Redmond resident, community advocate overcomes challenges to run in special election
Published 2:59 pm Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Special to the Reporter
Things have never come easy for Redmond resident Nick Pernisco. The first-generation American son of Argentine immigrants had humble beginnings and overcame prejudice and health issues to become an accomplished entrepreneur and community advocate. He is now facing off against local politicians to fill Ross Hunter’s open 48th Legislative District seat in a special election Sept. 16.
“I’m not a politician, and I haven’t been waiting in the wings eager for a position to open up,” said Pernisco, 37. “In fact, someone asked me to run and it took some convincing.”
The Grass Lawn-area resident knows something about judicially pursuing opportunities. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease — a neurological disorder that slowly robs its victims of movement — in 2011. Since then he has continued his efforts to make a difference in the community.
“I thought, ‘Is this something I can succeed at and really make a difference in?’ After a few days of weighing the pros and cons, I decided that this is something I needed to do,” he said.
He believes in single-payer health care, low-income housing options, new transportation options to alleviate increasing Eastside traffic, environmental protections to help ensure the region’s ecology, responsibly meeting our state’s growth needs and fully funding education.
Pernisco sits on the King County Civil Rights Commission, where he helps shape equity-promoting policies for the King County Council. As a master of business administration (MBA) student at the University of Washington Foster School of Business, he founded a nonprofit to help young girls in Ghana escape poverty. He also helps promote Parkinson’s awareness and initiatives to find help find a cure, and says he is proud to be a voice for Latinos and people with disabilities at school and in the organizations he participates in.
“I represent the new 48th Legislative District, politically and demographically. I’m a progressive leader with fresh ideas and perspectives, and I embrace our diversity,” he said.
• After learning that Hunter was tapped by Gov. Jay Inslee to Head the Department of Early Learning, Redmond City Council member Kim Allen announced that she will seek the appointment from the King County Council to serve out the balance of Hunter’s term.
