A long-time activist, Manny has a passion to give back to a community that has been so good to him and his family. He has served on local boards such as the Lawrence Emergency Fund. He has volunteered and been a coach for numerous community organizations like the Leahy School Leadership Team, the Lawrence Boys & Girls Club and Central Little League. He is also the Co-Founder of Heal Lawrence, a grassroots organization that has undertaken the mission of helping victims of fires and other disasters in Lawrence.
Manny is running for Mayor of Lawrence because he deeply believes that our community has been divided for too long. Whether it be by which side of the river you live on, whether you are white or Latino, Puerto Rican or Dominican, the powers that be have found ways to divide us into smaller and smaller groups for generations. We can only move forward and thrive as a community if we do it as One Lawrence. With Juan “Manny” Gonzalez, that time is now!