Candidate for
Council Member; City of East Palo Alto; 4 Year Term

There are several important issues in this election, but the most critical one is youth development services. 48% of our population is under 25 years of age, and approximately 61%of our youth drop out of high school. With such a high rate of school drop outs, our youth are not prepared for self-sufficiency. Even worse, the youth tend to engage in destructive behaviors. Most of the crime committed are by people 15-25 years of age. Therefore, I advocate for additional vocational and life-skills building programs for youth who have not achieved success in school. Within a decade, I envision a drastic reduction in crime- not through incarceration and increased police services, which have proved ineffective and costly, but through individuals learning how to support themselves financially. By affording the youth constructive opportunities, the city benefits directly by saved financial resources and a strong, productive community base.

If elected, I will work with my colleagues to help them recognize the critical importance of youth development services. With the support of fellow council members, we can revise the budget to reflect the urgent need for youth development services. Then, we can form collaborations among the residents, business sector, non-profit organizations, and government to create the pathways needed to ensure that our youth are productive members of society.