A longtime community leader is stepping into the political spotlight in District 46.

Dimple Wallabus, a mother, small business owner and former Community Education Council president, is running for a seat in the New York City Council.

Wallabus tells News 12 in a sit down she hopes to bring what she calls "real, on-the-ground representation" to the district, which includes neighborhoods like Flatlands, Mill Basin, Marine Park and Sheepshead Bay.

“For me, it’s God, then family and then community,” Wallabus told News 12 Brooklyn.

She says her experience allocating capital funds and advocating for classroom resources gave her critical insight into how city budgets work and how they can better serve families.

Her campaign is centered around fighting for local concerns, including opposition to a proposed homeless shelter in Sheepshead Bay and a lithium-ion battery storage site planned for Marine Park; both of which have sparked community protests.

“One person sold their home for $100,000 less because they didn’t want to live near the shelter,” Wallabus said. “That's destruction. That's destroying what we built as a community."

Born in Guyana, Wallabus would be the first Guyanese American woman elected to represent District 46 if she wins.

She says her run is not just about winning a seat but creating lasting change for the working-class families who call the district home.

“We’re on our knees in this city,” she said. “And the first place we can make an impact is right in our own backyard.”