“I first got involved in local politics a few years ago when I realized the true extent of California’s housing shortage. It became somewhat of an obsession: ‘why weren’t we doing something about this?’ I heard people make the most ridiculous excuses not to build housing and alleviate the shortage we’re facing. I felt that they needed to hear from someone who was actually affected by the problem they were creating. I didn’t think that I’d have to scream from the rooftops for what was really just common sense, that if you don’t have enough of something you should build more, but I found it exhilarating to be involved in city politics because you’re able to have a real effect on the local level, rather than just screaming into a void, like national politics sometimes feels. I was able to see the results of the letters I wrote and the elections I worked on. I met the people who were making the decisions, the city planners and the mayor. I helped get 60 units of affordable housing approved down the street from my house. I think that’s my proudest achievement, even though my role was so small in the grand scheme of things. Every time I see that apartment building, I feel so proud that I helped get that built. I made a difference in my neighbors’ lives! It’s really fulfilling to see that your advocacy matters and makes a difference. That’s why I try to get others involved, to introduce them to these things that I really care about. I hope that they find that same satisfaction when they see that their involvement is really making a difference.”
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