Meet Brent Tercero, USC Student, City Council Member: He's 26 (Really)
What are your accomplishments at age 26? Wrapping up community college? Completing your bong collection? Touring Vegas locations made famous by The Hangover?
USC Tercero.
Sorry to make you feel insecure and underachieving, but this is the guy your mom wants you to be:
His name is Brent Tercero, and not only is he a USC Master of Public Policy student, but he's also ...
... a city council member in Pico Rivera.
The 26-year-old won a seat late last year and was sworn in last month, according to USC. Turns out he's not like some L.A. City Council members who move around and cycle in and out state and local political gigs like porn stars changing partners.
Tercero is a third-general Pico Riveran. His grandparents moved there in that fine vintage year, 1969. He says of his inauguration:
It was unreal. There were a lot of people there, maybe 200. I mean, it was filled to capacity - not even standing room - and then there was a huge overflow crowd in the lobby. It was intense, but it was a great experience.
And get this. Dude actually went for his master's -- and politics -- after he was laid off from a teaching job at age 23. Yes you can, even in this economy. Tercero:
It was really demoralizing and frustrating. That spurred me to want to change fields so people like myself and everyday citizens didn't have to worry about failing even though they were working hard.
Tercero ran on a platform of, among other things, trying to keep Pico Rivera's second-highest-in-the-nation sales tax in check.
His means?
"I knocked on over 2,000 doors," he said.
Don't worry, kids. There's always time to realize your dreams, too. But you better get on it before this guy beats you to it.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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