Unpaid political activism

Do you ever participate in unpaid political activism? If so, what do you do? When and where? And most importantly, why?

My political activism comes from a simple belief: if we want to make our community better, we have to be willing to show up, speak up, and do the work. For me, activism is about more than elections or political affiliations. It means working to change systems that leave people behind, standing up for fairness, and making sure the people most affected by decisions have a voice. My involvement with the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee (HCDCC), Progressive Democrats, and efforts to restart the North Coast Progressive Alliance reflects my commitment to these values. Before serving on the Arcata City Council, I spent three years on the Arcata Planning Commission, contributing my time to local government and decisions that affect our community.

I also served as a staff collective member and project coordinator with Cooperation Humboldt and have been involved in solidarity economy work, including my most recent board involvement with the Redwood Commons Solidarity Economy Network. I believe we can build a stronger local economy by finding ways to work together, share resources, and create opportunities that put people and community well-being first.

For more than 30 years, I have called Arcata home, and giving back to this community has always been important to me. Much of my volunteer work has involved helping people meet their immediate needs while also advocating for longer-term solutions. I have volunteered with Food for People, including food gleaning to recover food for community members. I have delivered food to older adults, served holiday meals, organized winter clothing drives, and headed up an annual community holiday meal in my neighborhood. During the holidays, I have also helped bring some joy to our unhoused neighbors by distributing wrapped Christmas gifts, homemade cookies, and hygiene kits. My past volunteer work has also included Food Not Bombs, helping at the Eureka Mission, volunteering in support of Stand Down for veterans, and supporting Home Away from Home, an Equity Arcata program serving students by providing meals, connecting them with resources, and helping them build relationships with community members and local organizations. I have also helped maintain and stock free little food pantries. I believe everyone deserves dignity, support, and the opportunity to build a more stable life.

My work supporting unhoused neighbors has also included serving as a board member of Arcata House Partnership and participating in the Homeless Housing Working Group. These experiences have strengthened my belief that responding to immediate needs and working toward long-term housing solutions must go hand in hand. Affordable housing, cooperative housing, homeownership opportunities, and preventing displacement have long been passions of mine. I traveled to Mexico to volunteer building houses, wrote a UC Davis publication on housing, and have continued advocating for ways to help people build stable futures in the communities they call home.

Through Comunidad Unida del Norte de Arcata / Community United of North Arcata (CUNA), I have volunteered my time for over a year, helping connect people with resources and build community. This work includes food pantry services, free produce days, cooking classes, cultural activities, teen meetups, community gardens, and disaster preparedness programs. I have also helped organize community events, including our annual bilingual Disaster Preparedness Block Party. Our goal is to make resources and opportunities available to everyone, without income being a barrier.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was boots on the ground helping distribute personal protective equipment (PPE), essential commodities, and other supplies. I have also been involved with the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), supporting disaster preparedness and emergency response efforts. I believe being prepared means more than having emergency supplies. It means knowing our neighbors, sharing information, and being able to rely on one another when things go wrong.

My other work with young people has included serving on the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission, serving on the board of Laurel Tree Charter School, volunteering in the classroom, and supporting fundraising. I have served on the board of the Wellness Center, volunteered with local Girl Scout troops, been involved with YES through on-campus student services, and volunteered with Cal Poly Humboldt Talent Search to support at-risk youth. I have also volunteered with Relay for Life, March of Dimes, and Bayside Farms.

I serve on the board of Equity Arcata and am involved with the Humboldt Equity Consortium. I also co-authored the Mad River Union’s Valley West column to help bring attention to the people and issues affecting my neighborhood. As a Valley West resident, I know how important it is that neighborhoods that are too often overlooked receive attention and resources. I believe every neighborhood matters, and the people who live in a community should have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their lives.

As a Latina, I have worked to help immigrant and Spanish-speaking residents feel welcome, access resources, and participate in community life. I care deeply about supporting families, older adults on fixed incomes, young people, and our unhoused neighbors. Too often, people who are already facing challenges are left out of important conversations. I want them to know they matter, their experiences count, and they deserve to be heard. That means listening to people rather than assuming we already know what they need.

Environmental stewardship has also been an important part of my community involvement. I have participated in street cleanups throughout Valley West, helped with park cleanups at Carlson Park through an adopt-a-park initiative, and taken part in coastal cleanups, including spending more than three months helping clean up Manila Beach. I participate in the annual Coastal Cleanup and have volunteered with the Packout Green Team, the Humboldt Pet Supply Marsh cleanup, and other cleanup efforts. I have helped build and work in community gardens and volunteered walking dogs for Sequoia Humane Society. I believe caring for our environment, animals, and neighbors is all part of building a healthier community for everyone.

I have also worked to make sure shared resources remain available to our neighbors, including keeping our community’s free little library stocked and repaired. Whether it is helping a family find resources, supporting young people, cleaning up our streets, or advocating for affordable housing, I believe these efforts all contribute to a stronger community. Sometimes making a difference means working to change a policy or speaking up at a public meeting. Other times, it means delivering a meal, lending a hand, or simply being there when someone needs help. Both matter.

As a mother, I have always wanted to model for my daughter the importance of compassion, service, and showing up for others. I want her to understand that making a difference does not always mean doing something big or receiving recognition. It can mean helping an older adult, sharing a meal, supporting an unhoused neighbor, or taking time to help someone who needs it. These everyday acts of kindness are just as important as our civic engagement and advocacy for lasting change.

I do this because I care about the community I have called home for more than 30 years. My political activism, public service, and volunteer work all come from the same place: a belief that we have a responsibility to look out for one another. I believe we are our brother’s keeper. To me, that means making room for every voice, working together across differences, and doing our part to ensure that no neighborhood or group of people is forgotten or left behind.