by Rosa Beato
For
Women’s History Month, we want to highlight Comadres in Public Service. There is a long list of Comadres in Public
Service like Moraima Gutierrez who was promoted to Connecticut Deputy
District Director or Yolanda Gonzalez-Taylor who serves as a criminal
court judge for New York State or Glendy Zavala who just retired with 28
years of service to the State of Texas. All Latina Leaders willing to step up
and represent.
“Civil Servant leadership and civic engagement training encourage people to become agents of change in their communities,” said Las Comadres National / International Founder, Dr. Nora de Hoyos Comstock. “It also teaches about protecting our democracy while learning the resources and skills to identify the issues they want to effectively address. The goal is to empower and increase the number of Latina leaders to represent our voice and to enhance the overall quality and quantity of Latina political leadership. Education and training are critical to be prepared to hit the road running because public office and political processes wait on no one!”
We had conversations with two Comadres who have run for Public Office about what inspired them to run.
Meet
Julia Mejia and Tania Solé.
A
CANDID CONVERSATION WITH JULIA MEJIA, BOSTON CITY COUNCILOR AT-LARGE
How did you get into office?
JULIA: I got into office by winning by one vote. One
vote made all the difference! I organized my community and helped people
understand the power of their voice and their vote. I spent time in
barbershops, hair salons, laundromats---all spaces where people gathered. Try
to inspire as many people as possible that our vote matters and that our voice
makes a difference. One vote later, here I am in the elected office.
What spiked that love to serve the community?
JULIA: I have been fighting for my community since I
was about 9 years old. I was the official translator for my entire family. I
was that kid that would go to the welfare office, doctor’s appointment because
people knew they were going to get what they were looking for and fighting for.
I’ve been fighting ever since. I knew what it was like to grow up without having
anything and not having representation. For me it was important to understand
that I can make a difference in my community. I felt like that life of service
has carried me this far and continues to guide me in every decision that I
make. That love to serve the community, the love of my people, that drives me.
Porque ya tu sabes, el calor, el amor latino es una cosa tremenda that
compelled me to fight my way to where I’m at today.
Why did you run?
JULIA: I ran for office because I was tired of
elected officials asking me for my vote and then I didn’t see them anymore. It
felt like a very transactional relationship. When congresswoman Ayanna Presley
ran for Congress and won, I decided if she can do it, I can too. One vote win
later, I became the first Afro-Latina to ever be elected to the city council
at-large. At Large, city wide, which means I represent all 700,000 Boston city
residents. That’s a big deal because right now I’m the only Latinx
representation across the city. There’s a lot of work for us to do to make sure
we continue amplifying our voices.
What are your thoughts about all these women running for office?
JULIA: I think it’s incredibly inspiring. Women
belong in all spaces and places. When women run for office, we change the
conversation. We create space for us to be vulnerable, to challenge the status
quo, to show up in our true authentic self. When we do that, we can pass laws,
promote policies and protocols and procedures that impact the lives of those we
serve. There’s a lot of single moms in the city of Boston who understand what
it is like to juggle 2 or 3 jobs. These women are in the position of power who
are raising children by themselves.
I
think it is incredibly great and more women should run for office.
Who is your role model?
JULIA: My mother, Mirta Peña. She came to this country and learned how to navigate the system to support us. Everything I am, I owe to her.
A
CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE WITH ENVIRONMENTALIST TANIA SOLÉ
Why did you run for office?
TANIA: In 2015, I tried to recruit several people to
run for State Assembly, but they all declined either because they feared the
process or had concerns about the disclosures necessary to run. Finally, I said
to myself I cannot ask people to do something I am not willing to do, so I
decided to run.
What impacts did you make as a State Assembly Candidate that you felt made a difference?
TANIA: The first time I ran, in 2015 pre-Trump, I
ran for City Council member of Redwood City. I was inspired to run for
Assembly to address three issues: affordable housing, sustainability, and
universal health care. The second time I
ran, in 2022 post Trump, I ran for D21 State Assembly member as a Green
candidate opposing displacement and gentrification.
Would you run again and if so, why?
TANIA: Probably not. The reality is that local
politics has become very time intensive and yet is generally essentially a
volunteer position, as in the case of running for Redwood City, City
Council. While City Council members do get paid a small, nominal monthly
stipend, given the hours the position takes to be truly effective, most Council
members end up far below minimum wage and even paying out of pocket for some
ongoing expenses. Nonetheless, this is generally the entry level position
required to then run for state or federal positions. Once you move into state
or federal positions, these positions are properly compensated; however, the
reality of costly campaigns means that candidates must be strong fundraisers to
even begin to be heard.
Seven years ago, you were trying to recruit people to run for office and when they didn’t you did. Since then, lots of Latinas/os have started running for office. What advice would you give these new candidates?
TANIA: Don’t be afraid of losing. First of all, if
you have a real agenda and communicate it, your message will receive a lot more
awareness and can make a substantial difference, even if you lose. Second, you
can always run again. In fact, most successful politicians run several times
before they win. And lastly, do not be intimidated by the endorsement process
as the reality is that endorsements are more about endorsing your likelihood of
winning rather than endorsing your platform.
Who is your role model?
TANIA: You don’t need a role model or a mentor. You
can be your own role model.#
NOTE: Tania has been featured and written about her experiences in running. Read them here: https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/former-redwood-city-council-candidate-seeks-assembly-seat/article_8d23bf10-af14-11ec-bdd9-e7d55052ac40.html and https://www.gp.org/the_us_needs_a_strong_independent_third_party.
**This article was published in the Winter / Spring 2023 Comadres Connect Newsletter.**
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