The American success story can be many things to different people. It can be anything from owning a specific home to owning a business. For Sonia Vasquez Luna, it’s working her way from being an immigrant to holding public office in Manassas.

Luna, who is running for the Democratic primary in the 2022 Manassas City Council race, recently met with the PW Perspective to discuss her campaign, her background in labor, and the importance of representation within the growing city.

“I think it’s an exciting time to run,” said Luna. “I want to make a difference and one of my goals is to bring a positive change. Our city is 42% Latino, so I’m trying to bring a change so they can be more active. Now I see the opportunity, and I’m looking to bring back a position that our Mayor (Michelle Davis-Younger) once held. With our local government, we have female representation, but not for women of color.”

“I believe there is power in diversity, and while our city is flourishing, I want to make sure our community has a voice and vote.”

This is among many issues that Luna wants to address within the diverse community. “One of the main issues is access, especially for receiving bi-lingual services. Sometimes people would look for information, but it’s difficult when there’s a language barrier. So I want to make sure that if Latinos want to open a business, I want to make sure they have that opportunity.”

“Small businesses are coming up all the time, and I want to foster an environment that is good for everyone,” she states. “It’s important that we make our local government very accessible to all the residents and support them. When the residents do better, we do better as a city.”

Among her many accomplishments is her extensive labor background, becoming one of the first elected immigrant woman business managers for LIUNA, or the Laborers International Union of America. “I grew up in El Salvador and came here in Christmas 2001. I’ve worked for the minimum wage, so I know what it’s like to make ends meet by working multiple jobs. You’re always trying to find better benefits and pay, so that’s when I could get a labor job at the Pentagon it helped me to understand what working for a labor union means, and how it benefits workers.”

She continues that, “from there, I met with the local labor membership, and I worked for LIUNA, which is celebrating their 119th anniversary. As a minority worker and an immigrant, I was the first to become a business manager. There are over 350 labor unions, and I’m really proud to be a manager because I worked really hard to make a change, and I want to bring that to the city.”

How the recent pandemic created an urgency for more labor protections for workers is a mission for Luna. “After the pandemic, we are seeing better protections, but I also want to provide opportunities for people to care for their families.”

“We are looking to juggle all of those things as well as bring good paying jobs and collective bargaining. I believe it’s better for the workers and employers, because they enter a contract, similar to a marriage of sorts. I’ve been doing this for a long time and I believe collective bargaining closes inequality, especially for women, for the wage gap. Regarding Title VII, I have fought for both men and women to get their deserved increases.”

So who were some of her influences as she enters the political spectrum? “I have worked as an election officer for over 10 years, so I have a great relationship with people from knocking on doors and speaking with them, listening to their issues.”

“One of my mentors is Larry Doggette, a former business manager from the Virginia Beach area; he taught me the union business. Another one is NOVA Labor President Virginia “Ginny” Diamond, I call her ‘Mother Jones,’ because she’s always ready to help. Delegate Elizabeth Guzman (D-31st House District), who is my union sister, has done so much for the community. There are so many people that have made a difference.”

As she is prepared to impact the city council, Luna knows that there are many who may not know about her yet. What is one thing she would say to them? “I’m a mother, sister, Manassas is my home, and we were an active military duty family for 15 years. I understand that many families in the area has a member that has served, and I’m here to give them a voice. Whether it’s Georgetown South, Wellington, or beyond, I want to represent them as much as possible.”

Early voting begins May 6 and the primary will be on June 21, with the general election taking place in November. To find out more about her campaign visit her website.