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If I Make It to 16…
Mar 23, 2026 ·
1h 12m 29s
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If I Make It to 16…
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Description
Mercedes Vasquez Simmons doesn’t just talk about change… she walks into it swinging. Monroe County legislator. Boxing promoter. Former beauty queen. And if you’ve been anywhere near Bill’s Facebook lately—you’ve...
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Mercedes Vasquez Simmons doesn’t just talk about change… she walks into it swinging.
Monroe County legislator. Boxing promoter. Former beauty queen. And if you’ve been anywhere near Bill’s Facebook lately—you’ve seen her in the streets doing the work.
But this isn’t politics as usual.
She came back to Rochester for one reason: family.
Her mother—a civil rights fighter who helped Puerto Ricans gain the right to vote—set the tone.
Father Tracy—community pillar—showed her what service actually looks like.
Both gone now… but their mission? Still very much alive.
And here’s where it hits:
When kids are saying, “If I make it to 16…”
That’s not attitude. That’s not disrespect.
That’s hopelessness.
Mercedes tells a story about taking kids out of the city—North Clinton, Joseph Ave, Hudson—just to get them out for a day.
One kid looks around and says:
“Ms… can I tell you something? We don’t hear sirens out here.”
Let that sit for a second.
This is about more than policy.
This is about who gets seen… and who gets saved.
She’s now running for New York State Assembly (137th District)…
and she’s not coming quietly.
She’s coming in swinging.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/billified-the-bill-moran-podcast--5738193/support.
Watch the full episode on YouTube by searching Billified and support the pirate ship by clicking here https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/billified-the-bill-moran-podcast--5738193/support Thank you for making us a part of your day! Billified: The Bill Moran Podcast
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Monroe County legislator. Boxing promoter. Former beauty queen. And if you’ve been anywhere near Bill’s Facebook lately—you’ve seen her in the streets doing the work.
But this isn’t politics as usual.
She came back to Rochester for one reason: family.
Her mother—a civil rights fighter who helped Puerto Ricans gain the right to vote—set the tone.
Father Tracy—community pillar—showed her what service actually looks like.
Both gone now… but their mission? Still very much alive.
And here’s where it hits:
When kids are saying, “If I make it to 16…”
That’s not attitude. That’s not disrespect.
That’s hopelessness.
Mercedes tells a story about taking kids out of the city—North Clinton, Joseph Ave, Hudson—just to get them out for a day.
One kid looks around and says:
“Ms… can I tell you something? We don’t hear sirens out here.”
Let that sit for a second.
This is about more than policy.
This is about who gets seen… and who gets saved.
She’s now running for New York State Assembly (137th District)…
and she’s not coming quietly.
She’s coming in swinging.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/billified-the-bill-moran-podcast--5738193/support.
Watch the full episode on YouTube by searching Billified and support the pirate ship by clicking here https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/billified-the-bill-moran-podcast--5738193/support Thank you for making us a part of your day! Billified: The Bill Moran Podcast
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