Meet Jason Murillo

 

We were lucky to catch up with Jason Murillo recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jason, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

My work ethic is deeply influenced by my upbringing and personal experiences. Growing up with limited financial resources, being homeless after leaving home at a young age with my mother, escaping from my abusive father who almost killed both of us, living in the streets, shelter & foster care system, and then public housing, I developed a strong drive to work hard, motivated by a fear of poverty in adulthood.

This fear led me to engage in numerous activities, often leaving home early in the morning and returning late at night, which sometimes affected my personal relationships and time with my family. Over time, I realized that while hard work is essential, it’s equally important to appreciate the small joys in life, such as spending time with loved ones, giving back to my community, and indulging in simple pleasures such as going to a Yankees game, watch a movie, Sunday dinner with family, spending time with friends.

This balance has become a cornerstone of my work ethic, emphasizing both dedication and the enjoyment of life’s moments.

In my professional journey, I have distinguished myself in the entertainment industry. Acknowledging that while there may be more talented or popular individuals in my field, my unwavering work ethic sets me apart from the rest. This commitment to diligence and perseverance has been a key factor in all my success.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My name is Jason Murillo, a lifelong resident & native son of Manhattan’s East Village – Lower East Side, I’ am running for the New York City Council in District 2. Growing up in NYCHA public housing, I have firsthand experience with our community’s challenges that they face daily. Professionally, I’m a small business owner, entrepreneur, community organizer, advocate and activist. My campaign focuses on public safety, housing, fiscal responsibility, and community services.

If our community is going to head to the polls and vote for whom should represent our community and district in the city council for the next 4 years, shouldn’t we vote for someone who truly represents us and is one of us?

My campaign mission is simple to stand up for those who don’t have a voice or are often forgotten and to put our community and people first.

I can’t win this race without you! Whether it’s flyering, spreading the word, volunteering, or donating, your support is crucial to achieving our shared vision for a better future. With strong leadership and a united community, we are stronger together. I’m not running for myself—I’m running for you, and I pledge to serve only the people once elected.

Every day, I will fight for you—not for million-dollar developers, special interests, or lobbyists. I will work to bring back jobs for the unemployed, secure housing for homeless families, and put an end to the chaos of the migrant crisis and the reckless wasteful spending of your hard-earned tax dollars.

I will safeguard NYCHA public housing to keep people in their homes and reinvest in our communities.

I will fight to protect and invest in our district by securing more funding and tax breaks to keep our hospitals, libraries, schools, businesses, and community centers open year-round.

With your help, support, and vote, we will make District 2—and all of NYC—stronger, safer, and better than ever!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

To me, my top qualities are determination to never give up no matter what the odds are stacked against me to keep pushing forward no matter how many times I fail to get right back up, and to keep going.

My work ethic is simply to outwork my opponents, wake up early, stay up all night, and get the job done. Luck will take you so far, but with hard work that will take you straight to the top.

Whether as a private citizen or now as a political figure and candidate, I have been advocating for people’s rights, from those living in public housing to elderly care & health services, successfully fighting for families with disabilities, keeping hospitals, community & media centers open, providing services, support & donations year-round to families throughout our communities and city.

We need real change & leadership someone who will lead with compassion, empathy & common sense something that’s definitely lacking and missing in NY Politics. That’s why I’m running for public office to bring the change we all need, not with talk, and empty promises but with action.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

My biggest area of growth in the last 12 months has been by far my community outreach, making connections, reaching out talking, and listening to hundreds of people throughout my district and around the city from struggling single mothers working 2 jobs trying to provide for their kids and afford the rent to a small business owner who owns a local deli store struggling to stay in business with rising rents, shoplifting, taxes and the cost of doing business in New York City, to parents fed up with rising gun violence, defunded schools & rampant crime on a daily basis, to seniors worrying will they be able to stay in their apartments.

You get to know them on a personal level, know their names, and feel their pain, see their tears. It’s heartbreaking to see what they go through just to get from one day to the next because of failed elected officials who have let this city go to hell and many people leaving New York altogether.

These personal experiences among others have led me to the point of running for public office because my community needs someone to be their fighter, a hero they can believe in to restore this great city to its former glory and bring common sense, public safety, protecting families, small businesses, and community first policies back to City Hall.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

JM Empire Media, Vero G Productions, Devil Dog Usa Inc., Committee to Elect Jason Murillo for City Council

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