A former prostitute is hoping to become New York’s first transgender woman on the New York City Council.
“I’m hoping to inspire a new generation of people not only in The Bronx but across New York City,” Elisa Crespo, who is a member of the Democratic Socialist of America’s Bronx chapter, told the New York Post.
Councilman Ritchie Torres is on his way out at the City Council after he was elected to Congress earlier this month. Crespo is hoping to fill his spot in the 15th Council District, which represents swaths of the Bronx.
The New York Post described Crespo’s bid for the position as “a remarkable comeback story.” She was previously arrested in 2014 after posting an escort advertisement.
“I am no longer engaged in sex work,” Crespo said, adding that she supports decriminalizing prostitution.
“I was in a complicated struggle to make ends meet. A lack of job opportunities for trans women of color led me to sex work. Through this experience, I wound up in Florida, where I was arrested and incarcerated with cisgender men. That moment transformed my life forever. It helped me begin my journey in civic engagement,” Crespo said during a political rally.
Since the 2014 arrest, Crespo has graduated from the City University of New York’s John Jay College and currently serves as an education aide to Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
Crespo hopes to become a role model for others with her entrance into politics, noting that many transgender women never leave sex work.
“I feel the very weight of my community on my shoulders. It’s very important for me to show people we can do this. We’re not defined by our past. If we want to get into the arena, we have the right to do it — and we can do it,” Crespo said.
Torres, who is openly gay, lauded Crespo’s candidacy, saying that there are “several serious candidates, and Elisa is certainly one of them.”
“My decisive election to Congress has shown that sexual orientation and gender identity are no longer insurmountable barriers to winning elected office in the Bronx,” he added.
A special election to replace Torres is expected to be held in March.
