Teri Castillo is a rising star in Texas progressive politics, part of a new generation of elected officials in the state who side unabashedly with the organized left. A first term San Antonio City Councilwoman in San Antonio’s working-class District 5, Castillo is also a University of Texas at San Antonio master’s graduate in urban history, a Burbank High School alum, a housing organizer, and a recreational boxer.

Since being elected to city council, Castillo has fought against gentrification and for public investment in goods and services, and she has often been spotted on the picket line. She sat down with Jacobin contributor Alex Birnel for some reflections on her first term as she heads into a bid for reelection.