From Law to Leadership: Victor Arias on Justice, Service, and Running for Congress

On the latest episode of the Stories to Create Podcast, Cornell Bunting sits down with Victor Arias, a respected attorney with more than 27 years of legal experience serving Southwest Florida and a leader deeply committed to his clients and community.

Fluent in both English and Spanish, Victor has built a reputation for delivering the level of excellence clients expect from a large law firm while providing the personalized attention and care of a community-focused practice. His bilingual ability has allowed him to serve a diverse population throughout Southwest Florida, including individuals and families from South America, Central America, Europe, and beyond.

Throughout his career, Attorney Arias has focused his practice primarily in civil litigation and criminal defense while also representing clients in workers’ compensation, personal injury, employment law, criminal law, and Social Security disability matters.

Victor earned his Juris Doctor degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1990 and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. He also expanded his global perspective through studies at the Instituto Internacional in Madrid, Spain.

His impact in business and the community has earned him recognition as Businessman of the Year by the Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Now, Victor is taking his commitment to service to another level as he runs for election to the United States House of Representatives to represent Florida’s 19th Congressional District. He has declared his candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled for August 18, 2026.

Tune in as Victor shares his remarkable journey—from law and leadership to public service—and the experiences that have shaped the path that brought him to this pivotal moment.

Because here on the Stories to Create Podcast…

We do not just tell stories… we create them.

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:01

Yes, yes. Welcome to another episode of Stories to Create Podcast. Right here at ES Club. I'm your host, Cornel Buntin. Excited morning. It's a beautiful thing when I tell you guys. I told you guys, right? We're on the hunt for some sponsors for the show. And listen, people, we have one sponsor so far that's gonna be covering the show. I know a lot of you guys are gonna be flooding in for season eight, but this is a beautiful thing. So you guys will get to know him a little bit, get to hear him also. But yes, for you guys that are seeing him right now, he's gonna be one of our show first sponsors. So I'm so excited about that. So listen, on the show today, our guests have over 27 years of legal experience as a lawyer in Southwest Florida. This man speaks both English and Spanish fluently. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. He has placed an emphasis on providing primarily civil litigation and criminal defense. Also, practice in the areas of workers' compensation, personal injury, employment law, criminal law, social security disability. He has received when I tell you guys, this is a beautiful thing. He has a doctor degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He also holds a Bachelor of Art from Hamilton College. This is beautiful. That's in Clinton, New York. I love that. Also, also, he has attended the International Institute in Madrid, Spain. Also, he has been recently recognized as Southwest Florida, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Businessman of the Year. He is also running for election to the U.S. House to represent Florida's 19th congressional district. Everyone, without further ado, help me welcome to the show Mr. Victor Arias, Esquire. Good morning. Yes, sir. Good morning. This is so cool, man. A whole lot going on right there.

SPEAKER_00 2:29

Yeah, yes, yes. But you know, you know, we gotta we gotta build up to that point.

SPEAKER_04 2:35

We gotta build up to that point.

SPEAKER_00 2:37

You know, there's there's you know challenges before those points.

SPEAKER_04 2:40

This is true. This is very true. And you guys get to get to hear quite a bit of that today. So one of the things we do when we treat our guests, you know, is is a tale. And so we want you to take them back, take them back to where you were born, where you grew up. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

Well, I I I was born in the Dominican Republic.

SPEAKER_04 2:59

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_00 3:00

In this little town or little town called Guajuving. Guajovine. Right? Okay, and and it's in the area called La Linha.

SPEAKER_02 3:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 3:08

La Linha is the line in English. Okay. So I was born in the line between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Come on! So you know, and that place still doesn't have electricity and running water. Wow. Wow. So when a person asked me where were you born, I said, yo, I was born far from a hospital because we couldn't get to the hospital, or there was no hospital in town.

SPEAKER_04 3:32

You guys knew poverty to the fullest. But but it's a blessing, though.

SPEAKER_00 3:36

It is a blessing. This is true. This is true. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 3:39

Poverty is just a word. This is true. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 3:41

When you live it, it's something completely different.

SPEAKER_04 3:44

You know what? You're right. You are right. Because you get so content with what you got going on. It's it's it's beautiful. Right.

SPEAKER_00 3:50

You know, if you're if I love that. If you're chasing after goats, you know, or if you if you have a spoke of a wheel that's left since you don't have a bicycle on a spoke, and you take a stick and you run with it, you know.

SPEAKER_04 4:02

That's just joy. It's just true. This is true. This is true. Man. So how long were you there until you your parents decided to move to America?

