I am voting for Megan Diaz Alley for Santa Barbara City Council, and I ask city voters to do the same. Working on her campaign has been a privilege and a joy.

Last week, while I was on lawn-sign duty, I was amazed to install a sign at a stately Upper East home and the next one at a West Downtown property inhabited by multiple families. The Upper East voters appreciated Megan’s progressive values and wanted the sensibilities of a woman in political office. We agreed that women work collaboratively, have endurance in achieving goals, and use emotional intelligence in communicating.

At the second home, the downtown residents asked simply, in Spanish, “Is she a good person?” In their experience coming from Latin America, a politician either cares about the people or is part of a corrupt machine and only out for himself. I was glad to tell them Megan is 34, rents an apartment on the Eastside, works for nonprofits, and wants to restore recreational services for our youth. One of the men helped me install the sign.

Remarkable and dedicated volunteers are working for Megan. One is former county supervisor Susan Rose, who works to improve the lives of women all over the world through the International Women’s Rights Committee of Human Rights Watch. Another is Ivette Gil, a graduate of Santa Barbara High School who was a star athlete for the girls basketball team. Now in her first year of college, Ivette was a student leader in many local organizations.

These two women — Susan an accomplished veteran, Ivette a youthful activist — see in Megan Diaz Alley what I see: a bright, young, progressive woman who has the courage to seek this wonderful, challenging job. Megan has vowed to ask tough questions and to dig for the answers herself. She comes with experience in finance, environmental protection, and city government as a Parks and Recreation commissioner. She has the personality to work with everyone and find common ground among good people of differing opinions.

I would be honored to serve with Megan Diaz Alley.

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