Dear Neighbor,
My name is Alissa Brennan, and I am running to be your East District City Councilmember. I’m running because I love this community and I want to see it thrive. It is where I have chosen to live, work, and raise my kids, and I know that the East District needs a Council representative who is focused squarely on the needs and concerns of the neighbors who live here.
I come from a blue-collar family. My mom struggled to put food on our table. My dad owned a two-employee window cleaning business. They taught me the value of hard work. At 15, when I wasn’t studying, I was bussing tables. My focus earned me a scholarship to the University of Rochester through the Higher Education Opportunity Program. Then I continued to work my way through college in the service industry, until I started Buffalo Law School. I am a first-generation professional and a product of hard work and resilience.
My work ethic has helped me find success in my legal career; I have worked in private practice and in government as a litigator. I have held leadership roles in the Monroe County Bar Association and graduated from leadership programs, including Monroe County’s Emerging Diverse Leaders Program. And I have always been happy to give back to the community. That’s why I participate in the PTO at School 23, where my two children attend elementary school.
I live just a few blocks from School 23, in the very house that my husband was raised in. We are rooted in this community. My kids play in the neighborhood parks, I shop at local businesses, and I know the East District inside and out.
I will be an effective Council member because I understand the issues facing the East District, and I will use my skills in advocacy to fight for East District interests. I will show up for the East District time and time again.
There is work to be done, and I will do it without fanfare. I will collaborate to rebuild and revitalize neighborhoods. I will dream big for the East District – and the entire City. Let’s get back on the right path.
I look forward to connecting with you in the months ahead.
Sincerely,
Alissa
Alissa M. Brennan (she/her/hers)
Candidate for Rochester City Council, East District