By Ed and Cindy Leahy
Our community has lost a truly great warrior.
State Sen. Jose Peralta did not just talk the talk, he walked the walk. He stood up for every marginalized person in our community, whether they were immigrants, people with disabilities, LGBT, or anyone who needed a strong voice on their behalf. He celebrated every strand in the mosaic.
On any given day, one could enter his office on Junction Boulevard and see people from the community getting the help they needed.
Two months after losing the primary, he was still out there, organizing free turkey giveaways and flu shots. He wasn’t campaigning; he was serving his community. To the end.
When people talked, he listened, asked questions, and understood. When they expressed a need, he did his best to meet it, even when it cut against the grain of political expediency. He cared. To the end.
Sen. Peralta set the bar for serving constituents at an all-time high, and those who follow will be hard-pressed to meet it. Let us best serve his memory by holding them to it.
Ed and Cindy Leahy
Jackson Heights
