Olga González Becomes the First Puerto Rican Candidate for Mayor of Kissimmee

The Kissimmee city commissioner got elected in the Florida primaries on Tuesday, the only Puerto Rican out of three candidates in the race.

Olga González is an official candidate in the Kissimmee mayoral race, after being elected on Tuesday in the Florida primaries.

González, who is a Kissimmee city commissioner, was elected as a mayoral candidate along with Angela Eady, who is also a commissioner. Eady received the majority of votes, for a total of 2,392. González tallied 1,521 votes. The candidates were followed by Jackie Espinosa (1,461 votes), Lisandra Román (906 votes), Alvin “AC” Codner (836 votes), and Freddy Villanueva (810 votes).

RELATED: Know Your Candidate (Part 2): Olga González Knows Struggle. That’s Why She Wants to be Kissimmee’s Mayor.

“I feel like I’m dreaming. Since yesterday, I feel a sense of peace so big it belies understanding. And today I feel it too. I asked God, can I handle this load? If I couldn’t, he wouldn’t have put me in this position,” González told The Americano. 

Unlike her other opponents, including Puerto Ricans Espinosa and Román, González hardly campaigned for primary. She has said that her work as city commissioner represents her best. 

González runs a nonprofit organization, the Church and Community Assistance Program. 

Now, as an official candidate, González is going to focus on campaigning with the help of people who know her work.

“God will continue to be my campaign manager because he is the one who moves the people,” said González.

She will focus on community issues during her campaign and if she’s elected mayor. As a city commissioner, González has worked mostly on the housing problems faced mainly by Latino communities. 

“I’ve worked a lot with the homeowners association. There are many people who have paid their houses for many years, and after they finish payments someone comes and forecloses them. It’s not fair. I’m trying for everybody to raise their voices and stop the abuse. Enough is enough,” said González.

The commissioner expressed she hopes Puerto Ricans in Florida do their best to stay informed so they can cast their vote with awareness. González said she understands how some Puerto Ricans lack knowledge regarding politics in Florida.

“We have to stop getting carried away by the person who tells us that they’re doing something, and in the end they’re not doing anything. People must do their research on candidates. If they haven’t worked this far, they are unlikely to work now. It took me 20-odd years to get to where I am now,” said González.

González was born in New York to Puerto Rican parents. When she was 13 years old, she moved to San Juan with her mother. The year she lived on the island has a special meaning for her. It was then when she learned to love Puerto Rico deeply.

“We all have to come together to make a difference and stop corruption,” González said. “This can’t be done if we support people who offer the same things as always. We have to change the political climate.” 

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