Josephine Ricardo
Andy Vargas was raised in Haverhill and graduated from Haverhill High School. At HHS, he was instilled with a passion for public service, getting involved with organizations like Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP), where he was mentored by Andy Polanco and Carol Ireland, and a statewide coalition of young people called Teens Leading The Way (TLTW). Some of his teachers, such as Mr. Jordan and Mr. Harvey, influenced him to double major in political science and international relations. Getting involved gave him the opportunity to serve our State Representative, Brian Dempsey, Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, the U.S. embassy in Madrid, and as an intern at the White House.
Vargas said his internship taught him many thing things about public speaking, networking, and interaction, but also opened his eyes in inspiring ways. “We all have this idea of invincible people,” said Vargas, “but in reality, they’re just regular hard working people; amazing, talented people willing to sacrifice for our country.”
During his internship at the White House, Vargas met and received powerful advice from both President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Vargas remembers President Obama telling him, “if you want to live a fulfilling life, write your obituary, write what you want people to say about you.” Vice President Biden, always to the point, was sure to let him know what mattered: he didn’t care if you went to Harvard or Yale or the most prestigious school, if you don’t know what the average American is going through, then your titles mean nothing.
His experience interning at the White House had a major influence on his decision to run for Haverhill City Council. He was also greatly motivated by what he sees as a “brain-drain” depleting the city of innovative, young minds. “People tend to leave Haverhill and don’t come back,” said Vargas, “I would have felt like a hypocrite not coming back for our generation, to help change things, give people something to do.” In Vargas’ mind the main reason people leave Haverhill is lack of things to do and places to go, which, he added, “leads children, teenagers, to go out and do drugs, drink, get into gangs, etc.”
Vargas’ goals as a City Councilor are to invest in young people, beautify the city, and attract businesses. He is also dedicated to giving all of Haverhill’s residents a voice, particularly neighborhoods greatly affected by poverty, crime, and drug use, such as the Mt. Washington area, where 68 percent of residents are in poverty. Ideally, Vargas would like to revitalize neighborhood associations. “Before, if a neighborhood had an issue, as a group, they would go to the city council and address the issue to take care of where they live.” He wants to help people advocate for themselves and speak and work as a group. He believes in “grit,” which he credits for his own success. “You don’t have to be the smartest of wealthiest person [to succeed],” Vargas says, “if you work hard, stay focused, and are willing to make sacrifices, you can do and be anything you want.”
Andy Vargas is running for City Council Tuesday, November 3rd. More information on Andy Vargas, his career, policies, and aspirations, can be found by visiting http://www.andyforhaverhill.com/
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