Catalyst Contributors: Ernie Quincosa

               Hi everyone, I’m Ernie Quincosa. This year, I will be working for the Prosperity Campaign at Catalyst Miami, through the Public Allies program. I was connected to PA through a friend who was an ally last year. I’m pretty glad the application process is done and that I am finally in my placement.

 I am a Miami native. Both of my parents were immigrants (my mother from Honduras and my father from Cuba.) I grew up in the Shenandoah neighborhood just east of Brickell. My motivation for caring about social issues was my childhood. During the 80’s and 90’s, Miami was a much more divided town. Miami has always been a poor city with a large gap in income inequality.  While racism in the city has never been as tangible as it has elsewhere, there is definitely institutional inequality and misrepresentation of people of color, immigrants, and the poor. I became involved with social justice issues as a high school student, much the result of the environment I was in as well as reading lofty political writers and social theorists. I am glad to do work in whatever capacity to help those who are underserved. I hope working for Catalyst Miami helps me figure out where I fit in.

More recently, I am a graduate of the University of Florida. While in school, I studied History and Latin American Studies. I am a big fan of cooking, music, association football, anthropology, and modern literature. I am excited to be documenting my experience through this blog, and hope to learn a lot here!