SPEAKER_00 4:12

Eight years. Okay. My mother came first. Okay. And she came to New York. Okay. And then my father came after that. And then at that time, we had we were five kids. Oh, okay. Yeah. So she she was, you know, she was the leader of the home. Okay. She was always there. Okay. And uh we came to New York and we lived in a tenement. Yeah. It was cool until it burned. Then it burned. Then we got into the projects. Oh man. We got into the projects. Yeah. And because there were five of us in the two-bedroom, we went to eight of us in a in a four-bedroom in the projects. Okay, okay. And what's incredible is this, is just, you know, if you remember George Jefferson. Yeah, you know, we're moving on up. Yes. So in our mind, you know, you go from a tournament to the projects, yeah, you're moving on up. Making moves. Yeah, exactly. So you know that that that that was incredible. And uh my mother didn't speak a lick of English, no, except for bad words, and you know how that is. Those are the first things that you can pick up. Right, right. And then my father was, you know, he was in and out of the house. Okay. And it it's, you know, I'm just so so blessed.

SPEAKER_04 5:21

That's beautiful. So it sounds like mom was a disciplinarian.

SPEAKER_00 5:24

Oh man. She ruled with an iron fist. Good thing they was, you know, DCF around. Right. So, yo, this is too much. Wow.

SPEAKER_04 5:33

But that was how we were raised. Man, so among so you have four siblings in the house with you. Right. What was that like going to school? Man.

SPEAKER_00 5:43

Since I was the next to last at that time, my my oldest brother was always a great role model. Okay. He was always protective. Yeah. And my oldest sister was a great role model, and she was also very protective. Beautiful, beautiful. And my f my my younger, my older brother, he was a lifeguard, a swimmer.

SPEAKER_04 6:02

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:03

So this guy was like, you know, Adonis. Everyone's like, you know, women would jump in in the pool, say, save me, save me, so they can, you know. He's that guy. And back then you had speedos. Right, right. So it's like, yeah. But um, you know, he he was a phenomenal.

SPEAKER_04 6:21

That's beautiful, man. That's beautiful. So you had a great relationship with the siblings. Oh, yeah. When I or at what point, before we even jump into the career world, because you have you have dabbled in a little bit, at what point did you wanted to leave New York to Florida? Oh, that's okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:42

First, I was going to uh Joan of Arc Junior High School. Okay, okay. Okay. And of course, every school has their own knuckleheads. Yes, yes, yes. So something happened where I got into a fight. Oh. And then other people jumped in. So they said, hey, for your own protection, let's send you to another school. Oh. So they sent me to another school, and in that school, they connected me with a organization called the Dome Project. Okay. And this organization would help students like myself in a sense that needed to be more, have more one-on-one, more focused on education. And once I got involved with the Dome, and I also was a pretty good athlete, I'm gonna say I was a pretty good athlete. My friends will say, no, you were just okay, bro.

SPEAKER_01 7:32

Don't suit yourself up. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

Yeah. So then uh I got into the Dome, and the executive director was this guy named John Simon. Okay. Superman. Yeah. Super great human being. Yeah. Okay. And he said, hey, look, he had a basketball team. I was part of that basketball. He says, look, let's go up to New Hampshire. Let's go to Massachusetts. Right. I have some connections where the prep schools. Yeah. So I went up there, we went up there, there were a few of us, and then he basically dropped us off. Okay, okay. And then we got these two-year scholarships to go to prep school, private school. Nice where you had where you had, you know, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and you had a roof over your head. Come on. Which is phenomenal. Wow. And and and I was maybe one of five black kids, black and Hispanic students at that school. Okay. And you had 300 students, and you had basically seven or eight of us from outside of that area. And we're talking about kids that were very wealthy. Okay. Okay. Okay. So that's when when that process, that educational development started. Okay. When I went to this prep school. And you know, I'm not I'm not going to say brag and say, oh, I'm a brilliant dude, I'm a brilliant guy. No, man. I'm just a humble person and I'm very, very blessed because God has been great. Yes. And then, you know, after that, I went got into Hamilton. Then after Hamilton, went back to New York City for a year or so. Right. Worked for housing preservation development to in the Bronx to, you know, because during that time period, there's a lot of drug infesting. There's a lot of there was a lot of buildings being burned.

SPEAKER_03 9:10

Right.

SPEAKER_00 9:10

So we would inspect those places. And, you know, unfortunately, we would see a lot of people OD'd and bodies in there during that time period. So then after that, I went, got into Buffalo Law School, scholarship, and I worked. And then after Buffalo, well actually during Buffalo, they had a symposium, a symposium for legal services symposium at NYU. So I went from NY from Buffalo, New York freezing to NYU.

SPEAKER_02 9:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:38

And the only opening that they had was with an organization called Florida Rule Legal Services. Oh, I see.

SPEAKER_03 9:43

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 9:44

I just sat down with this guy. Yeah. We just hit it off, had a good time.

SPEAKER_03 9:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

And then I went back to Buffalo, and then they called me and says, hey, listen, would you like to come down and interview?

