Alyssa Cigarroa announces candidacy for City Council District VIII

Alyssa Cigarroa has announced her candidacy for Laredo City Council District VIII. She will face incumbent Council member Roberto Balli and José Sergio Dorantes in the Nov. 3 General Election.

Cigarroa is the founder of Laredo Contra Covid, an online resource offering transparency regarding the City’s reporting about the pandemic. Laredo Contra Covid has quickly become the go-to platform for accurate information for both members of the medical community and citizens of Laredo with over 20,000 followers.

Cigarroa also started a Go Fund Me Page which initially raised nearly $25,000 to help feed healthcare workers. All meals were purchased from local restaurants as a way to boost their sales and positively impact the economy. Cigarroa was recently honored as an Unmasked Hero by The Laredo Morning Times for her continued support in informing the community about the realities of Covid as well as assisting those impacted by the illness. Over the last few months, she has accompanied her father, Dr. Ricardo Cigarroa, while making house calls to numerous Covid patients.

Cigarroa said it was those visits that inspired her to make a run for the District VIII Council seat. “I noticed a disconnect in the district. Many of the residents have been forgotten and neglected. There are issues in the district that affect their daily lives; I may not have all the solutions, but I do have the will and commitment to bring people together and find options that can make a difference,” she said.

“I truly care about the people who have called this part of Laredo home for so long. They don’t deserve to be abandoned. They deserve a voice”, she continued.

Cigarroa is the executive administrator of Cigarroa Interventional Institute and a community leader. She is the co-founder and president of Cultivarte, a local non-profit, and she volunteers as a board member for several arts and cultural organizations.

She is an avid and experienced artist who has studied in Israel, Italy, France, and New Mexico. Her talents have given her an opportunity to serve as creative director at galleries in New York and to undertake internships in Paris.

She sais that while the Cigarroa name may be new to the political arena, it is not new to service to the community. She is a fourth generation Cigarroa who carries out a family legacy of commitment to service and helping people. 

Part of her plan for District VIII will focus on the pressing issues of traffic congestion, mobility, economic opportunities, and access to health care. Cigarroa said that a drive through the district is telling of the need “to clean up District VIII in more ways than one, including improving street lighting, sidewalks, and handicap access.”

The safety and security of District VIII’s neighborhoods is a priority that she said she will address with increased patrols and police presence and the development of a strong neighborhood watch program.

“I live in the District, and I’ve listened to the single moms of El Cuatro, the families of Los Olvidados along the railroad tracks, and the elderly who struggle with the food desert and the lack of meaningful healthcare. I know we can do better,” she said.

Cigarroa said she will donate 100% of her City Council salary back to the District to help improve the neighborhoods.

“It’s time for change. Everyone is tired of being ignored, and everyone wants change. It’s time somebody cared for District VIII. I care, and I know if we come together, we can make a difference,” she said.