Tania Arrayales

advocate, activist & new(ish) mom

@sustainablystylish

Upper West Side, NYC

“treat others like you would like to be treated.”

Tania Arrayales lives by these famous wise words — and then some, treating people AND the earth the way she would like to be treated. she advocates, she recycles, she campaigns, she thrifts, she volunteers, she composts, she documents, she — above all — inspires. here’s how she does it (and why).

where do you live?

“my partner George and i (and our pup Marley Sue) moved to the Upper West Side when i got pregnant for more space and for more of a family vibe. we were living in the West Village before. it will be a year in October.”

fill in the blank: this summer, you’re getting out and ____________ .

“going to the park! it's my first summer as a mom, and with COVID the only place i can take Sebastian is the park. thankfully i live next to Central Park!”

what do you do — professionally, personally, passionately?

“professionally, i just finished as the Chief of Staff for a congressional race here in NYC. personally, i’m a new mom. passionately, i run a Insta-blog on sustainable fashion and work to get women of color elected to office with AmplifyHer.”

what path led you here?

“well, the past few years i’ve been really involved in politics. in 2016, when Trump won, it lit something inside me. context: my first time voting EVER was in 2016 for Hillary Clinton. i had just become a citizen. i made the switch from fashion to politics and started to get involved and be a part of the process instead of sitting on the sidelines.”

what inspires you?

“the younger generation! so many amazing young people stepping up, and changing the world.”

what drives you?

“my son. i want a better world for him, and i want him to see his mother actively working towards that.”

something you’ve learned “on the job”?

“well, while on the political campaign, i realized that most of the news you read about candidates is placed by the opponents! the news media (maybe only in NYC) is kinda controlled by the current representatives — crazy stuff!”

we are living in crazy times. what’s life like right now for you?

“life is a bit different. for the first time in a LONG time, i don't have a job. i’m wrapping up some campaign things but really just being a mom. which has its ups and downs. i love being a mom but i also love working.”

what’s important to your daily routine?

“naptime! LOL. without it, i can't do my daily routine.”

how are you staying healthy?

“drinking water, loads of walking, and reducing my news intake.”

what are you listening to? reading? watching?

“just finished listening to The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary — highly recommend. others i finished that were awesome is The Silent Patient & Where the Crawdads Sing. (i “read” my books by listening to them during my walks with Sebastian.) just finished Lenox Hill on Netflix.”