Tony is a loyal and committed community organizer. He has been his whole life—and plans to be for many years to come.
He first learned the importance and value of building and celebrating community from his mother—through her volunteer work with the Filipino American Association and also through countless family get-togethers.
To this day, it brings Tony the greatest joy when people come together—to celebrate family and friendships or to meet their neighbors. Tony believes that the better we know our neighbors, the more understanding and personal growth there will be. Connection is a vital element of a thriving city and society. Tony and his husband, Jim, have been together for 16 years, and married for ten. They share a love for giving back to the community.
Tony strongly believes that in order to care for others, we must first take responsibility for our own well-being. This includes matters of mental and physical fitness, a connection to the arts, and access to new experiences that help us discover and live our best, most purpose-filled lives.
Tony’s father served the United States Air Force. When Tony was young, he and his brother would visit the gym on the base. These experiences instilled in Tony the importance of life-long physical fitness. Decades later, he practices yoga, weight lifts, and plays competitive volleyball with his husband in year-round leagues.
In terms of health and wellness, Tony leads by example. He believes everyone should take physical care of themselves, and also share a responsibility to instill a love of fitness in our family, friends, and future generations. Denver has a wealth of incredible parks and recreational options that Tony will actively promote to our citizens.
Tony has been in the festivals and events industry since the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and has an intimate understanding of event productions. Special events and festivals are part of Denver’s social and economic fabric, and their increase volume is proportional to Denver’s growth. Tony will work to promote and grow events that celebrate and build community.
Serving our many diverse Denver communities is Tony’s greatest motivation. He has served on several Boards of Directors, including that of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, the LGBT Community Center of Colorado, Capitol Hills United Neighborhoods, and the Colorado Festivals and Events Association. In addition, as a lifelong democrat, Tony is very proud of the volunteer work he’s done on behalf of Denver Democrats. He will continue his work to serve all of District 10 and the City of Denver.
At Tony’s core, he feels that the best endeavors are rooted in finding connection with others, and that that’s done by kind, open-minded, professional, assertive—and above all else, likeable. Tony’s Mother taught him, “you never know until you ask,” and it is something he’s known to do—and often! Much more often than not, the attitude has paid off.
Good leaders are also proactive, energetic, and responsive. Tony pledges to be all these things, with the ultimate goal of enabling progress while minimizing the challenging impacts that come with such growth. He will knock on hundreds of doors—literally and figuratively—to work for Denver and District 10.
Starting in November 2016, Tony has woken up every day with the desire to help all citizens feel connected to and represented by government. This must start at the municipal level. District 10 is diverse and growing, and Tony will work to represent each of its members—each and every day.
Tony looks forward to meeting you!
