About Gerardo
He knows this district. He's lived it.
Gerardo Ramirez grew up in District 8, raised by a single mother in San Ysidro. At age 12, Gerardo began working alongside his family as a farmworker, harvesting nopales from sunrise to sundown. Those long, punishing days were a daily reminder of how critical education is to expand opportunities and secure better working conditions. It was in those fields that Gerardo understood the American Dream wasn't just about hard work, it was about access: access to schools, and to public services.
Gerardo attended Beyer Elementary, San Ysidro Middle School, and San Ysidro High School, going on to graduate from San Diego State University with a degree in Sociology and become the first in his family to earn a college degree.
He never forgot where he came from. And he never will.
Family album
Growing up in District 8
His record
From the fields to community leader
After graduating from San Diego State University, Gerardo started as an intern in the district office, determined to change the system from the inside. Through hard work and dedication, he rose to become the youngest Chief of Staff on the San Diego City Council.
For nine years, Gerardo has fought for District 8 residents in every role including Community Representative, Policy Advisor, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Chief of Staff. During that time, he secured over $107 million in funding for District 8, turning dirt lots into parks, crumbling roads into smooth streets, and broken promises into real results.
But Gerardo knows that a few years of progress can't undo decades of disinvestment. That's why he's running, to be the fighter our families deserve.