Come here. Who was born in Venezuela? Served as part of the immigrant rights group Casa and now serves as council president. Meet her next on this episode of What's Happening MoCo.
AnnouncerGood day and welcome to What's Happening MoCo, an authentic, unscripted podcast from your Montgomery County government. Now, here's your host, Derrick Kenny.
Derrick KennyGood day and welcome to What's Happening MoCo. Today we have the pleasure of talking to one of the most powerful women in Montgomery County, Maryland, probably the state of Maryland, my opinion, Council President Natali Fani-Gonzalez. How are you today?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezOh, I'm doing great. Thank you so much for having me here.
Derrick KennyThank you for being here and taking time out of your busy schedule. We know this is a busy time of year with budget, all the acts in place. So thank you so much on behalf of the residents of Montgomery County, Maryland, of course, for the What's Happening MoCo podcast, because people are going to listen and watch this because you're here. All right. So let's go back for some of the people that don't know you as a council member or as council president. Congratulations, by the way.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezThank you.
What inspired you to build a career around public service?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezWell, I can tell you it was not planned at all. I, since I was a kid, have always liked to help out. And when I came to the States, to the US, I was 16 years old, and my heart was into the idea of becoming a doctor, which is technically you're helping people. I was very good at math. And when I came to the country, to the US, I didn't speak English. So when I took the SAT, my as an ESO student, which means a student who's learning English, um, when I took the SAT, my English was not very good looking in the in the test, but my math score was really, really high. And because of my math, I was able to attend Goucher College in Baltimore. They gave me a full ride. And at that point, I was still thinking that I wanted to become a doctor. That was just in my heart. But then because I didn't have a social security number, I was undocumented, I got into this advocacy world of policy changing and organizing. I became an intern for CASA when I was in college. And all of a sudden, I moved from pre-med, you know, pre-medicine to political science, international relations because I kept, you know, being in Annapolis, uh loving, going to Capitol Hill, uh, loving for the Maryland Dream Act. And um and it led me to the person I am today. So it wasn't planned. It just happened based on my circumstances.
Derrick KennyThat's an amazing story. Um, many people take for granted um how challenging it might be to come to the country, learn the culture, learn the language, and still translate all the education you had before, moving it forward. What was that like for you? And as you reflect on it, uh, how does it make you feel now that you're serving as council president?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezIt was really tough, especially because I came when I was a teenager. And being a teenager, as you may remember, and you have all these emotional, all these emotional changes and biological changes, and then you're coming to a new uh country, you're learning the language, facing a new culture. So it was a lot to take in, but I came along with my mom and I came to determine. I came in thinking, I am not wasting my time. I left my dad and my brothers in Venezuela, so I just came along with my mom. I'm the youngest of three, the only girl. And I my mom told me, we, it was a long trip to make it here, and we're sacrificing. You better like take advantage of the opportunity that's given to you. Oh wow. So that's how I took it. I I, because I didn't have a social security number back then, I had to clean houses with my mom to make ends meet when I was in high school. So I, you know, took buses from I was living in Langley Park. So, like many immigrants when they come to Maryland, Langley Park is the first place that you you arrived. So my local uh library was the Lone Branch Library in Montgomery County. Okay. But my high school was Northwestern High School in Princeton's County because I live right on the border. Um, so I I just learned that if you want something in life, you really need to work hard to get it in time. That's what I did. And also understanding that whatever you do, you have to do it with integrity. And because people people see through that, and because of the people that were around me during that time, they they guided me. Um I'm not a genius at all, but I do, I do really work hard. And I think people saw that in me, and that has led me to be the person I am today, and it has helped me become the president of the Montgomery County Council, uh having this attitude of getting things done, uh, but also bringing consensus. That's key on everything that you do in life. And by me being a lobbyist since I was so young after college, uh working for Casa, understanding that in order to pass legislation, you need to bring consensus. I take that experience to my job here at the council today.