SPEAKER_01 9:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:54

In Florida, in Tampa. Right. I said, oh, cool. In Bartow, Florida. I said, oh, fantastic, you know? Yeah. And they said they'll cover the trip. Okay. That's a blessing in itself. Hey, man. Yeah. Wow. So then interviewed. Things went well. Went back to Buffalo. They called me about a month or two because I had forgotten about it, a month or two after that. Then they said, hey, listen, once you come back down, we have another location. And so you can go ahead and check it out. So I came down, and this time they put me on the beach, on the hotel on the beach. Oh. I said, man, I said, this is heaven. It doesn't matter. Right? Yeah, this. We locked in now. Exactly. Yeah. They put me on the hotel hotel on the beach in Fort Pierre, Florida. Okay. And then they offered me a job. And I came down from after I graduated from Buffalo.

SPEAKER_02 10:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:39

Had a Dotson, you know, Dotson white car and came down here. Uh-huh. And when it got there, it just collapsed.

SPEAKER_04 10:48

The Dotson was done. It was like, listen, you run me for over 20 hours. I mean, this that's a lot of driving right there.

SPEAKER_00 10:55

Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Man. Thank God we made it, man.

SPEAKER_04 10:58

Wow. What was it like though? So all of that unfolds. So take us to Madrid for a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 11:04

Oh, okay. So while I was while while I was at Hamilton College, I was taking Spanish.

SPEAKER_03 11:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 11:12

Because it was a joke in my family that I didn't know how to speak Spanish. Oh, okay. So with with my mother, with my brothers and sisters, I said, yo, you're the worst Spanish speaker in the house. Yeah. So I applied for an abroad program at Hamilton College. And then they they I got this scholarship to go to Madrid and study for about seven months.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

Come on.

SPEAKER_00 11:32

And then and then what happened when I got there, I got a job.

SPEAKER_01 11:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:35

You know, and then I I you know worked and paid for at the extra the extra things.

SPEAKER_03 11:41

Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 11:42

And then also at that time, because again, what was at that time I still had a Dominican passport, which was red, which was red. What did I know about visa and going to get visas from one embassy to the other? Right, right. So so all my friends who were from Hamilton College were Americans, and I didn't know, again, I didn't know about visas and all that. So I go, we're gonna travel. They say they said, Victor, let's go and travel to Portugal, let's go to France and all that, because in in Europe, yeah everything is close and everything has trans, it's their transportation connecting everything. Yes. From car to train to plane. Right. Okay, and everything is there.

SPEAKER_02 12:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 12:22

And just about every country speaks a different language for the most part. Wow. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 12:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:28

And just about in all the countries for the most part, you you you drive on the left-hand side. Yes. Right?

SPEAKER_02 12:34

Yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 12:35

And I don't know why Italy drives on the right hand side like America, right? And then you just get confused. Right. So so I got I got I got an opportunity to to basically travel after studying for that semester, that that transition semester, okay, to travel to Portugal, to Spain. I think I went to London. And it was just it was just a phenomenal experience. It's amazing, man.

SPEAKER_04 12:59

You was you was living it up in them times, man. Just doing it. Again, I'm just very blessed. I love it, man. And then Florida just came and just kind of put the icing on the whole thing.

SPEAKER_00 13:10

Well, you know, hey, but but every every every chance, every opportunity, there's a challenge.

SPEAKER_03 13:15

Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_00 13:16

You know, right. And and basically all you can do is, you know, pray and hope to God that everything that is in front of you, you know, is something that God wants you to do.

SPEAKER_04 13:24

Right. So, you know, speaking on that, you know, you got to Fort Pierce What was that like for you? Like, what was the environment? Was it diverse enough for you? It was different.

SPEAKER_00 13:37

Okay. Coming from New York City. Yeah. And when what I say, when I say different, you know, you you think of the South, right? You think of the differences, and you think of history. Yeah. Okay. So so, you know, we have this thing that we have in imagination. Right. Our imagination here is different than our imagination in New York City. Right, right, right. Okay. Yes. Because here you have history, as in, you know, the boycotts are in the South. Right, right, right. You saw that in New York, but in a different way.

SPEAKER_02 14:11

In a different way, yes.

SPEAKER_00 14:12

Right. In a different capacity. And also there, because you have public transportation, it's very difficult to avoid each other. Yes. This is true. Because when you're down to in New York City, on any street in New York City, in the subway, we're all in there, you know, packed in together, black, white, Hispanic, every homeless, you name it. Yes. Everyone is there. Right. Where here it's not as compact. So you can avoid, in a sense, talking to each other. Right. Because there's a lot more space. Yeah. In New York is a lot more crowded. Right. It's a lot of people. Yeah. So so that that was one thing. And it it you know, because legal services part of it was landlord tenants trying to help people, tenants not to be evicted and thrown out in the streets. Right. And also working agriculture, representing agriculture workers. Yes. So so that's not something that you do at least I didn't see that in New York City. Right. Right.

