor, homeless, or the victims of violence. But I tell people they can have a voice in the Green Party. Green Party values put people first. We stand for the environment and the good of the community. I look forward to helping to grow the Green Party and build a better world.
