Council District: St. Pete City Council, District 4
Q1 – Please describe your approach to addressing issues of race equity (2000 character limit).
My approach to addressing issues of race equity is through collaboration. St. Petersburg is a beautifully diverse city, and that diversity is an asset that makes us stronger. I’m the daughter of Cuban exiles, and I dropped out of high school to work full-time to help support my family so I understand the struggles our marginalized residents face.
Having a community that can bring a range of ideas and perspectives to the table is what helps us overcome complex obstacles. No one should get left behind in that process. I’ll work alongside every member of our community to focus on equity and continue our work towards a more inclusive economy that benefits our city as a whole.
Q2 – Please list three (3) key issues related to race equity. Briefly explain how they relate to race equity. (2000 character limit)
Education: Pinellas County has some of the least effective schools in the country, especially those within majority-minority and lower income communities. Having been involved in Friends of Woodlawn Elementary and The Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation, I am well aware of the importance of improving educational outcomes for children and bridging the educational gap. I dropped out of high school to work full-time at the age of 16 to help my mom. I obtained my high school, BA, and MBA while working full time. Given my life experiences, I understand how important it is to have equitable economic and educational opportunities in all our neighborhoods and communities.
Criminal Justice Reform: During my time as a former prosecutor, I not only saw the worst in society but also how the justice system is not an answer for all of society’s ills. The criminal justice system is not the place to solve issues such as homelessness, mental illness, or drug addiction. As a Hispanic woman, I was also particularly aware of the lack of diversity in our criminal justice system. I believe my background and experience will be helpful when addressing these issues and others on City Council. We need to find ways to help young people from entering the criminal justice system in the first place. The majority of the recent murders in our city have been the result of interpersonal conflict – I would like to see us work with our community to develop a gun violence prevention and intervention program. We also need to continue working on building trust between our communities and our police.
Affordable Housing: Housing and the ability to own or rent affordable housing is key to addressing the racial wealth gap. Redlining practices denying access to capital and credit for black and immigrant neighborhoods lead to underinvestment in black and immigrant neighborhoods creating inequities.
Q3 – Of those issues identified in question 5, which priority/priorities will you address first? How and why? (2000 character limit)
Affordable housing because I think that it is the key issue for everyone, especially minority communities. I support several policy changes that make housing more affordable. First, we need to work collaboratively with our state and federal partners to increase the supply of affordable homes. In addition to new construction of affordable housing, we can incentivize current landlords and construction of mixed use buildings to include affordable units in their plans. We can continue to streamline approvals and look for opportunities in increasing density as we integrate Vision 2050 into our Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations. I think we need to allow accessory dwelling units (in-law suites, garage apts) throughout the city, which will help homeowners and renters. We also need to increase the ability of duplexes, triplexes, and quadruplexes. We could also look at developing affordable housing through public-private partnerships on city-owned land.
Q4 – Two ways I have previously worked to address race equity are: (1000 character limit)
I am a board member of the Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation which focuses on closing the education gap for children in St Petersburg. I firmly believe that education, job training, and apprenticeships are key to creating more equitable outcomes for our residents. Once elected, I will work to ensure that all students have the resources needed to succeed at every step, and I will support workforce training programs for adults to prepare those without college degrees for jobs with promising career paths.
As the former Membership Chair for the Council of Neighborhood Association, I was responsible for establishing its Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Our goal was to bring together our members and neighborhoods to collaborate and find ways to enhance the diversity, inclusion, and equity of our community. I will continue these efforts as a member of City Council by working with residents from every background to find common ground and innovative solutions for the issues we face.
Q5 – Two ways I will collaborate with others to create more equitable systems are: (600 character limit)
If elected, I would take the same collaborative approach to city government as I have done as Crescent Lake Neighborhood Association President – bring in individuals and stakeholders to hear their concerns, formulate policy solutions and advocate for those positions. I’m proud to be running on a bold platform that reflects the need for inclusion, opportunity, and progress in our city, and I recognize that that means working with every stakeholder in the community. It’s crucial that we all work together to move St. Petersburg forward for everyone to live in and enjoy.
