Candidate for
Council Member; City of Richmond

I am an African American and Latina immigrant. I was born in Panama City, Panama in 1963, where I grew-up in a bilingual, multicultural family and country. My parents moved to the U.S. in 1972 and I went through the challenging process of immigration and cultural adjustment. At home, my parents taught me the critical values of respect for self and others, along with hard work and integrity. As a result of my multicultural experience, I have learned to respect and value differences and similarities. This allows me to easily and comfortably bridge many barriers. I attended Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida, on a full basketball scholarship, and graduated cum laude in 1988 with a BA degree in Psychology. I later earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix.

I moved to the Bay Area in 1989 and have worked as a counselor, youth educator, team builder and strategist, client advocate, crime prevention specialist, housing case manager for the homeless, and mental health specialist for 18 years. For the last 13 years I have worked in Richmond. I am also am a small business owner in the City of Richmond, and I spearheaded the ongoing efforts to create a merchants' association on San Pablo Avenue.

As a Richmond resident, I have been both the victim of crime and an advocate of solutions that prevent it. I support the Tent Cities Peace Movement and a variety of local community responses such as Mothers Against Senseless Killings (MASK), and the Not Today Movement in opposing violence and promoting peace. I resent and protest the slow pace of implementation of the solutions demanded by our community. I will work with our City Council and City managers to do much better.

As the President of the Richmond Heights Neighborhood Council, I promoted strengthening local livable and walk-able communities, developing stronger connections and loyalties with businesses in local corridors (like on San Pablo Ave) and surrounding communities. It is very important to me to keep the line of communication open with my neighbors in order to do my part to help build a wonderful, neighborly, informed community. In this spirit, I worked closely with neighbors and the police department to ensure that our neighborhood had a highly successful national night out.

As a member of Concilio Latino and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), I have collaborated with West Contra Costa County School District members, and community health providers to share information on best practices to meet the need of the Latino community members. I worked with the Latina Center and others in organizing the Children's March Against Violence. I oppose anti-immigrant raids, and I support a comprehensive and just immigration reform with path to legalization for all immigrants.

As A Rotarian, I strongly believe in the organizational motto "service above self." I have always been deeply committed to upholding high ethical standards in my professional life. Rotarians ask ourselves four important questions:

1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

As a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA-Richmond), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP-Richmond),

I strongly affirm and promote the historical contributions of African Americans to Richmond and our nation (Council Honors Blacks who Fought at Harper's Ferry and Letter from Don Campbell Superintendent, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park ). I have compiled in a booklet for distribution, the history of the Gary family of Richmond, [ a copy can be downloaded here] who in 1952 fought for civil rights and housing integration with the support of progressives, unions, churches and Black organizations. The Gary's story was honored by Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin by issuing a proclamation in their honor during Black History Month 2008. I advocate for further equity in the distribution of resources and for an expanded African-American community presence in our city.

As a member of the PEU-Local #1, I believe in strong, independent, and pro-active unions that assert and protect member rights and benefits. I was selected by my colleagues to be the strike captain during the last strike in which we workers fought management for fair compensation. I worked hand-in-hand with the shop steward organizing and coordinating labor dialogs with peers as well as management.

As a citizen of the United States, I see our nation in a very deep moral and economic crisis. We need to continue the process of rethinking and redefining ourselves as a nation and our participation in the world.

As a Richmond voter and a registered Democrat, I know that there are needs in our city that cannot be postponed. We need to take immediate action to stop the bloodshed, and to preserve the viability of a Richmond that is healthy, fair, diverse, inclusive, peaceful, green, abundant jobs and prosperous. No one will do it for us, we must do it ourselves We need a City Council that supports the People's priorities.