SPEAKER_04 15:12

Right, right. So you started criminal later.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

Yeah. Criminal, criminal was later w when I I opened up my own practice. Okay. But now but but again, let's just continue with the lessons, right? So before Pierce, right? I was looking for a church. Right. And then I I I became a member of this church, and I also got a job too, working because I could only do legal services for for for reasons that I don't want to talk about. Yeah, yeah, yeah. For about a year, a year and a half to two. Okay. So then I started working for the school district of St. Lucie County. Okay. School district where they had a new superintendent.

SPEAKER_01 15:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:44

And then I I settled into a church. Yes. Right. And on a Sunday, right? Yeah. This beautiful young lady shows up. Right. We're getting in trouble now. Oh man. And we were, you know, it was we were hugging church because we used to wish each other great weeks. And we hug each other. So my future wife showed up. Yeah. And I said, you know, I went up to hug her. She said, I don't know you. You know how it is. So then I found out some things. Yeah. And I had worked with her father and I had worked with her mother in that church. Oh, okay. Okay. So she was, it was her church before it became my church. So she just showed up on a Sunday and then You just said this is my wife. This it well, God said, This is my wife, man. That's how it went. Yeah. And and uh yeah, and I got the thumbs up from her father. Oh, beautiful. Yeah, man. Wow.

SPEAKER_04 16:40

So that yeah. You were in before she even knew you was in.

SPEAKER_00 16:44

Oh, absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 16:45

I I I didn't even know. Yeah. You know, because that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 16:48

That's how that's how I I believe that's how God works.

SPEAKER_04 16:51

Oh, that's definitely, man. Definitely that is how God works.

SPEAKER_00 16:54

So now we've been married 32 years.

SPEAKER_04 16:56

Wow, amazing.

SPEAKER_00 16:57

And we have two kids.

SPEAKER_04 16:58

Yeah. And again, man. That's beautiful. Amen. Listen, that is beautiful right there. And I gotta say, man, like, you know, for a lot of individuals that's, you know, in the work world, that's doing a whole lot, that feel sometimes that they don't have enough time to dive into the church or do the church, right? You can tell them it's possible. Oh, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

It's not just possible.

SPEAKER_04 17:21

Right.

SPEAKER_00 17:22

It's a motivation, it's an inspiration. Yeah. Because we we all need someone else to look up to. Yes. Yes. And he or she is always there. Always. Always. Okay. But we just have to make that connection and realize that we are just, we're in his image. Yeah. Right? We're all human beings. Yes. And we're here to help each other, serve each other. Come on, man.

SPEAKER_04 17:47

And you guys hearing this right now? And I know a lot of you guys be like, yo, we never gonna hear no attorneys talk like that. Come on, man. That was beautiful right there. For a lot of people that never necessarily understood, like, you know, the difference with because that's further, well, that's more, what's that? More west south or east south?

SPEAKER_00 18:08

Fort Pierce. Yeah. Is directly east. Directly east. East, right, north Palm Beach. Right. North of Stewart. Right.

SPEAKER_04 18:17

So for because for me, everything down that side I call south. But I know you still gotta go back up 95 and so okay. So directly east. Right. From from Southwest Florida. Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 18:31

Man, so the family started over there. The family started, well, if you my wife and I and her family started over there. Over there, yes.

SPEAKER_03 18:42

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 18:43

And then after a few years, the school district here had an opening and someone asked me to apply.

SPEAKER_03 18:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 18:50

And I didn't know anything about Lee County.

SPEAKER_03 18:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 18:53

So someone asked me to apply, and then I I applied, and my interview with a few people. Yes. And then they said, hey, would you like the position? And they you know offered a very good contract. Beautiful. And then that's what brought me here.

SPEAKER_04 19:06

Oh, nice. That is wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 19:08

And also at that during that time period, there, you know, the busing issue was a major issue in 1999. Right. And there was the the desegregation decree. Yes. So it was good, they were going through their challenges also. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 19:22

I'm glad you touched that because a lot of people now are trying to understand what really happened back then. And I know that's a heavy topic in some areas or way, but you know, coming to Lee County, you know, learning about the railroad and you know what that was and the scars that had was put on those individuals and that side of the tracks. What what was that like to see that and just even you know meeting some of those individuals? How was they functioning?

SPEAKER_00 19:53

Well first I I think it was somewhat similar in Fort Pierce, also.

SPEAKER_03 19:59

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 20:00

Because remember that the railroad tracks were the dividing line between the races. Right, right, right, right. So here you still had you know the dividing, the railroad tracks were still dividing the races. Right, right, right. And and technically you still have it going on. Because but but also you also got to remember, too, that in in in most societies, that's a situation. Yes, yes. Okay, yes, yes. You know, you you have the the those that have and those that don't have. That don't have, right, right, right. So you you can you can divide it into color, you can divide into socioeconomics, right? You know, but it's there's still that division.

SPEAKER_02 20:38

Right.

