Nathan Sitaraman is a postdoctoral researcher running to represent the South Hill/Belle Sherman neighborhoods. Having grown up in the college town of Clemson, South Carolina, Nathan was initially surprised to see that Cornell’s extreme wealth did not translate to better conditions for the people of Ithaca, including its own workers. Over time, he began to understand that the high cost of living, together with the capitalist nature of Cornell, is responsible for the inequality that leaves thousands of Ithacans living paycheck to paycheck.

As an organizer for Cornell Graduate Students United and treasurer for the Tompkins County Workers Center, Nathan found that when people stand together in the face of inequality, they gain the power to bargain instead of having to beg.