FilAm Todd Gloria is breaking barriers in San Diego mayoralty race

Third-generation San Diegan Todd Rex Gloria—who is of Filipino, Dutch, Puerto Rican, and Native American descent—is making waves in San Diego, California’s mayoralty race. If elected, he will be the first Filipino and first LGBTQ mayor of the city.

Gloria took an early lead over his opponent and fellow Democrat Barbara Bry following results that came a few hours after polls closed on  election day.

In his public speech to San Diego voters Tuesday night (Pacific time) after voting closed, Gloria said, “Tonight, San Diego, because of you, we are poised to make history. While there are still votes to be counted, I believe that tonight is the night to celebrate.”

The Filipino community in San Diego, who rallied behind Gloria during his campaign, has been waiting for years for representation and for their voices to be heard. (Aside from Gloria, Filipino-Americans who ran for office in San Diego were Noli Zosa for District 7 council seat, and Ditas Yamane for National City council.)

According to the United States Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2017 data, of the more than four million Filipino-Americans living in the United States, more than 1.6 million of them are in California, where the highest concentration of Filipinos in the US is.

Within San Diego’s population of about 1.5 million in 2020, about 200,000 are Filipinos, second only to Latinos.

Gloria is currently serving as a member of the California State Assembly and represents the 78th Assembly District. He has also served as member of the San Diego City Council representing District 3 for eight years. He was interim mayor of San Diego in August 2013, following the resignation of Mayor Bob Filner, until March 2014 after the inauguration of Mayor Kevin Faulconer.

In January 2019, he announced his candidacy for Mayor of San Diego with housing affordability, homelessness, and climate change as the focus of his campaign. He also promised a world-class public transportation system for the city.

Humble beginnings, activism, and public service

Gloria grew up in the Clairemont community of San Diego and was raised by parents who came from humble beginnings. His mother, Linda, used to work as a hotel maid and is now retired. His father, Phil, was a gardener who currently works in the aerospace industry.

It is from his parents where Gloria learned the value of hard work and determination. He is also widely quoted as saying that his parents taught him that “if you truly care about something, then you should leave it better than you found it.” In a post on Instagram, Gloria said that through his parents’ hard work, they were the first in their family to send their kids to college.

My parents taught me that if you care about something you’re suppose to leave it better than you found it. I ❤️ San Diego and I’m running for mayor to make it a better place #ForAllofUs. I’m grateful they joined me and Adam when I cast my ballot this morning. pic.twitter.com/phlU17iBzx

— Todd Gloria (@ToddGloria) November 3, 2020

“I didn’t come from privilege,” the 42-year-old Gloria narrated in his campaign video. “I came from grandparents who were affected by racism but undeterred by it. Where I came from, you have to fight a place in the world. So I did.”

At 14 years old, Gloria started volunteering for the Democratic Party. He would ride the city bus after his classes at Madison High School and worked with progressive candidates that he believed in. He credits this experience as a transformative one, which helped him develop his passion as an activist.

After graduating from high school, he entered the University of San Diego (USD) on a scholarship intended to help diverse, first-generation students to go to college. He took up History and Political Science, and eventually graduated with summa cum laude honors.

It was in college when Gloria learned how to become an activist, and even fought to add sexual orientation to USD’s non-discrimination policy. Openly gay since his teen years, Gloria has also served in the LGBT community, including as a chair of the San Diego LGBTQ Community Center.

Gloria spent his professional life in public service and began his career at the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency.

As a councilmember, he developed his style of “high-energy retail politics,” where he attends dozens of community events every week and visits with constituents one-on-one. He is known as one of the most accessible elected officials in San Diego.

Photos from toddgloria.com