SPEAKER_00 20:39

Even in New York City, yeah, when you're on the train and everyone will pile together.

SPEAKER_02 20:43

Right.

SPEAKER_00 20:44

Once you get off, if you get off of Fifth Avenue, yeah, you know that those are well-to-do and people have more.

SPEAKER_04 20:50

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 20:51

And when you get off in Harlem, you know that, you know, we have less. Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 20:56

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Definitely, definitely. I I get that. I, you know, for a lot of people, it's hopeful that a lot of that behavior, a lot of what that was, we would have already passed that. But as you said, we're kind of still dealing with it.

SPEAKER_00 21:12

Yeah, we're we're dealing with it. We're dealing with it. You know, you feel but but but the great thing I think is that there are more, a lot, lot more good people that want to help. Yes, than there are people that just want to take. Yeah, yeah. I like that. Okay, yeah. There, you know, there's a lot more humanity than there are those that want, you know, despair. Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_04 21:38

And and so there's hope.

SPEAKER_00 21:40

Oh, absolutely. There's always hope. Just the fact that we woke up this morning, this is true. There's hope. This is true. There's hope. And and and if your goal is to just help that one person, whoever it is at that time, because every day, yeah, you're confronted with a challenge to help someone else.

SPEAKER_04 21:57

Yes. What you just said is so big. And for you guys, I hope you guys grab that right there. Once you wake up, there's hope. Absolutely. Man. Absolutely. Come on, man. I'm listening I'm totally in agreeing with that, man. And uh, you know, I gotta say, because you never know how bad you are until you see someone else's situation.

SPEAKER_00 22:19

Yes. And that's what you say, right? You said, well, it could be worse, right? Or it could be better. This is true. So you you you thank God for what you have.

SPEAKER_04 22:27

Yeah. And go on forward. I love that, man. So now in Southwest Florida, when did you decide that you wanted to just go back and open my own firm and all that stuff? Oh. Did you go with another firm first before you opened back your firm?

SPEAKER_00 22:44

Or I I I did. Okay. I did. I did uh go and open, I went with another firm. Okay. For again, another short time. Okay. And then a friend was closing down his practice and I purchased a practice in Cape Coral, Florida.

SPEAKER_04 22:58

Nice.

SPEAKER_00 22:59

And I'd been there in that, not in the same office. Right. I got a larger office, but in the same location. Okay. Strip, basically. That's beautiful. So yeah. So it's been there for 20 plus, 25, 26 years. That's amazing, man.

SPEAKER_04 23:12

Out of all the different entities that you have that falls under your law firm, which one you you would say is the most challenging one? That brings you the most challenge.

SPEAKER_00 23:23

Well, it has to be criminal. Okay. Okay. And reason being is that of course, you know, a person can can lose their uh freedom and be stuck in a jail or prison. Yeah. So so that's always the most challenging. Right. And, you know, I'm trying to reduce stress. Yes, I like that. Because I I help when I take on a client and the client takes me on, we develop a relationship. Beautiful. Okay. Yeah. So when he's in pain, he or she is in pain, I'm dealing with the pain also. Right, right. So i i yeah, that that that that would be the toughest.

SPEAKER_04 23:58

I like that, man. I you know, some people get a little confused, and I know, you know, questions have been thrown out there, and I'm sure you've probably heard this. When someone have committed a crime, they they are not denying that they committed a crime. Why get an attorney?

SPEAKER_00 24:19

Because, well, first the const the the laws gives everyone the right to have an attorney.

SPEAKER_02 24:26

Right.

SPEAKER_00 24:26

Okay. And they also say that if you don't have an attorney, you'll have a fool representing you. And if you represent yourself, you're a fool. Right, right, right. Right. Because in that aspect, I'm sorry. Yeah. You get a whole lot of emotion. Right, right, right. And when you talk about the law, you know, there there shouldn't be a whole lot of emotion. Right, right. There's emotion from the individual that's being charged. Right. Okay. But from the attorney, there shouldn't be the emotion because you're representing that person. Right. To get uh to get the best outcome that you can for the person. Right. Because if that person goes there by themselves, then the judge is going to just look for the most part. Okay. The judge is going to be, you know, follow the law. Right. But if you're not prepared to defend yourself, then the judge is limited to what he sees and hears. For the most part from the state. I see. From the prosecutor's office. I see. I see. So, so, you know, ha having an attorney is the wisest thing that you can you can have.

SPEAKER_03 25:29

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 25:30

Having, if you could, a private attorney who cares is a good thing. Yes. Because, you know, having a public attor attorney is a good thing also, but they have so many cases. Yes. Yes. That that they're overwhelmed with so many cases. So if you have so many cases, you can only put so many minutes on a case. Yeah. And it becomes more difficult. Yeah, I get that. So that's how the system, that's how the criminal justice system works in that sense. Right. So that's why it's very important to get an experienced attorney. Yeah. If you can.

