Yousef J. Saleh, a proud son of Jersey City, was born and raised in the Heights. He comes from a Palestinian immigrant family that moved to Jersey City to pursue the American Dream. Growing up, Yousef attended Saint John’s Head Start and P.S. 28 School in the Heights. He is a graduate of McNair Academic High School, where he was elected president of the student government and served as the student representative to the Jersey City Board of Education for the entire 30,000-student district. Yousef continued his education at Rutgers University, where he made history as the first democratically-elected student body president for all five campuses. During his time at Rutgers, he was a Founding Father of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, a radio DJ, a Community Service Officer for the Rutgers Police Department, and was inducted into the prestigious Cap and Skull Honor Society. He went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from Rutgers Law School, where he was President of the Student Bar Association and served as the commencement speaker for his graduating class. A passionate advocate for special needs families, Yousef has a deep personal connection to this cause. He is one of seven siblings, including a sister with Down Syndrome, which has inspired him to fight for better services and resources for families in similar situations. Yousef has extensive experience in municipal government, having previously worked in the Jersey City Law Department, and he also worked at the Federal Tax Clinic at Rutgers Law School. He has long been involved in community groups in the Heights, advocating for good government and civic engagement. In 2017, Yousef ran for the Jersey City Board of Education as an independent candidate, earning 9,433 votes citywide. He has served as Treasurer for the Riverview Farmers’ Market and is a key organizer of the annual Ramadan Iftar in City Hall Plaza. Yousef is engaged to his fiancée, Kat, and they are excited for this new chapter in his life as he runs for Assembly. Now, as he runs for Assembly, Yousef remains dedicated to working tirelessly for the residents of the 32nd Legislative District, advocating for the issues that matter most to families, seniors, and hardworking individuals.