Ariel Escobar, BA '00

Latino politician and activist

Are politicians born—or made? In the case of Ariel Escobar, B.A. ’00, it seems to be a little of both.

Escobar has always been interested in politics and activism. During his time at UB, he was an officer in a couple of the organizations within the Student Association (SA). He took part in numerous SA-sponsored community service activities like working with Habitat for Humanity, food drives and more. He was a member of PODER: Latinos Unidos, (“It means ‘Power: Latinos United’,” Escobar explains) and LASA (Latin American Student Association). These groups are dedicated to assisting Latinos and educating the community on Latino culture. Escobar was also involved in other organizations in SA and in the community.

We are the Key to the Future

After graduation, Escobar returned to his hometown, Monticello, NY, about 85 miles northwest of New York City. There, he co-founded an organization called “Somos la Llave del Futuro” (SLF), which means, “We are the Key to the Future.” The goal of the group’s founders in starting SLF was to try to get Latinos more involved in the Monticello community. At the same time, they hoped to change how people in the community at large perceived Latinos.

Escobar notes that in his community, “We have 7,000 Latinos in a county of 70,000, but no Latin organizations existed. We wanted to make changes through community service and be proactive to assist in improving the community in general.” As part of his work with SLF, Escobar took part in campaigns to elect the current village mayor and county Legislators.

Village Board Trustee

The nudge into political life came later, at the hands of the mayor Escobar had helped elect. A village trustee had resigned. Would Escobar be interested in taking her place on the village board?

“I never thought about becoming trustee until the mayor offered me the position,” Escobar says. “I thought about it and realized it was another opportunity to step up to the plate and make a difference.”

Thus, about two months ago, the 28-year-old Escobar became a member of the Village of Monticello Board of Trustees. In his role, he helps make village laws, meets on a weekly basis with citizens to find out about their concerns, create new programs and more.

He has found that his experience as a UB student leader and activist began to pay off: “I do lots of networking, trying to get more people involved in the community, finding out what the community is all about, what we can do to make Monticello the best it can be.”

Monticello is a relatively small town, but its issues are as serious as any big city’s. Escobar has noted an increase in gang violence in the area. The village also is now home to “Racino,” the state lottery’s video slot machine facility as Monticello Raceway.

Says Escobar, “A certain percentage [of Racino revenue] goes to the state; another percentage goes to the schools. I’m for it, but we need to take on more of a proactive role instead of just reacting to concerns once the businesses are here.”

An individual

Though a newly minted trustee, Escobar is not taking a back seat to the long-timers. He “raised concerns” during his first board meeting by voting against a program that the entire village, mayor included, expected Escobar to approve. “I raised some eyebrows,” he says, laughing. “People said, ‘Wow, he’s an individual.’”

In addition to his position as trustee, Escobar continues to work full time as the director of vocational education rehabilitation at The Recovery Center in Monticello. There, he assists people with alcohol- and substance-abuse problems, teaching them about the ins-and outs of finding and keeping a job or getting a degree. He also runs his own business as a professional vocational-educational consultant, discussing with corporations how to find employees and manage their human resource departments more effectively.

His advice to current students focuses on gaining the skills he feels he developed at UB: “Get involved in organizations. You’ll learn the things you need to be successful in the real world. Try to improve the community because that also helps grow your leadership skills.”

Escobar is successful in his full-time work, but the political life beckons strongly. Moreover, while his attraction for politics has always been apparent, Escobar’s invitation from the mayor and subsequent appointment as a trustee seem to have cemented the deal: “I’m extremely interested in politics,” he says. “Maybe next at the county level, then to the state level. Who knows?”

Written by Grace Lazzara
August 2003 

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