SPEAKER_04 26:07

And you know, as we were talking earlier on the, you know, the the spiritual aspect, you know, God and all that stuff, it touches on a part in the Bible where it says sin strengthens the law, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah, it does, right?

SPEAKER_00 26:21

Hey, it it it unfortunately it's it's economics too. Yeah. Yeah. You know? Because the system has to be paid. Right. The and and those are our tax dollars that are paying for the prosecutor, that are paying for the public defender, and they're paying for the judge, that are paying for that building that's there, that are paying for the bailiffs, right? You know, that are paying for the clerks.

SPEAKER_02 26:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:43

This is how this is the like the best system that we have in society. Right, right, right. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 26:49

Yeah. I I totally can understand what that looked like. And um, but with that being said, you know, what which one would you say you enjoy doing most out of the areas that you you address?

SPEAKER_00 27:07

Okay, look at look at it this way, right? And this is an example just just yesterday. Yeah. So so I had a client, I have a client. She says, you know, thank God for this check. And it came out right on time because otherwise, me and my four kids were gonna be homeless. Right, right. I'm like, oh wow.

unknown 27:21

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 27:22

And then we we started talking about uh, and this was from a PI case that rear-ended.

SPEAKER_01 27:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:27

And we were, I was talking about, so how are the kids doing? She says, Well, my son is not, he's looking for a job. I said, Well, how and my daughter's is is graduated, she's graduated, she uh, you know, she she doesn't know where to go. I said, But why don't you make an appointment and bring your kids here? Let me talk to them.

SPEAKER_02 27:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:45

And I do that all the time.

SPEAKER_02 27:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:46

Because I I think, you know, if if you don't lead or give provide information to people, okay, they don't really know that is true, you know, where to go and who to talk to.

SPEAKER_02 27:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:59

And just like the judicial system, the court system is is overloaded. Yes. The school district is overloaded. So if you have a guidance counselor for every a hundred or two hundred kids, that's impossible to provide the services that those kids need. Definitely. So I say I sit down with just about all of my clients' kids. That's awesome. Okay. And some have invited me to their to their graduations. Beautiful. And and and I attend. I mean, I I think we're here to inspire to help others. I love that, man. I love that. Yeah. Wow.

SPEAKER_04 28:34

So it's a it's a good it's a blessing. It's a beautiful thing, man. I like that. What kind of music do you like growing up?

SPEAKER_00 28:44

You know, okay. Merengue. Okay. Okay, it was number one. Yeah. And then Motown.

SPEAKER_04 28:53

Okay, okay. Then Disco. Okay, okay. So you follow most of the Motown musicians. Oh. It's the greatest music. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:01

I think it's the greatest music ever.

SPEAKER_04 29:03

You know, there was a Caribbean actor that got very big internationally. I don't know if everyone ever tells you you look like him, Harry Belafonte. I don't look like Harry Belafonte. People tell me I look like Barack Obama.

SPEAKER_00 29:16

I don't look like Barack Obama, man. Please. Harry Belafonte, yes. Oh, really?

SPEAKER_04 29:21

You ever look like him, man?

SPEAKER_00 29:22

Now I won't be able to get out of this room because my head is gonna be swelled up, right? And because when you say that, I start thinking about, you know, the the the movies that he was in. Yes. Okay, and and the strong character that he always portrayed. Oh, definitely. You know, yeah, and and I and I see the slap, I forget the movie. I I see him eating dinner. Yes, you know, with with with his the white wife and the white family. Yes. You know, those are just, yeah, when you mention, it's like, wow, man.

SPEAKER_04 29:54

Oh, yeah, that's incredible. Because you know, for me, like we even just hearing you talk about going to school in New York and your light skin had to come into play where they're like, yo, this dude right here gotta go. He's he looked too good. He can't be light skinned. Hold this gonna take all our girls, you know. Oh man. I know school was one of those things where kids never really was a big fan of. There's the girls that love the light skinned kids, but then there's the guys that are like, man, this dude. Anytime you show up, this dude right here, man.

SPEAKER_00 30:31

See, but see, see, okay. I'm going back to you know, elementary school, right? Yeah, yeah. I was never the guy to get the girls. No? No, man, because again, it can I say this? It it unfortunately, again, haves and have nots. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 30:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 30:50

If if I were middle class, I'm sure the girls were all, I and I can't say for all the girls, right? They would look at me differently.

SPEAKER_03 30:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:57

Okay. If I was lighter than I am, they would look at me different.

SPEAKER_03 31:00

Right.

SPEAKER_00 31:01

If I was darker than I am, they would look at me different. Right. Okay. So all of those things, economics, socioeconomics, you know, skin color, sex, all of religion, all of those things played a role in in our development. But we just didn't realize it at the time because we were just innocent kids, okay? Evolving through our experiences in the communities that we lived and in the home that we were raised in. Right. Okay. That was what impacted us, and that's what made us. Right. Okay. Because when I went to the when we went to the project, my mother moved to the project. When we moved to the projects, there were a lot of gangs.

