Manny Cruz

Manny Cruz was born in Salem, Massachusetts. Cruz graduated from Salem High School.[1] He earned a B.S. in political science and government from Northeastern University in 2016.[2] Cruz's career experience includes working as the advocacy director of Latinos for Education Massachusetts, the district director of the Office of State Representative Paul Tucker, a legislative aide with the Office of State Representative Juana Matias, and a national park service ranger with the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. He has served on the City of Salem School Committee; on the boards of LEAP For Education, Plummer Youth Promise, and the North Shore Community Actions Program; as a founding board member and secretary of the MA Alliance for Early College; and on the Salem Race Equity Task Force.[1][2]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Manny Cruz is a Dad, public servant, entrepreneur, and non-profit leader who grew up in Salem. He attended the Salem Public Schools, including the Horace Mann Lab School, Collins Middle School, and Salem High School. Manny survived domestic violence and abuse with his mother at the hands of his father and stepfather. Because of this, she raised him and his two brothers as a single mom. Manny’s family faced eviction and he struggled in school, often acting out and getting in trouble. It was in high school, during a ten-day suspension, that Manny’s mother gave him his “one good suit,” and imparted her belief that he would wear it not only in court, but in job interviews, at college graduation, and in service to his community.

His life was saved with the help of his many mentors and local organizations. Mentors like Officer Mike Fecto, a school resource officer, Andre Daley of the Boys and Girls Club, and Linda Saris of LEAP4Ed wouldn’t give up on him. Linda became his sponsor to join the Governor Deval Patrick’s Statewide Youth Council, and drove him all over the state to participate.

Beginning in 2017, Manny served as a Legislative Aide to State Representative Juana Matias, and worked to secure funding for community programs and provided constituent services to residents. In 2019 Manny joined the Office of State Representative Paul F. Tucker, where he continued to build his policy expertise in the areas of education, public safety, tourism, and advanced key strat

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Affordable Housing and Economic Opportunity for All: We are facing a housing crisis in Salem. I’ll fight for more affordable homeownership and rental assistance program. I’ll support affordable homeownership programs to build wealth and promote opportunities to own a homes. I will advocate to secure funds to support tenancy preservation, expand civil legal representation, and ensure developers are paying their fairshare in taxes so we can build affordable housing.Education for All: Kids in our public schools are struggling. As the Vice-Chair of the Salem School Committee I have seen firsthand the supports that our educators and students needs. Access to youth programming and summer jobs literally saved my life. As your next State Rep I’ll be an effective champion for our kids and fight for our share of education dollars from Boston.Transportation, Climate Change, and Coastal Resiliency: I’ll prioritize expanding bus, ferry, and commuter rail services and ensure that they are safe and reliable. We need to build infrastructure right now to prevent flooding, invest in off-shore wind power, and expand tax incentives for home solar panels

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Education

Climate and Sustainability Policy

Affordable Housing

Economic Development

Healthcare and Reproductive rights

Civil Rights

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The terrorist attack on 9/11. I was in fourth grade and was 10 at the time

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job out of HIgh School was as a National Park Service Ranger at Salem Maritime National Historic Site. I held that position for 5 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Audacity of Hope by Barrack Obama.