I am proud to be running for Fresno City Mayor. I was born and raised in Fresno until my early twenties when I moved with my husband and children to another city. My connection to Fresno has never ceased and we moved back over a year ago to be closer to my mother, Rosalie, who also was born in Fresno and lived here for over 80 years until her recent passing. Since then, my husband and I have decided to stay and call Fresno our home.
Throughout my life, I felt that politics is something you must be born into, destined to, or had to be politically connected. I did have a desire to voice my concerns and wanted to see change on a variety of social issues, however I did not know how to go about it. In the past, my attitude about voting was negative; I felt that it did not matter whether I voted or not.
I believed becoming involved in politics was something that I could never consider or even begin to achieve. I felt it was out of reach for someone like me. Until I was led on a journey of seeking help for my mother's elder abuse/neglect situation from various agencies and public officials that left me with no answers. I discovered many others were facing the same or a similar situation with no help or answers to a solvable problem. As I became aware of the needs of my community it motivated me to get involved and run for office.
As a result, I have learned and realized the importance of exercising our civic responsibilities can include more than just supporting and voting people into office, many times it is not enough. Equally important is participation or actions of advocacy for various causes, such as political, economic, civil, environmental, or quality of life issues.
As we look at our individual needs and desires for our own family’s future, we also need to look at the community around us, our neighbors, who also have needs and goals of their own.
Many times, political drama overshadows and distracts us from our civic duty and responsibility as American Citizens on a local level. Civic duty is required by law (paying taxes, jury duty, defending our country, etc.) and civic responsibility is stressed as a socially good behavior to perform (i.e., advocacy, volunteering with non-profits, schools, and community organizations).
During my campaign research, I was told not to waste my time with those who have never voted; this comment was shocking and appalling. This contradicts the foundation of civic responsibility. Then I read that failure to vote means that one’s voice is not heard in politics, skewing the vote toward those who are politically engaged. Educating and encouraging people about civic responsibility should not be limited to those who are like-minded or only aligned with certain belief systems. I hope this brings awareness to the importance and value of voting because your vote really does count.
Through my experience trying to help my mother, I have faced many roadblocks with local government agencies. This made me more determined to find a way to help my mother and navigate around those roadblocks. I will bring that same determination to city hall, if elected. Someone told me that “no” means find another solution. My focus is not to find blame but to find solutions to as many issues as possible to help our community.
I believe what sets me apart and above other candidates is my courage to want to bring change and rise above individual and societal challenges that come from running for office as a non-career politician. I will keep an open-mind and listen to community members’ ideas, needs, and concerns, so that together we can create a healthy community.
I will no longer settle for the status quo and the lies of inadequacy due to educational, economic, and social limitations that have kept many like me confined and excluded from participating in societal issues that affect our community. Everyone has a right to become involved in all levels of government.
This journey has strengthened my faith as a Christian and is a reminder to look beyond myself and circumstances. I will exercise my right as an American citizen and fulfill my civic responsibilities by participating in the changes that need to happen in the City of Fresno.