Anastasia Somoza

Anastasia Somoza is a Manhattan resident, the daughter of immigrants, and the New York City Council's first-ever liaison to the disability community. Somoza is a lifelong advocate for the disabled, having been born prematurely, with cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia. She is a renowned public speaker on disability rights. Her advocacy work began at the age of 9, when she had the opportunity to ask President Bill Clinton to help mainstream her twin sister Alba into the New York City public school system. She has spoken around the world, including at the Democratic National Convention. In March of 2017, she began working with the Center for American Progress to raise awareness about what is at stake for Americans with disabilities. Somoza holds a degree from Georgetown University.