In high school, Raul Peralez couldn’t have told you what he wanted to do when he grew up. Since that time, he has been a mathematics major, a substitute teacher, an emergency medical technician, a fashion model, a police officer, and (most recently) District 3 Councilmember. He believes this string of experiences has given him a wide range of perspectives. In his current position as councilmember, Peralez encourages community member involvement through participatory budgeting, a process that includes brainstorming ideas, encouraging volunteers and experts to develop project proposals, and voting on and funding projects. As he continues to look out for our city’s interests through his duties as councilmember, Peralez will soon be volunteering as a patrol officer for the Police Reserve Unit.
“The role of being a police officer prepared me the most for this role as a council representative. The main basis of both roles is being a public servant, serving the community members here in San Jose. As a patrol officer, I worked with people on some of the most challenging days of their lives. I also have worked all over San Jose—been able to drive through it, walk through it, see the areas that are more challenging and less, the infrastructure that is older and newer, areas that have investment and those that are lacking investment—so I really had an opportunity to get a good view of the city.”