SPEAKER_03 31:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:45

Okay. And but you know, we were kids. Like, hey, we just want to be part of something.

SPEAKER_03 31:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:50

You know? So just to be part, you join these organizations not knowing the larger, you know, the the larger impact.

SPEAKER_04 32:00

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 32:01

Or the the larger stigma.

SPEAKER_04 32:02

Right.

SPEAKER_00 32:03

You know?

SPEAKER_04 32:03

So I'm going to put you in a situation. We got two events happening, two concerts, temptations, Jackson 5. You can only go to one of them. Temptations. Ooh!

SPEAKER_00 32:14

And the reason why is because they're more mature. All right. They're more mature. Yes. And also if you were to say, you know, how about in elementary school? I'll say, oh, absolutely. The Jackson 5. Right. But but now, in my graduation in the sixth grade, okay, people around the world join hands, uh, join the love train. Love train. You remember that song? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I thought that was the temptations or the spinners. I think it may be the temptation. Yeah. So that song is rooted in my mind. Okay. About unity. Yes. About coming together. Right. You know, and that's the kind of music that was being created during that time period.

SPEAKER_03 32:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:56

You know, it was all about love.

SPEAKER_03 32:57

Right.

SPEAKER_00 32:58

Okay. Or all about anti-war.

SPEAKER_03 33:01

Right.

SPEAKER_00 33:02

Anti, you know, things that were not good for society.

SPEAKER_04 33:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:07

So, yeah, man.

SPEAKER_04 33:08

So we're gonna go hip hop now. Fuji's Wu Tang. Oh, that's terrible.

SPEAKER_00 33:18

Hey, sorry, Wu-Tang, but I have to go with the Fujiis. I have to go with the Fujiis. Yeah, the Fuji's.

SPEAKER_04 33:24

Yeah. Oh, man. Wu Tang fans hey. You gotta understand he does have a little Haiti too, so. Oh man. Gotta show some love, man.

SPEAKER_00 33:34

Oh yeah. He clipped. I'm like, oh man. It's it. And you know, and and and he, if I remember correctly, he was the first one artist to ever be to go to Kennedy, uh Kenny Arson. Yes. And that to me, that's just like, you know, the the Mount Everest of success when it comes down to music. Right, right. You know, especially that type of music going to a concert hall that's more known for orchestras. Right, right. So, hey, yeah. What was your favorite food?

SPEAKER_04 34:10

What was your favorite food?

SPEAKER_00 34:12

My favorite food. I was gonna say pan thai noodles. I just had Panthe noodles, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 34:20

Salmon with panty noodles, yeah. Salmon with pan thai noodles. I don't know if I've ever had that. Well, I'll take it back.

SPEAKER_00 34:26

It was chicken, chicken pai. Okay. And I had another dish of salmon. Oh. That was very good. But but because you asked, yeah, right now that's what I'm thinking. Okay, okay. As opposed to my favorite food, because my favorite food would be whatever my mother made when we were growing up. Wow. I love that. I love that. And then and then waking us up, better, better yeah, waking me up in the morning, yeah, okay, to stir the pot. Right. So so the thing would not burn at the bottom. Although, although when when you when you had that the hard thing in the bottom, that was like a specialty to us. It tasted really good. Yeah but yeah, it's beautiful.

SPEAKER_04 35:06

Now, you know, we're in the closing hour right now. For individuals, you know, businessmen that are, you know, as busy as you are, what encouragement can you give them on mentoring or becoming a mentor? Okay. What what does that look like?

SPEAKER_00 35:23

Well, I encourage everybody to be to mentor others. And also just like a parent, okay, a business owner, yeah, people are watching. Yes. Okay, watching your success. Yes, watching you how you treat others most important. Yes, yes. So so when when you mentor, you're passing on those great qualities. Come on, okay, that God instilled in you definitely and the community instilled in you. Yes, yes. So I think mentoring, again, I was mentored when I was growing up in New York City.

SPEAKER_03 35:58

Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 35:59

That's why I mentioned John Simon. Right. He mentored me.

SPEAKER_03 36:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:02

I mean, he had me reading books that I had never dreamed of. Right. Okay, he had a group of us. Yeah. And that same group, we're still together. We talk to each other once a month or so.

SPEAKER_03 36:14

Right.

SPEAKER_00 36:14

My best friend is still part of that group, and he lives in LA.

SPEAKER_03 36:18

Right.

SPEAKER_00 36:19

And he's gonna be probably coming down here to say, hey, Victor, man, I'll come from LA to Califor uh to Florida to be with you for a month to help you with your campaign. I love that. I love that. You know, that those are special relationships that that you you you're blessed with, and you continue, and you go, they go through struggles, you go through struggles. You you they help you when you need help, you help them when you need help. And that's also the same thing as mentoring. Right. Because not every child is born with a father or a mother. Right. Not every child is born with, you know, hands and visually and able to feel and and touch and everything else.