Derrick KennyAnd I think we have a unique opportunity here because of your path, your journey, you're your overcomer. Uh, you you've become so successful. Um and it's Women's History Month. What do you have to say to the next uh young female uh council president or lobbyist or um leader in Montgomery County, Maryland, or Maryland or the world um that may be facing similar circumstances that she faced when you were entering the country?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezI think the number one uh thing for me and what I tell, especially young people, especially women, as you mentioned, first you need you need to be passionate about it. You you need to care. And I think if you are working on an issue and and you care about it, right, people see through that. Yeah. And you need to understand that you gotta work hard to get it. Things don't come to you just because you have a pretty smile. Right. You gotta work to get them. And you need to understand that the best way to get those things is when you're working with other people and also uplift them because it's not just about you, it's about society, a community, it's about evolving in a way that is um really empowering everybody, not just you. And and that's what I did because my mommy told my mom told me so.
Derrick KennyWell, the mom tells you so, then you better get it done. There you go.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezMy parents were amazing. My my parents, my dad didn't go beyond third grade, and my mom did graduate from high school. Yeah, but they both were people who worked really hard to get us what we needed from my brothers and myself. Um, we were not wealthy people or rich people. I don't come with that background at all. Um, but they said to us, do whatever you do, you do it with integrity. That's number one. Integrity, yes. And then after that, things will come. Um, and always treat people with respect. That's the other thing that is so important. And that I tell young women to never forget it's not a competition, it's about making things better for everybody. And the way to do that is by working with other people as well.
That's amazing. Um gosh, I think those that the the knowledge you just shared and the wisdom is applicable to anyone, not just kids or women, uh young boys, or whomever whatever your background is. I think what you shared there is um something that people should take, embrace, and hold on to. Passion, awareness, and uh what is it called? Uh um emotional IQ, being able to work with other people, understand where they're coming from, and how to communicate to them why things are so important. And I that's one of your, I guess, um, great skills that you bring as council president. Um but you talked about passion, and you you do bring passion. The energy uh is infectious. If someone sits near you and talks to you, you can feel the energy that you exude. Now that you're council president, what are some of the things you're most passionate about as council president, or this as a council member, period? And then uh what are some of the greatest challenges you've faced um while serving as president so far?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezI will say the number one thing for me is I have now this power being council president and being a council member. I think I see it as uh as a duty to ensure that I use that power. It's not me going to my office and just warming up the seat and saying I'm a council member. You gotta use, you gotta use that power to evolve society. And and that's why I meet with so many people across my district in the county to constantly hear their challenges, their ideas, um, their concerns. Um, and that's that's what led me to push the bills that I have now nowadays, right? The things that I have passed as a council member, having that open line of communications with people and understanding that when you hear somebody that somebody has a problem, what can you do using that power to make their lives better, right? Because when your neighbor has uh has a quality of life, that affects everybody, right? Yeah, it makes the neighborhood better, it makes everyone better. So I see it that way. Um, number one responsibility, use using my power uh to get things done.
Derrick KennyRight. And so, and sometimes people believe that once you become a counsel or a politician and you're elected to office, you don't care anymore about, you know, their words or their voices don't matter as much. But what I hear you saying is that the voices matter even more now that you are serving.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezYes. Uh, every single piece of legislation that I have done, they have been very controversial. I don't take the AC, the AC issues. That is not me. Every single controversial issue in this county for the past three years, Natalie Fani Gonzalez is boom, right there on top as lead from rent stabilization, which means uh the bill that puts caps on on rents. Like you cannot have uh more than six percent rent increases.
Derrick KennyThank you for that, by the way. Yeah, you're welcome.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezI love the crazy highly, highly controversial, but it was important. Right again, I'm not here to warm up the seat or smile at people, I'm here to make a difference. And working families, young families needed that, especially if you are a young family who, you know, just graduated from college, has a brand new job, has kids. You know how much money is is childcare? It's a mortgage. I had two kids, I have two children. And when my kids went in pre-K, my husband and I were paying almost $3,000 a month. Oh my gosh. Yes.
Derrick KennyJust for two kids?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezFor two kids. We had them back to back, totally. Um, and it's it's just expensive. Yeah, it's expensive. Plus your mortgage or your rent, yeah. It's it's you know, you had to, so I wanted to make sure that people who look like me um will be able to stay in this county. So passing rent estabilization was critical.
Derrick KennyRight.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezThat's just one example of so many other bills.
