NEW YORK (PIX11) -- He’s taken on the criminal justice system, Donald Trump, and now, Raymond Santana says he's ready to tackle the city's biggest issues.
A member of the "Exonerated Five," Santana hopes to win a seat on the City Council and right the wrongs in East Harlem and the Bronx.
"I just know my community needs resources now," he said.
Santana wants to give back to the city that once abandoned him. "In 1989, the community watched police round up black and brown boys for a crime we didn’t commit," he said.
At just 14 years old, Santana was one of five teenagers arrested for the rape of a Central Park jogger. He spent five years in prison before being exonerated. That experience is why he isn't ready to pass judgment on Mayor Eric Adams’ current legal troubles.
"Yusef [Salaam] says 'the ones with the most pain deserve a seat at the table'," Santana said.
Salaam, another member of the Exonerated Five, won a City Council seat for Central Harlem in 2023. Once betrayed by the justice system, Santana hopes to join him in shaping New York City laws.
He is particularly focused on East Harlem and the Bronx, where he wants to address blight, crime, and mental health.
"I’ve never seen New York the way it is now. It’s crazy," said Martina Garcia.
"I see it worse. I don’t see it getting better," said his father, Raymond Santana Sr., who has lived in the city for 73 years.
His son is pledging to help keep Harlemites in their homes by advocating for more affordable housing. "The seniors are the backbone of our community. We don’t want them priced out," Santana said.
The political newcomer is likely to face several Democratic challengers in the District 8 race, including Elsie Encarnacion and Wilfredo Lopez.
Primary Day is just four months away.
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