When I was 23, I co-founded a health promotion non-profit organization aimed at promoting healthy choices and disease prevention in a working-class community that was predominantly African-American and Latino. I had been asked by a friend to work with the local university and the health department because those demographic groups had a track record of coming into a neighborhood and telling the neighbors what they needed rather than listening. I earned the trust of the people we worked with back then, not by inserting myself as a leader but by rolling up my sleeves, being humble, and helping where help was needed. That lesson has stuck with me over the years.
Our campaign has seen tremendous support from community members and leaders across San Diego’s 4th Supervisor’s District.
These people support our vision in part because it is rooted in consistently held values that they know I have had for many years. But they also are public supporters of our campaign because I have taken the time to earn their trust by showing up, by being true to what I say I’ll do, and by not just having ideas but being willing to work to implement other people’s ideas and respond to their needs.
Every weekend we are bringing our message to voters across the Fourth District. We share the importance of supporting every child, caring for our seniors, tackling our housing affordability crisis and many other issues. We are proud to stand at a person’s door with the respect and support of community leaders with decades of involvement in San Diego and let them know our campaign will put their needs in this community first.