Derrick KennyThere's so many other bills. Uh, and you talked about not being not shying away from controversy or or challenging issues. And uh you led the charge on the trust act. Is that safe to say? Yes, yes, yeah. Now, what tell us what is the trust act and why is it important uh for county residents?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezSo when I became council president, I told myself the number one act that I'm gonna move forward as council president has to be involving immigration just because of the chaos that the federal administration is putting on people, not just in Montgomery County, but nationwide. So I introduced uh the Trust Act, which is now the law. And it basically um it puts into law that the police, uh, police officers in Montgomery County cannot act as immigration agents. Uh, that I, if I shows up in Montgomery County, they will need uh a warrant signed by a judge to enter any public buildings, um, that no one can be discriminated in the county based on their immigration status. And that includes having access to food or rental assistance and so forth. Um, so if we're saying that we're a welcoming community, now this is by law. And I'm so proud that I that, you know, I was able to work with every single one of my colleagues, including the chief of police, to ensure that they were on board and um you know, with everything and he passed, and I'm grateful to the county executive that he signed the bill as soon as he passed.
Derrick KennySo and so speaking of that trust act, what are some of the things that you want immigrants in the county to know? What are some of the things they need to know as residents of the county?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezI would say I need the community to know that the local government in the county, we got your back. We're here to support you and to protect you and to ensure that your kids can continue going to schools, that you can continue going to the your faith institution to pray and so forth. So we're gonna do every single thing that we have under a local authority to protect you. So that's number one. Number two, yes, ICE is a federal agency, and uh and there are things that we're not allowed to do um or to stop the federal government to do, but we're gonna be using every single one of our powers, and the Trust Act is an is an example to ensure that um communities remain welcoming in the county and that people feel safe.
Oh, that's awesome. Um wow, that's that's powerful. Okay, that's great. Now, what about for just John Q Public Montgomery County? What things do you want them to be aware of um in Montgomery County um as you serve as county um council president? Uh and this is kind of a lead in here because of your your role as the chair for the Economic Development Corporation.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezCommittee, yeah.
Derrick KennyCommittee. Yes. I'm sorry.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezI am very passionate. Besides housing issues and immigration issues, I'm highly passionate about uh job creation and economic development as a whole. Before I came to the county council, I was the vice chair of the uh planning board, which is the agency that is part of the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission that oversees um development and parks and so forth. So when I joined the county council, I became the chair of that committee. Um and so I have been very mindful of working with MCDC, which is the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, to ensure that them as well as the business center, which is controlled by the county, have clear roles and work in conjunction to help people who may have ideas to create a business, right? What can I do if I have a business? So now we are we're setting up uh an innovation center in the county to ensure that if you have, if you're a business owner, for example, it's not just about giving you grants, which we do have in the county, many types of grants, depending on your business, but also setting you up for success. What does that mean? That means giving you the technical assistance to for legal issues, for marketing a product, to meeting other companies who you may think they are a good match, so you can team up and apply for government contracts and so forth. So I'm I'm very, very uh focused on that. Uh, to give you another example, when I came to the council and became chair of this committee, I did a tour with the Department of Uh Permiting Services, DPS. So by the time I joined the county council, we also had at the same time a brand new director for DPS. So, Director Sabakon. So I took the opportunity that he's he was new and I was new, right? And I was listening and hearing all these challenges that restaurants were having across the county. People who were trying to open the restaurants and they couldn't get the permits. They were sitting on their closed restaurant paying rent and not being able to open for months because they couldn't get their permits approved. So I did this tour. We visited restaurants in Wheaton, Germantown, Bethesda, Burton's Vill, you name it, Silver Spring. And instead of having a work session, you know, with the TVs and having everything recorded, I decided to do a private tour because when you do a private tour with a business owner, people opened up. They say things that they may not want to say in public. Those meetings were really emotional. Meeting after meeting, I had chefs and restaurant owners crying in front of me, telling me their stories, opening up their books so we could see. And then I realized that when people say they're not giving me my permit, the first thing that I think is DPS, Department of Permit and Services. It wasn't until we started the tour that I realized that they were not talking about DPS. They were talking about the Department of Health and Human Services permits because when you have a restaurant, you need a permit for food. And those permits come from HHS, not DPS. Okay. So then digging into this issue, um, I realized that the county only had two people for many years working part-time each to provide these type of permits.
