Activists and leaders from New York City public housing communities converged on the Brooklyn townhouse of Gustavo Gordillo, co-chair of the NYC Democratic Socialists of America, calling for his resignation. The group alleges that Gordillo has misrepresented his background, presenting a false narrative of working-class immigrant roots while benefiting from significant inherited wealth.
Reverend Kevin McCall, a civil rights leader, stated that the core issue is Gordillo's alleged dishonesty. "The problem boils down to the lying," McCall said. "Because if a person that lives in public housing is looking up to you, is hearing things that you say that you, quote-unquote, ‘stand for,’ and then all of it’s a lie, it doesn’t make no sense."
McCall and other activists delivered a letter to Gordillo's residence, where renovations were reportedly underway. Gordillo, who is 38, was reportedly gifted a $1.5 million townhouse in Bedford-Stuyvesant by his father, with an additional $1.4 million allocated for upgrades. The group criticizes this, viewing it as contradictory to socialist principles.
Gordillo has previously claimed to have been raised by Peruvian immigrants, with his mother working as a house cleaner and his father employed at Wendy's. However, an obituary for his paternal grandfather, Manuel Gordillo, reportedly details a different family history. According to the obituary, Manuel Gordillo earned a medical degree from San Marcos University in Lima, Peru, emigrated to the U.S. in 1958 as a medical resident, became a U.S. citizen in 1964, and had a career as a psychiatrist in Cleveland. He and his wife had nine children, including Gordillo's father, an engineer who founded a telecommunications firm in Miami.
Gordillo's father confirmed to The Post that he purchased the Brooklyn home for his son. He is identified as the founder and CEO of DraftPros, a company that serves major clients such as AT&T and Verizon.
Ramona Ferreyra, founder of the tenant organization Save Section 9, expressed frustration with perceived policies that she believes lead to the privatization and demolition of public housing. Ferreyra, a former DSA member, stated that Gordillo lacks the necessary credibility to represent public housing residents. "I think that he doesn’t represent true democratic socialism, right?" she asked. "You cannot study your way into movement and power for people. You can’t simply go to an Ivy League school and read the ‘Little Red Book’ and turn around and think that you can deliver the policies that truly serve working class people."
Activists left a letter at Gordillo's home, which was not occupied at the time of their visit. The group seeks Gordillo's resignation due to the alleged discrepancy between his public persona and his family's financial standing.