...More About Joshua

Joshua Bristol was born in 1983 to a single mother in the East Village of Manhattan. His father, a Guyanese national, was not present during his life. At the age of two, Joshua moved with his mother to Santa Fe, New Mexico, growing up with his two younger siblings. Growing up amid instability and resilience, Joshua is proud to stand beside his fellow New York working-class families, dedicated to amplifying the voices of communities often overlooked - where perseverance is learned early and community values are the foundation that binds neighbors together and defines the spirit of Brooklyn.

As a child, Joshua was diagnosed with a tumor that caused blindness in his right eye. In 1988, Joshua was flown to New York-Presbyterian Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery to remove the tumor. Joshua’s childhood was profoundly impacted, as the tumor also caused his body to produce lower levels of the hormones essential for normal growth and development. Joshua’s experiences, navigating serious illness, disability, and medical bureaucracy formed the foundation of his conviction that healthcare must be accessible and affordable for all.

Despite ongoing health challenges that affected his physical development, Joshua earned a full scholarship to Santa Fe Preparatory School. After his first year, Joshua's deteriorating health prevented him from continuing his studies. However, the school instilled in Joshua a lifelong commitment to rigorous study and cemented his conviction that education should be accessible to all. In 1999, Joshua and his family moved to Alameda, California where he graduated from Encinal High School. Joshua went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from San José State University in 2016, grounding his political work in ethics, social responsibility, and democratic accountability.

Joshua has worked in a variety of roles to advance education, social justice, and community empowerment. Whether facilitating access to books and fostering a love of reading, tutoring children in coursework and life skills, or engaging in grassroots activism, Joshua has consistently sought out roles where he could effect concrete change empowering children, families, and communities.
Joshua served as a regional delegate for Bernie Sanders in Colorado in 2016 and volunteered for Sanders’ campaign in 2020, remaining committed to advancing progressive policies and amplifying the voices of those often overlooked. Joshua is a passionate advocate for Palestinian rights, participating in and supporting events across Brooklyn to raise awareness, fight injustice, and uphold human dignity.
Through his work with immigrant advocacy organizations, including the Florida Immigrant Coalition in Miami, Joshua worked to uplift immigrant communities and remains steadfast in his dedication to defending the rights of immigrants who shape the heart and spirit of New York City..

Joshua is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and is committed to praxis- the belief that ideas only matter when they are put into action. His politics are grounded in lived experience, study, and solidarity.

Now, living and organizing in New York, Joshua brings these experiences back to the region where his life began - one shaped by immigrants, workers, renters, and families navigating systems that too often fail them. His politics are grounded in lived experience, solidarity, and a lifelong commitment to building collective power that transforms working-class communities