Derrick KennyOh, okay.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezAnd then when I dig into this, I re uh I was told that you know it was a budget issue, that we can have people full-time. And then I said, Well, DPS has an enterprise fund, which means that fund doesn't come from our tax dollars, it comes from fees that people pay in when they want to have a deck in their house or they want a fee to modernize the restaurant and so forth. So we managed to have the people from HHS working in permitting to get paid by the DPS Enterprise. If I had not, and this had been going on for years, if I had not done that tour as a brand new chair of a committee, we will have, we will have never known. So that again, that's my my whole point of making sure that you use your power, that's what I mean. Use it, go the extra mile, go and talk to people that you have never talked to before because that's your job. That's what people expect you to do. And uh so now the permitting um time is like way lower. That was great. All right. So thank you, Natalie. So anyway.
Derrick KennyFeather in a cap. And along the list of things that geniuses say, I'm not a genius. And she started off this saying she's not a genius, but she recognized the problem, uh, figured out what the issue actually is by going the extra step, talking to people in an environment where they can be earnest and honest, exactly, and then recognizing uh and then creating a solution and making it happen.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezSo and did it in partnership because I I had the director of DPS comment with me. It wasn't just Natalie, it was in partnership because you don't get things done in county government by yourself as a county elected official, you need the departments to join you.
So wow, okay. That's that's amazing that you were able to accomplish that. That's a good example of how government gets things done. Yeah, because sometimes people think, you know, you spend two hours of the week having meetings, and then the rest of the time you get to sit back and relax. What is your schedule like as a council member, even now as council president?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezYou know, the biggest challenge is that I have kids, as I mentioned, in middle school. So not spending as much time with them, people don't realize it. Because when they see me in, you know, in different events over the weekends and meetings, I have so many meetings in the evening time with that community. That means mom is not at home.
Derrick KennyRight.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezThat is the biggest challenge that I that I face. Okay. So um, so again, being a woman with um young children is and being an elected official is is really hard.
Derrick KennyWow.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezIt's really hard.
Derrick KennyIt's a huge sacrifice uh for you and your family.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezYeah, but my husband loves me. Oh thank God. I wouldn't be doing I there's no way I could be doing this without my husband's support.
Well, round of applause for council president, but of course of course her support system uh of which we gotta acknowledge the husband. Yes. And can you say his first name? Is that okay? Angel. Yeah. Angel. Angel, all right. And of course, her her her children that are understanding later on in life, they'll realize how awesome it is the things that you're doing and the the way that you're serving. Now they just know mommy, you know, and they're hoping that you know they get as much time as possible. Thank you for your sacrifice as a uh resident of the county. Um, so thinking of the county um and just things a little bit lighter, uh, in your free time, what do you like to do? Uh where's what's your go-to spot for food or um activities?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezI like running and and walking. So I do run half marathons. So I like walking a lot in Wheaton Regional Park in Brookside Gardens. So you see me there like at least twice a week. Okay. I do I do it. Uh, and in terms of food, I love tacos on Perez in Wheaton in Glemont and uh District Pistol in Wheaton. Uh, those are two spots that you can see me pretty often.
Derrick KennyNow, what's your favorite uh dish when you go there?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezI always see well when I go to um tacos on Perez, I always get get the uh carnitas and and you know, daggas. And then when I go to District Bistro, they have a really good um veggie burger, believe it or not. And it's really good. So I I just and I love the space in the company there.
Derrick KennySo and it sounds like uh you're you're Veggie burgers and walking and jogging.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezYeah.
Derrick KennyWhy is that a healthy lifestyle important?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezOh, if especially with everything that I have going on, you know, being an electro official with all the kills, I you must have time to decompress and protect your mental health. I I I'm a strong believer. And when I go out for a walk, just by myself, I don't like walking with other people. I do not walk with people. That's a time that I can just don't think about anything. I just go out. I don't even listen to music. I just go by myself and and and I think about things, obviously. But I I guess the quiet time and we don't regional park is amazing because it's really like a little jungle and you can hear the birds as you're walking. It's just really relaxing. Um that's what I do.
