Question 1: Why are you running for Councilor and what particular skills can you bring to the position?
Salem is an incredible community that has given my family and our farm the opportunity to grow. I am running for city council to be able to serve my community, and be an advocate on the council. I am committed to ensuring that Salem continues to grow as an innovative city, putting emphasis on small, local businesses, thriving public schools, unique arts and cultural opportunities, social justice, housing for all, and supporting families. I will work to make Salem a more sustainable and resilient city that is at the forefront of fighting the climate crisis on a local level. I will be a collaborative, productive member of the council, who is always available to listen and respond to the needs of our Ward 7 community members. As a parent of two young children who has joined a multi-generational Salem family, I believe it is of the utmost importance to ensure Salem is a thriving community that is safe and affordable for all residents, including seniors and young families.
As a farmer, parent, and small business owner; I am dedicated, hard working, a problem solver and collaborator. I understand how to lead with empathy and fairness. I understand many of the barriers facing small businesses in Salem, and am always ready to learn how to best address new problems that arise or things I haven’t experienced. I am someone who always looks towards solutions and am excited for the opportunity to be an advocate and support for the residents of Ward 7.
Question 2: What are some of your proposed solutions towards resolving the housing crisis in Salem?
It is vital that we support sustainable, accessible growth in Salem. We have to have thoughtful development, policies, and zoning that create affordable housing options for all of our community members. Salem has a young workforce who are unable to live here, senior citizens who are unable to either stay in their homes or downsize due to rental rates and real estate pricing, and there are far too many children in Salem public schools currently experiencing homelessness. Reintroducing the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance could help the city create this affordable housing, the ordinance requires that developers include affordable units in all new or repurposed housing developments. I promise to work collaboratively and effectively with the local advocacy groups, other elected officials, and committees to increase support for other current programs and create innovative solutions. Everyone in Salem deserves access to safe, affordable housing, and I am committed to fighting for that!
Question 3: How do you see Salem impacted by the climate crisis and what new initiatives would you take to lead Salem's resiliency efforts?
Concerning the climate crisis, we need to put more emphasis, and expand where possible, on programs currently in place in Salem such as the “Living Coastline” program and the other eco-friendly solutions through Salem Sound Coastwatch. Their work on helping preserve and restore our salt marsh streams, estuaries, beaches and Salem Sound watershed, including tracking our water quality and their educational work has had a direct impact on how Salem is poised to face rising water levels and erosion. We need to continue to research and publicize creative ways to stem the changes that are coming to Salem’s coast. More funding needs to be sourced and then allocated towards updating existing infrastructure, implementing new technologies off our coastline, on the ground restoration projects like salt marsh and anadromous fish habitat restoration, and stormwater remediation. We must also continue to investigate and invest in environmental justice issues in Salem, making sure that all of our residents have access to safe, affordable, and healthy water, food, and green spaces.
Question 4: Please outline some ideas you have that can enhance civic engagement at the city level.
Some ideas I have for improving civic engagement at the city level include:
1. To better connect residents of Ward 7 and beyond with the actions of the City by ensuring my constituents know what meetings, committees, and volunteer opportunities are available to them.
2. I believe that utilizing a digital polling platform as a means of collecting resident feedback in a more accessible way would enable more residents to be a part of the conversation on issues like local development projects, election topics, budgets, community art projects, and public transportation routes. 3. By and large, many residents feel it’s difficult to find information on the City’s website and many are skeptical about using mobile apps that aren’t specifically branded or hosted by the City of Salem; I’m very interested in seeking ways to make digital engagement with our citizens work better for everyone — whether through ensuring Ward 7 constituents are well informed on the current tools or researching, testing, and implementing new and improved tools, and taking a look at the way the City’s website functions and where information lives.
At their core, my ideas for improving civic engagement are about easy access to information.
Question 5: How do you think Salem should continue working on issues of race equity now that the city’s first Race Equity Task Force has submitted its report?
Salem’s diversity is one of the things that makes it the vibrant city that it is. It is of the utmost importance to me to ensure that all of our residents have equitable access to housing, education, food, and economic opportunity. Establishing the Race Equity Task Force is an important part of creating a more equitable city. We need to continue researching how to address systemic inequalities in Salem and committing to sustainable, realistic interventions and programs. As a farmer, I know the importance of food justice. As a city, we need to continue investing in ways to increase access to fresh, healthy food for all of our community members and address food deserts. We must also continue to address barriers BIPOC community members face when trying to start small businesses, and invest in ways to increase access to loans for small business owners and other supportive programs. Ensuring that programs for first time home buyers prioritize BIPOC communities is also important. As a councillor, I will be dedicated to taking action on issues of inequality, and continuously educate myself on equity issues in Salem and listen to the needs of community members.