Arcata City Councilmember Sofia Pereira stood in front of a crowd of people at Greenview Park today and announced that she would like to serve her town for another term.

“I hope to earn your vote on November 6, so that we can keep our city a people- powered city,” Pereira said.

(AUDIO) Pereira Campaign Launch

Pereira was elected to Arcata City Council in 2014 and currently serves as Mayor. She is hoping for re-election this November for one of two council seats being vacated.

During her speech Pereira outlined some of her accomplishments in her four years on city council, citing her chosen speech location Greenview Park as an example. Pereira is proud of the city’s work in the recent revitalization of the park,  now the first in Humboldt County to feature play equipment for children of all abilities.

Pereira also mentioned that since she was elected, she has helped solve many problems across the city, addressing issues such as road repairs, the town’s budget and safety on the Arcata Plaza.

However, Pereira also acknowledged that there is much more work to be done, mentioning Arcata’s issues of a housing shortage, the threat of sea-level rise and the need for natural disaster preparedness. Pereira also discussed the death of David Josiah Lawson and the effect it has had on the community.

“We must learn how to welcome our students and residents, especially after our community has been rocked by the death of a young student, David Josiah Lawson, ” she said. “We know that this is a wound that will require the community to come together to heal.”

Pereira was joined by her endorsers Nancy Starck of the Department of Health and Human Services, Senator Mike McGuire and former City Councilmember Wesley Chesbro.

Chesbro said that Pereira is exactly the type of young leader that Arcata needs. “Sofia is not only young, but she also is smart, she’s energetic, she’s hard working and she has proven herself a real worthy leader for our community,” he said.

Senator McGuire also praised Pereira for her strong leadership skills, her dedication and her ability to tackle difficult issues.

“We need Sofia’s vision, we need Sofia’s values, her work ethic and her ability to get the damn job done for Arcata,” McGuire said.

You can find more information on Sofia Pereira’s campaign on her website.