A mother of two and a small business owner, Moniysha Maldonado said she is running for Mount Hope town board to serve the community she calls home.
The Maldonado family moved to the town of Mount Hope from the Bronx about 14 years ago to give their two young boys a better school system and quality of life.
“We enjoy the scenery, we enjoy the town, and the people are very nice,” Ms. Maldonado told The Epoch Times. “It is just a better environment than where we were in the city.”
For about 10 years, she has owned and operated a home daycare business in town, where she has cultivated an open mindset and communication skills, she said.
Ms. Maldonado said that after she organized an awareness march in town following the George Floyd incident in 2020, several residents approached her and encouraged her to run for the town board.
Next year, she ran on a platform centered on diversity and inclusivity.
At the time, Louis Maurizzio, who was a former Otisville mayor and a well-respected community figure, accompanied her on the door-knocking and eased her into the role of a political candidate.
“We would knock on doors and introduce ourselves, and he made it seem like it was a piece of cake,” she said. “That experience was great. It was nice meeting the residents.”
This year, Ms. Maldonado said she was more used to the campaign trail than two years ago, though it was sad that Mr. Maurizzio wasn’t around anymore.
“It does bring up a bit of emotion, but I know he is always with me, and I still carry around his little card in my pocket as a support,” she said.
“People are opening their doors and hearing me and talking to me, which is good because I want to be seen as a person, not a Democrat.”
Ms. Maldonado said her campaign priorities are transparency, safety, and family.
She said she wants to be accessible to residents and responsive to their needs and questions, and she said she wants to see more social interactions between the police department and residents.
Furthermore, Ms. Maldonado said she wants to bring family-friendly programs and activities that she saw elsewhere to town, including poetic performances, breast cancer awareness events, and open microphone music nights.
“I don’t want anyone to see me as a Democrat; I want them to see me as a person,” she said. “I am definitely here for them, and I’ll work my best to uplift our town.”