SPEAKER_03 37:00

Right.

SPEAKER_00 37:00

So so, you know, anytime anyone offers something else, it it it's a it's a blessing.

SPEAKER_04 37:08

That's beautiful, man. That's beautiful. And just I know from you guys hearing Mr. Victor speak, you guys can already tell what kind of individual he is. So as we're closing out right now, tell them a little bit on the reason why, you know, for you even running for the district you're running to be a part of the congressional office and and stuff like that. Where can they look for you to make sure that they make sure your name is the one they're ticking in August? Because that's in August, yes?

SPEAKER_00 37:38

Right, so August 18th is the primary. And so then they can look me up at um votearas.us. Okay, okay. Vote Arias.us. And the us, I'm just making sure the us is vote areas.us because it's not about me. Right. Right, it's about all of us. Yes. Because everybody is struggling. Definitely, definitely. Nationally, everybody's struggling. Oh, definitely, definitely, definitely. Groceries are so expensive, it's crazy.

SPEAKER_04 38:07

Oh yeah. Oh yeah, oh yeah. Obviously, gas is oh, gas is brutal. All right. Gas is brutal already.

SPEAKER_00 38:13

And we're paying for things and we're we're stressed. Oh yeah, oh yeah. When it's not, we don't have to be stressed. Right, right, right. And then and then when you're targeted, yeah, you know, this whole thing about revenge and going after people, I mean, it it that does that's not exhausting. It's exhausting and it's not necessary. Right. You know? Yeah, yeah. Killing people, yeah, that's not necessary.

SPEAKER_04 38:36

It's not, it's not, it's totally not.

SPEAKER_00 38:38

So, so you know, I'm just here to try to help.

SPEAKER_04 38:41

Beautiful. Absolutely. Beautiful. You guys hear that now. How can they find you outside of that? How can they find you? Period.

SPEAKER_00 38:49

I usually go to a lot of different places. Okay. So what I do, I try to do, is to on my website I put locations where I'm gonna be. Okay. So they can show up to those locations and even ask questions and meet me. Okay. Because I I I was just blessed to have we made it. We got 2,700 petitions signed by registered voters. Yes. So that means that my name is gonna be on the ballot August 18th. Yes, your name will be. That means that means that I don't have to pay $11,000 to get on the ballot. Right. Because I worked by meeting people, shaking hands. Oh, definitely. You're out here. Right, and I'm and I'm trying my best, and I want to meet everybody that's in District 19.

SPEAKER_04 39:31

Beautiful. I I can I can I can say, guys, he will be an amazing choice, and you already got my vote. So it's uh it's a beautiful thing. And that's your own website. That's the Victor. Okay. Yes. So you guys hear that right there. For things that are happening right now in South West Florida and out where people are like, okay, what what would you encourage them to do or go? Like, you know, if they said I'm bored on a weekend or whatever, what would you say to them?

SPEAKER_00 40:02

There's a lot to do. This weekend is Memorial Day weekend. Yes. So we're gonna be celebrating our soldiers. Yes. Uh my father-in-law was a Korean veteran, he's 91 years old. Yeah. Okay. I I thank him every day. Beautiful. For not just for his daughter, but also for the work that he's done and the example that he's been. Yes. So we should be out there, young or old, whether you have a family member or not who served in the military, we should be celebrating that.

SPEAKER_04 40:33

Yes, we should be. We should be.

SPEAKER_00 40:34

And again, and there are also a lot of organizational events that are happening that are coming up. And I believe tomorrow I probably will be in a couple of different places. Okay. Yeah, yes. I love that. I love that. Get involved. Get involved.

SPEAKER_04 40:48

Get involved.

SPEAKER_00 40:49

And and knowing who you're gonna vote for. Yes. Don't just don't just vote or check. Yeah. Just hey, I I'm doing everything that I can to be out there so people can know who I am.

SPEAKER_02 41:01

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 41:02

Because and I'm sorry, because I'm not gonna put up five million dollars or three million dollars or a million dollars.

SPEAKER_02 41:07

Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 41:08

Okay? Yeah. Because I have two kids at that university that go into university. Oh, yeah, yeah. They've got to pay that that is a priority. Oh, definitely. So so then here, what we're doing is grassroots.

SPEAKER_03 41:19

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 41:19

Everybody's getting involved. I love it. Because there's no way that we can win without everybody's involvement.

SPEAKER_04 41:25

Yes, this is true. This is true. And people, you want to vote for someone that is for you and for you best. I'm just saying. So this is a beautiful thing. Listen, man, I'm so excited you came on the show today, man. I appreciate you. Listen, guys, there you have it, until our next episode where we have another decorative guest right here at ES Club. Thank you.