In high school, Francisco didn’t fit in with his white, upper middle class, conservative classmates and he didn’t want to. Maybe it was teenage angst, but his identity revolved around being different and rebellious. As he got older, he channeled his punk rock spirit into a fight for social change. Now, he’s a community organizer in Philly dedicated to finding common ground. 

My brother Francisco has always been someone I’ve looked up to because he’s never been afraid to stand up for what he believes is right. I loved sitting down to rehash our childhood memories together, but I also learned what motivates him to get up every morning and do the hard work of building a better world. As our country experiences a resurgence of strikes, mutual aid, and activism I thought we could all take something away from Franscisco’s winding path towards organizing. 

To learn about the organizations and resources Francisco mentions in the episode, check out the Center for Popular Democracy (and their affiliates), the AFL CIO, Democratic Socialists of America, Make the Road NY, and the Working Families Party. 

Note: This interview happened prior to the election.