José Zacarias

Email: prietoazabache531@gmail.com

City Council, School Board: 2019

Elected Office held and how long at that office: City Councilman from Dec 2011 to Dec 2015. Currently I’m a West Liberty School District Board member.

Why did you run for office?  I live in a City (West Liberty) with a large Hispanic population (52%) and wanted to gain representation for them. City services and police work had improved since then, thanks in part to my presence there. We have more Hispanics working at City Hall, police force, and in City utilities.

Was your Latino heritage an asset or a detriment to your campaign? I’d say a “novelty,” since very few Hispanics had ran for office. I have a lot of support from the Anglo Community.

What advice do you have for an aspiring Latino running for office? Analyse your motivations. A deep motivation to serve -and learn- is a plus. Never forget -if elected- you represent the entire Community, not just the Hispanics.