Learning to Lead
Listen to Antonio talk about how Mr. Thomas changed his life
Antonio’s parents immigrated to the United States in the late ‘70s and began to build a new life in Williamsburg just as the NYC 1980s Crack Epidemic was coming to a fever pitch. His mother along with his aunts came together to discuss how they’d ensure their kids were safe and set on a path to success. The decision was swift and unanimous: they would put everything they had into getting their children the best educations possible. Antonio attended La Salle Academy on the Lower East Side on a full scholarship and became one of almost twenty boys in his family to graduate from the school. Access to a great education changed his family’s trajectory and allowed Antonio and his cousins to find success that was out of reach for older generations.
Antonio went on to enroll at Le Moyne College in Syracuse with the help of a state program for low-income, first-generation college students. He struggled in the beginning, and when he finished his first semester with a 1.4 GPA, his college advisor Mr. Thomas took note. Mr. Thomas was one of the first seven Black graduates of Le Moyne College and would go on to be one of the most influential people in Antonio’s life.
Mr. Thomas knew that Antonio could do better and wasn’t afraid to say so. He called Antonio into his office and set the record straight, telling him: “People like you and me, people who grew up Black and Brown and with nothing, we don’t get the luxury of not having a plan. We don’t have the luxury of not thinking 5, 10 years into the future.” Mr. Thomas went on, “If you want to really do something, if you don’t want to end up back in the same place you started, then you’ve got to start planning. Now.”
By the time he graduated, Antonio understood who he was and what he wanted to do. He was a leader, and more importantly, he was a leader from Brooklyn – a borough where we don’t make excuses, we don’t give up, and we don’t let anything hold us back. And he was ready to bring what he learned back home to advocate for his neighbors and build a city that kept them safe, healthy, and happy.
What’s Next
The Organizer
After graduating Le Moyne College with his B.A. in political science, Antonio began working for ACORN under the leadership of legendary organizers Jon Kest and Bertha Lewis, helping to unionize childcare workers who had been left out of the salary, pensions, or healthcare opportunities they deserved.