Filipino American lawyer Ollie Cantos was sworn in as a West Covina city council member this week, ABS CBN reports.
In November, Cantos ran to represent West Covina City Council District 4. According to SAC Media, he declared victory on November 18 with 1,657 votes or 44.99% of votes counted.
Cantos grew up in West Covina, California, to Filipino immigrant parents. He has been blind since birth and was often bullied as a child.
The proud Filipino American earned his law degree from Loyala Law School, Los Angeles, in 1997. After graduating, he worked as a staff attorney at the Disability Rights Legal Center. He also spent several years working in the civil rights department of the U.S. Justice Department.
Now, Cantos is looking forward to giving back to his hometown.
“My excitement level is off the charts because this represents the culmination of a lot of hard work of countless people that got us here and when we look at the opportunities that are ahead of us to unite, and to be supportive of making the city better, this day is also historic,” Cantos told ABS CBN.
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