LYNN — Coco Alinsug, the first Filipino-American candidate in Lynn history — and first openly-gay candidate for ward councilor — kicked off his campaign for City Council Friday night at Christopher’s Cafe.
Alinsug — who is seeking to fill the Ward 3 seat that was left vacant when City Council President Darren Cyr opted to run for mayor — said he is committed to bringing all of the lessons he’s learned in his life, and the love he has for the people of Lynn, to improve the ward.
Alinsug has a long history of working in the communities he lives in, starting when he was 14 and growing up in the Philippines — he recalled a time when he rallied his neighbors to build a youth center since the government could not afford to build it itself.
When he was 18, Alinsug was the youngest staff member for the president of the Philippines at the time. At 22, he was the youngest delegate sent to represent the Philippines at the United Nations, marking his first exposure to the United States.
Alinsug said that experience made him fall in love with America, and so, at age 23, he moved to the United States with no plan and only $200 in his pocket.
“My only goal (when I moved here) was to live my life as a gay man, to marry and meet somebody, and to not hide any secrets at all,” Alinsug said. “I might have had a good future in the Philippines as a politician, but I would never live with or marry the person I love.”
Alinsug is the only LGBTQ+ candidate in the 2021 City Council race and currently dedicates time to planning and coordinating LGBTQ+ events, including the Pride month events occurring in the city over the past couple of weeks.
Alinsug has lived in Lynn for 18 years; upon his arrival, he immediately started volunteering at Goldfish Pond by cleaning, planting and decorating the area. He and his husband, Peter Cipriano, still do this work to engage the neighborhood and keep the pond clean.
Alinsug said that during his campaigning and door knocking, he had heard some disparaging remarks regarding his being an immigrant and not growing up in Lynn.
“Lynn is a place of diversity with people that come from different cultures and different backgrounds,” he said. “I might have not lived here my whole life, but this is my home now.”
If elected, Alinsug says he hopes to work to improve the neighborhoods in his ward while engaging with residents to push for what is best for them.
This includes working with city and state officials to help create more affordable housing for seniors, veterans, lower-income residents and municipal employees; empowering the youth, senior citizens and others to help each of them achieve his or her fullest potential; and working toward the objective of not raising property taxes in the near future.
Alinsug said he will conduct semiannual ward meetings to discuss concerns and update constituents about current city projects, adding that he hopes to hire a volunteer intern to interact with City Hall as a liaison officer for Ward 3.
Regarding events in his ward, Alinsug said he plans to promote and participate in regular Ward 3 cleanups and provide regular updates to constituents through newsletters and social media outlets.
To improve the quality of the ward, Alinsug said he will work toward the rehabilitation of Kiley Playground, Clark Street Playground, Goldfish Pond and other areas in need.
In an effort to improve safety, Alinsug said he also has plans to incorporate better street lighting, clear blocked traffic signage, and improve street maintenance.
Longtime friend Eileen Duff, who serves on the Governor’s council, said Lynn has a big spot in her heart, but “Coco has a bigger one.”
“To have someone of his caliber, who comes not from just a family of service, he has dedicated his whole life to service and coming from contribution,” Duff said. “People like Coco are exactly who we need stepping up right now.”
Ward 3 resident Margot Abels said she is honored to endorse Alinsug and that it is the first time in a long time that she has felt entirely confident about a candidate.
“Coco is a mover and a shaker,” Abels said. “He embodies contradictions of the best kind. He is deeply thoughtful and he makes things happen. He listens and he problem solves. He is caring and he’s fierce. He takes charge and he delegates.”
Abels said Alinsug is the perfect person to lead Ward 3, adding it is “striking how much he loves this country, and his chosen city.”
Alinsug faces a challenge from George Meimeteas, who was defeated by Cyr in the Ward 3 race two years ago.
Allysha Dunnigan can be reached at [email protected].
