In the midst of a radical year, five Sonoma State faculty members decided to promote equality and change in their local communities. From school boards to city councils, the Sonoma State staff aim to create a greater impact on and off campus.
“I hope to create a sense of community where parents, students, and faculty feel welcomed, listened to, and appreciated,” says Malinalli Lopez, an American multicultural studies department lecturer, who will start her position at the City of Windsor School Board in December. Lopez never had any prior experience in local politics, yet she said she decided to run for the position for herself and her daughter.
Lopez was raised in the local Windsor area, and she is the first in her family to receive a college degree. “I was discouraged from attending a 4-year college and encouraged to go to a community college,” states Lopez. Her goal is “…for low-income, first-generation college students to feel supported and know they can accomplish all their dreams.”
Lopez’s daughter will be an incoming freshman at Windsor High School, starting next year. Lopez “…[wants] to inspire [her daughter] to value the power of female leadership at a time when our political climate has shifted so dramatically.” In addition, Lopez looks to inspire women and her community as a whole, as she hopes to see more women of color in leadership positions.
Lopez is not the only one starting a school board position soon. Professor in Mathematics and Statistics at Sonoma State, Martha Byrne, will participate in the Bennett Valley Union School District School Board in December, as well. In an article with Sonoma State, Byrne stated “I think it says a lot about our communities and the positive role SSU plays in them.” Like Lopez, Byrne hopes to bring social equity to their communities.
At the next level of education, Caroline Bañuelos and Kerry Rego look to create an influence on the Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees. Bañuelos, a community partnerships coordinator in the Center for Community Engagement at SSU, and Rego, instructor in the Professional Social Media Certificate Program for SSU, aim in bringing attention to equality in the junior college system.
“This race is important because of the tens of thousands of people it impacts, the businesses, the families, and the economy,” notes Rego, from a Sonoma.edu article. She emphasizes the importance of the SRJC community as half of local high school students go to SRJC and stay local to the community. Bañuelos hopes to “…maintain [SRJC’s] existing programs and complete all the facility projects that are still to be completed with Measure H funds.” In addition, Bañuelos wants to incorporate more housing projects for students, as affordable housing has become a major issue for not only college students, but all of Sonoma County.
The final SSU employee running for political office is a professor of Mathematics and Statistics, Ben Ford. Ford is running for Cotati City Council, after the George Floyd murder and reactions inspired him to advocate and fight for change. Being a native of Minnesota, Ford was “pushed off the sidelines” after witnessing what happened. Ford already participated for the City of Cotati in multiple roles. He served on the Planning Commission, Design Review Committee, and on the Sonoma County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Ford’s main issue is police reform, as he hopes to establish specific systems for proper incidents, instead of solely utilizing the police force. “Cotati can lead with a positive response to national cries for racial justice,” says Ford.
Bañuelos mentions racing in local politics is more difficult during a presidential election year. Outside such a polarizing presidential election, Bañuelos notes the difficulty in “..competing for visibility with federal and state wide propositions.”
However, despite the challenges, Ford counters that local government promotes action and participation among the community. “Local politics is a perfect opportunity for actual participation and for those who show up to make the call. [Citizens] can see the direct effect of [their] involvement and action, in [their] community,” said Ford in the Sonoma.edu article.
Local government officials will know on Nov. 3, like the presidential candidates, if they have won the race or not and who will lead our community. If they receive candidacy, SSU faculty members hope to make an immediate impact in their community.
