MEET GERARDO RAMIREZ

Gerardo Ramirez knows why we need to fight for our families and communities. Raised by a single mother in San Ysidro under Section 8 housing, he grew up watching her balance three cleaning jobs just to put food on the table. Though she never finished high school, she instilled in him the belief that education and hard work could open doors to a better future.

At just 12 years old, Gerardo joined his family as a farmworker, harvesting nopales from sunrise to sundown. Those long days taught him the true value of education and revealed how opportunity is tied not only to effort, but also to access—access to schools, resources, and fair working conditions. As a proud graduate of San Ysidro High School and San Diego State University, his education exposed him to the systemic inequities facing our communities and the stark contrasts between neighborhoods north and south of Interstate 8.

Determined to create change, Gerardo began his public service journey as a City Hall intern and quickly rose through the ranks to become the youngest Chief of Staff on the San Diego City Council. For nearly a decade, he has served District 8 residents as a Community Representative, Policy Advisor, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Chief of Staff—securing millions in funding for vital community projects.

But Gerardo knows that a few years of progress cannot undo generations of disinvestment. That’s why he’s running—to be the fighter our families deserve.