I'm 51 Arcadia neighbor! I'll officially be a senior citizen in less than four years. I've seen a lot in my time. As a Christian, I always want to put the most important and meaningful priorities definitely first in my life. I've been in service to people all of my adult life, outside of my artistic endeavors.

That's all I know, that's all I care about, that's all I've pursued since 1998. I work with both children and adults. I always want to find meaning in my work. If it's not meaningful, or if it doesn't serve a true greater purpose, or if it's not intellectually stimulating in some way, I'm someone who would not pursue alternate courses that deviate from meaningful, significant contribution or something that I will learn and grow from, or is intellectually inspiring and stimulating. In other words, I never wanted to become a doctor or a lawyer just to put money away in the bank and to pay the mortgage. Yes, we all need to pay the mortgage, but I'd rather have a few challenges in life financially and dedicate myself to something meaningful rather than be completely focused on money to the point where my job is not something that I totally believe in and is justifiable to me in the way that I spend my time.

I'm nearing senior citizen status, and the way I see it, you really can't take it with you. All you can do is contribute as meaningfully and positively as you can. That is ultimately what makes life meaningful for me. I think as a district three candidate, this position is meaningful because so many people are counting on you, and because I can see how you can do a lot of good as a local politician. So this is not only an inspirational position, but something that I can really and truly believe in, and something I can really and truly invest my heart and soul into. I take pride in my work, and I want to be up there giving our best to Arcadia. I wanna be proud of the decisions I make, and proud of the legacy I leave behind. For me, this is a position of a tremendous honor.

As a Christian and minister, I take this position and seat incredibly seriously. I've always walked with vision and integrity in my life, and I wholly trust myself to do so in the future. I want to be transparent in character, honorable, friendly and happy, and accountable for all of my decisions. I know most Arcadians are counting on our elected officials to make the best votes and judgment calls for all of us. I have written about making sound and fully educated judgment calls to the best of my knowledge and integrity. I don't take these things lightly, and I don't think integrity, respectability, and reputation are things that you should lose once you are seated on the dias. I think you only have one reputation and one life to live. So you have to live it well, with care and consideration, and care for others along the way, as is our calling. I think it's so important to listen to both the pros and cons of each situation instead of casting a hasty vote.

If elected, I hope that I can convey true love and care for our residents, as well as our fellow council members. I believe all good things come when we demonstrate love, compassion, respect, and real concern for another.

As an older person who looks quite young, I love and value all of our council members up there. As a person who's worked with people young and old across the board, I don't believe in fighting, arguments, or disrespect for the sake of political ambition. I think the most important lesson and takeaway that we can learn from all of this is that the council members are working family and a working team. Above everything else, we need to set aside our differences and care about one another and love thy neighbor and care about their concerns. Fighting doesn't make a family. We need to learn to agree to disagree, but most of all-- we need to put our priorities first. And I think in this situation, our top priority is looking out for all Arcadians, and caring about them and doing our best to listen and to respond and to help each other in this town. We've got to keep our eyes on the bigger goal. Service is service at the end of the day.

Service means that we've got to put other people in front of ourselves, and make those time sacrifices, and really do our best to hear everyone out and to make genuine efforts to meet our neighbors and friends where they are. The way I see it, each neighbor is someone's son or daughter, mother or father, brother or sister. As a substitute teacher, I'm always putting myself in the shoes of my students' parents. Wondering how they're doing, and what they're concerned about, and what is most important for the child ultimately at the end of the day. If elected, I will try to do my best to try to reach all concerns that are presented to me. And genuinely and sincerely see how to handle each and every issue that arises.

Time may be limited, but our hearts are not. We can always find room for everyone, and at the end of the day and despite all the stresses, I hope that our all residents and all our people know that we genuinely have their best interests at heart. I truly believe that we've got to practice loving our neighbors in this town of ours. I hope I can rise to this serious occasion, which I don't take lightly, and set a good worthy example, and not ever let any of our neighbors and friends down. I think love and care are ultimately what make the world go around for one another. And this is what service is all about. I recognize this, and it's always in my mind.

