Candidate Profile: Andres Castillo-Quintana Bedford Town Council

BEDFORD, NY — In 2021's general election, residents of the Hudson Valley will be voting for local officials. In anticipation, Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Andres Castillo-Quintana is seeking election to the Bedford Town Council in November. The 25-year-old is running as a Democrat.

Learn more about Andres Castillo-Quintana on castilloforprogress.org

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Andres Castillo-Quintana:

Family

Andres and his family immigrated to the United States from Peru when he was three years old. He was raised by his parents Cesar Rodolfo Castillo and Maribel Quintana and grew up with his brothers Gonzalo and Sergio. Andres is also in a committed relationship with his partner Bruno Santiago Villazhinay, whom he hopes to marry someday.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Although Andres does not have any family members who work in politics or government in the United States, his mother has experience supporting political campaigns in Peru and his paternal grandfather was one of the most respected mayors in a small Peruvian village.

Education

Princeton University - Magna Cum Laude (High Honors) - Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Global Health & Health Policy

Occupation

Patient Engagement Coordinator at Open Door Family Medical Center

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

First-time candidate (not an incumbent)

Why are you seeking elective office?

I’m running for the Bedford Town Board to ensure that our local government prioritizes the needs and wellbeing of all people, encourages civic engagement, draws power from the growing diversity of our neighborhoods and, in turn, leaves no one behind.

More broadly, as a town board member, I will work to improve our town government's communication practices to improve transparency and engagement, ensuring that residents know about what decisions are being made and have opportunity to weigh in during the process. I’ll also work closely with our town committees and commissions on key issues affecting our town, including improving our infrastructure, protecting our environment and local character, improving access to affordable housing, revitalizing our local businesses and advancing equity for all residents, all through a fiscally responsible approach that holds the line on taxes.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Hamlet vitality was a major issue before the pandemic, and COVID-19 has only made it harder for our small businesses to succeed- with many losing revenue and some closing entirely. I want to hire a business consultant to develop a comprehensive, data-driven roadmap to revitalization for our hamlets. I also support the creation of a stronger, more cohesive and collaborative chamber of commerce, which will allow business owners to come together, advocate for one another and cooperate across hamlets on innovative solutions that benefit everyone. Economic vitality can also be driven by infrastructure improvements, including expanding parking space, renovating sidewalks and adding bike lanes, and I’ll vigorously pursue grants to offset the cost of such projects. By holding more public events, such as festivals, art walks, and sidewalk sales, we can provide more opportunities to showcase our local businesses and what they have to offer- and even bring in business from outside of Bedford.

I look forward to serving Bedford and will do everything in my power to ensure our progress and resilience as a community.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

This year, I believe that I'm the candidate with the most experience in community engagement, which is absolutely vital for the development and implementation of fair, inclusive and innovative solutions for our town's most pressing issues. To upgrade our communication channels, I propose that we work with a marketing consultant who can help us (1) revamp our town website to make it more user friendly, (2) expand our social media presence with meaningful content, (3) ensure that all information is communicated in a manner that is culturally, linguistically and educationally appropriate, (4) leverage videoconferencing platforms to make town-related meetings more accessible and transparent, (5) establish a support line or inbox that residents can use to easily ask questions, provide feedback and make requests, with the assurance of timely and adequate responses, and (6) hold in-person and virtual town halls on a more regular basis to encourage a larger and more diverse group of constituents to become involved with local government.

Moreover, as our youngest and first Latino candidate for the Bedford Town Board, I believe that am best equipped to amplify the voices of underrepresented communities and advocate for our youth, who are eager to make a difference in our community. I am also the only candidate with a professional background in public health, which will be crucial for our resilience and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

None of my opponents are incumbents.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

At the state and county level, our elected officials responded well to the COVID-19 pandemic, as evidenced by our high vaccination rate and relatively low rate of infection. However, there is certainly a lot more that can be done to address the health and economic impact of the pandemic. For example, considering the toll that COVID has had on mental health, we can certainly do a better job of connecting our residents to counseling and crisis support lines, such as NY Project Hope. In addition to pop-up vaccination and testing clinics, we can also utilize and improve the quality of public health campaigns to address vaccination hesitance, encourage mask wearing, and promote awareness of COVID variants, boosters and other emerging challenges. Lastly, since local businesses lost a significant amount of revenue while many workers in our town were excluded from economic stimulus packages, we need to be more attentive to the needs of working families whose financial wellbeing was disproportionately impacted by the pandemic

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

The cost of housing has skyrocketed in Westchester County, including the Town of Bedford, which has become increasingly inaccessible for low- and middle-income families. In response to this issue, I support strengthening protections for tenants, including rent-control programs, anti-eviction ordinances and educational programming regarding tenant’s rights. Although the size of affordable housing projects is limited by our current infrastructure and zoning laws, we can look into the development of accessory apartments and nonprofit community land trusts to meet housing needs while preserving the historical character of our town. I am also in favor of requiring that at least 10 to 20 percent of units in new private development are designated as affordable for working and middle class residents.

Equally concerning, climate change is a threat not only to our town’s natural resources but also to public health. To ensure a green and sustainable future for Bedford, I would protect and expand green spaces by enforcing our current Tree Preservation Ordinance and restoring trees wherever they are lacking in each of our hamlets. We can also reduce our carbon emissions by improving pedestrian accessibility, seeking grants for sidewalk repairs, developing additional bike lanes and supporting environmental campaigns to promote the use of the electric vehicles and other energy efficient practices. I am also committed to implementing the recommendations of the Climate Resiliency Sub-Committee of the Bedford Master Plan Committee, which includes investments in infrastructure to improve preparedness and response capacity for extreme weather events, especially for our most vulnerable communities. Lastly, I will do everything in my power advance the town’s Sewer Project to eliminate septic system failures in our hamlets, reduce the risk of contaminating our water supplies and promote economic growth.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

In 2014, I became the first in my family to attend college, graduating magna cum laude from Princeton University with a degree in psychology, global health and heath policy.

During my time as a healthcare administrator at Open Door Family Medical Center, I engaged over 2000 patients in a national research program aiming to accelerate medical breakthroughs, promote personalized care and improve the health of current and future generations. I also pioneered a robust digital literacy program that has provided over 400 patients with access to technology and comprehensive digital literacy training.

In my free time, I have served as a founding board member of the Fox Lane Alumni Association and the Emerging Leaders Board at Latino U College Access. This year, I also became the youngest board member for the Westchester Youth Alliance, which has further expanded my experience in the nonprofit sector.

With my background in community engagement, healthcare administration, and program management, as well as a deep understanding of the issues affecting our town, I have the vision and experience to create a brighter future for Bedford.

Find information about absentee and early voting here: Election 2021: New Systems For Early Voting In Westchester. To find all your candidates, as well as statewide, county and local propositions, follow the links offered by the Board of Elections:

• View the 2021 General Election Candidates List.
• View the 2021 General Election State Propositions.
• View the 2021 General Election County and Local Propositions.