MVP CANDIDATES

I'm running to bring a new voice to the Mar Vista Community Council as the only Latina candidate in a neighborhood that is 25% Hispanic. Having lived in this community all my life, I've witnessed the development—and underdevelopment—of Mar Vista with regard to housing, the environment, and public safety. My family has lived on the westside since 1914, and as a renter and soon-to-be mom, I am wholly invested in the progress we can make in the neighborhood as a whole. As a working-class, Latina woman it’s always been a struggle to afford to remain a part of the community I was born and raised in, a community my family helped build. By joining MVCC I hope to build a better future for our children. I look forward to engaging with all community members and working towards the shared vision we have for a better Mar Vista. Issues I support: -Cleanup/beautification of MV -Rehousing the homeless -Diverse land use -Affordable rent -Improved transportation -Local youth involvement in civics

Engaged stakeholder. MVCC committee member. Software engineer. North Westdale renter. That’s who I am: I have a proven record of working with fellow stakeholders & city government alike to find solutions to issues impacting our quality of life. I've facilitated meetings between Zone 2 neighbors & city officials, disseminated one-sheets about development in Zone 2, rallied Zone 2 stakeholders to comment at MVCC meetings, led local letter-writing campaigns to city agencies. I'll be honored to continue empowering you by representing you on the MVCC as your Zone 2 Director on all the issues, from infrastructure to transportation, development to homelessness. I’ve lived here for 10+ years, long enough to understand that we can’t keep sweeping our problems into other neighborhoods; we’ve got to address the root causes in our own neighborhood. The MVCC presents a pathway by which stakeholders can advocate for the betterment of our community. Let’s make progress together. ashleymarvista.org

I have been a proud Mar Vista resident my entire life. I will fight to protect the things we Mar Vistans stand for: compassion, equality, accessibility, and community. I am a middle and elementary school assistant teacher and college student. I look forward to bringing my voice as a member of the younger generation into the conversation of our neighborhood’s future. I will expand volunteering and leadership for Mar Vista’s young people, fight for community safety that serves all residents equally, and bring Open Government to MVCC. I will strive to be a thoughtful representative for all my neighbors.

I continue to support efforts to simplify and civilize the Mar Vista Community Council. The difficulty of voting must reduce the participation by 50%. This and the length of our meetings need to be changed. One cannot ask a community member to spend 3 to 4 hours on a community council meeting. I am pleased to see the rancour and dishonesty of the recent past are almost gone. Today measures can be brought before the MVCC without an ugly response from zealous communtiy members. Our challenges remain. The need to build responsible, affordable housing has increased along with the growing homeless problem. Despite the valiant efforts of non-profits and community members more people are falling into homelessness than being housed. We must address the issues that put people into homelessness in the first place. I continue to call for the return of the Aging in Place Committee and the Green Committee. My 10 years of previous service on the MVCC attests to my experience and commitment to this