I hope to make Arcadians proud instead of letting them down. I went to school here, and I want to be civically proud, and maintain standards of Christian kindness, goodwill, and love and concern for all, and everyone's issues. Moving forward, I know I will walk with our residents and all of their concerns and worries. I don't take this post lightly by any means. I want to build the bridges and maintain the communication, and really get to know all of our neighbors here in Arcadia.

Life can be crazy and hard, but if we care about one another here in Arcadia, we will always do the right thing at the end of the day for each other. I've walked with God and wisdom and wise counsel all my life. I certainly don't see that changing moving forward. I hope to become stronger, more energetic, and listen better, and just be there fully for our neighbors and residents. I would never want anyone to be disappointed in me, and I am aware that I might have a lot on my shoulders. It's something that I'm prepared to shoulder with courage and integrity and love and compassion.

So to answer your question, I intend to move forward with all honorability and love for all of our residents here in Arcadia. I am a good listener, a devout Christian, a caring neighbor, and I take integrity and walking the straight and narrow incredibly seriously. I think that neighbors become friends, and friends become family. As an old fashioned Christian, I think some care for our neighbors and family-- goes a long way in this town. Let's have a friendly, caring, and supportive city council in which all issues are aired and taken seriously. We need to respect the fact that we can disagree, but we've got to listen deeply and listen seriously.

I think all bridges can be traversed peaceably with concern and care for all parties involved. I happen to love and care about all our council member friends, and I do believe that we can look higher and bring out the best versions of ourselves while maintaining the best interests of the city. There is no argument too big in which we can't stay friends, and look toward the future with positivity and real progress, and kindness and love for one another in our hearts and souls.

WHAT MATTERS MOST FOR ARCADIA

Rebuilding public trust begins with listening, openness, integrity, and genuine care for the people we serve.

We gotta care and give to others as much as we care and give to our own families.

A community needs solidarity and support to be strong, stay strong, and survive.

We need to be generous citizens, generous neighbors, and generous caretakers of our town.

We need unity and faith, and people who will step up to the plate and go the extra mile for each other.

We need solidarity, unity, strength, love, and care at the heart of our city.

At some point, we've got to understand that we've got to look beyond ourselves, and be looking out for each other. It's not about maintaining and protecting our own little worlds and stratospheres. It's about giving and caring and supporting others, and the contributions that we make and invest in their lives.

It's about understanding that there's a lot of similar and also different people around us here in this town, and genuinely looking outside of ourselves to walk in their shoes and to support them where they are. Life is full of challenges and hard times, and indeed, we all have problems. But things become a lot worse when we stop caring about each other, listening to each other, and supporting each other.

I think the best that we can do in life is to never lose our heart or our compassion or our love for the other people around us. We should view Arcadia as an extended family of neighbors. We are all connected in some way.

We need to be able to want to listen and hear our neighbors here as clearly as we worry about and attend to our own problems in life.

Their problems should be our problems ultimately.

At the end of the day, it's all about having a heart of altruism and love and concern for our neighbors, our young people, our parents, our seniors.

EVERYONE in this town.

As prospective local politicians, our lives have to revolve around these people.

We do everything for their benefit and in their best interests.

WE NEED TO SEE.

WE NEED TO HEAR.

WE NEED TO CARE.

IT'S NOT ABOUT US.

IT'S NOT ABOUT AMBITION.

IT'S NOT ABOUT POSITION.

IT'S ABOUT TRUTH.

IT'S ABOUT HEART.

IT'S ABOUT WISDOM.

IT'S ABOUT HAVING A FAITHFUL, STRONG & TRUE GUIDING LIGHT AT THE END OF THE DAY FOR ARCADIA.

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Let’s look higher.

LET’S DREAM BIGGER.

LET’S RISE TOGETHER.

“Let’s Build a Better Future Tomorrow.”

The best you can do with your life is to give to others and to Contribute, and to enrich your soul as well as those of others, along the way.

For that is Real Wisdom, and living it is a vital truth for me.

We should be leading with kindness and love and strong, courageous ideals.

Let’s get innovative and be strong and courageous and proud.

Let’s thrive and grow and progress positively and collectively.

United we stand.

I know together, we’re going to build something great.

We will do this city PROUD.

The best you can do with your life is to give to others and to contribute, and to enrich your soul as well as those of others, along the way. For that is Real Wisdom, and living it is a vital truth for me.