Oh wow. All right. All right. Now think of Montgomery County um again. Like we talked about what she liked to do. Is there something or an event or happening, or even a feeling that you get a vibe from Montgomery County, Maryland that you hope that it continues to hold on to, even as it continues to grow? We're over a million reaching more and more every day because of all the great um benefits to being a county resident. Of course, it's one of the best places to live in Maryland or the country, right? Um, what are some what are some of the things you want the county to hold on to even as we grow and progress?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezI love the urban uh farms that we have and the farmer markets. I I love going to them. I have several in my district, and I support, uh have supported like three of them being built. And I I think they're awesome because it's not just because we're selling um food in those markets, but because the ones that I'm thinking of, we're growing food. There's one that we're building uh Loiderman Middle School, and the children in the school, they are the ones growing the vegetables. And then during the market days, they get to sell them. So it's a bit beautiful way to connect uh how we get healthy foods in our community and getting families involved in growing them, right? So um I love that, and I think that's really special. You don't see that in many jurisdictions across the nation, but we do have that in Montgomery County.
Let's hold on to that. And now I'm gonna give you a moment to share anything that you want residents and others to know um just from you, just things that may be on your mind right now, or ways they can help you help the county or help them. And then also how do they get in touch with you?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezI think right now, because we're dealing with the budget and we're facing uh a proposal by the county executive to have a property tax increase and an income tax increase, um, that is keeping me up at night. I'm just telling you. So I look forward to the public hearings that we're gonna have in early April. And I hope people can come and testify. Uh, even after the hearings, um, we're gonna the last day when we're gonna be actually voting on the budget is in May. So you have plenty of time to get in touch with us. But um making sure that we provide quality of life for everybody, uh, it's key for us. So analyzing those budget decisions, um, that's what's happening right now. And I know it's not like a sexy topic to mention right now to end this interview, you know, but that's what's in my mind.
Derrick KennyBut I think it's good for people to know that there's a process. Um, the process uh begins with research and recommendations, and then uh overall recommendation for the budget from the county executive. And then there's a thoughtful process that includes resident feedback and engagement that carries you all the way through uh council's uh recommendations or approval in May. Yes. So there's a thoughtful process is given enough time for residents to share their voices um in public form. So like anyone can show up and share, well, I'm not gonna say anyone, to show up and share their voices. And if I think there's even uh with uh Sonia and her team and Michelle and her uh the the information people um for counsel even makes it um so that people can submit testimonies electronically. Oh yes. So you can videos, yeah. You can have your voice, your statements shared in a way that's easy for you, whether or not you're working or you have obligations, your voice can be heard and it will be considered, you say.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezYes, definitely. Excellent.
Derrick KennyNow, how do people get in touch with you? Uh or your office?
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezI think uh email, telephone number, they you think I know that number by heart. I do not. But the email is council member that funny hyphen Gonzalez at Montgomery County MD.gov. All right. Um, and I do a lot of events in that community constantly. Um, and I started doing ask me anything events. Oh wow, I did uh I did I have done a couple in the last two weeks and they were amazing. I did one in English, I got over 60 people asking me like random questions, really random questions from 7 to 8:30 p.m. And then I did one in Spanish, also very interactive and gonna continue to do so. Um, so it's it's uh it's a way for people to come and talk to me without having an agenda and you and just me listening to their ideas.
Derrick KennyThat's very bold because literally ask me anything is really an environment where people can ask you anything, anything and people in Montgomery County will ask you anything.
Council President Natali Fani-GonzalezOh, they have. So yeah. And I'm ready to go another one because it was actually pretty successful. I was really scared at the beginning to do it, but I was like, you know, it worked. Bring it on.
Derrick KennyWell, bring it on, bring it on. And that's what's happening, MoCo. Ask Council President Natali Fani Gonzalez anything. All right, nothing's off the board. And um, feel free, make sure that you um reach out to her, ask her anything, uh, listen to the podcast, share the podcast, like and subscribe, and ask the question, what's happening, MoCo? Because you could ask us anything.
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