Above: Olympia City Council Candidates Marco Rosaire
Rossi, Ray Guerra, Rafael Ruiz and their campaign manager Rob Richards, far right, this
morning in front of Olympia City Hall.
By Janine Unsoeld
Three candidates for Olympia City Council held a
rally this morning outside Olympia City Hall to highlight their
campaigns and progressive issues.
Although the candidates are united, and emphasize that they are not running
against particular incumbents or individuals, Marco Rosaire Rossi, Raymond Guerra, and Rafael
Ruiz are indeed running separate, active campaigns.
“We don’t win for what we don’t fight for,” is their
slogan. While all are articulate and educated, each has their own individual
strengths, stories and perspectives.
Above: Rossi listens to a potential supporter this morning. Port Commissioner candidate E.J. Zita, left, also attended this morning's rally.
Marco Rosaire Rossi, 33, is in the race for Mayor,
along with incumbent Cheryl Selby and candidate Prophet Atlantis. A medical assistant at Planned Parenthood,
Rossi graduated in 2004 from The Evergreen State College, has earned two master’s
degrees, and has lived in Olympia off and on for 15 years.
“I think Olympia is a good city, but good isn’t good
enough – we want to make Olympia a great city!” Rossi said. He listed his
priorities: create a day shelter, create a tenant Bill of Rights for both residents
and small businesses, encourage up not out urban density and investment in urban
planning, make the city budget process more inclusive and create new forms of
government and participation.
“We want you to be the city! We’re building a social
movement – it’s about the issues! We’re going to make you a priority!” he
exclaimed.
Ray Guerra, 38, is running for Position 2, along with
candidates Judy Bardin and Jessica Bateman. Guerra said he grew up in Florida in severe
poverty. His single mother regularly worked two service level jobs, and died at
the age of 38 of high blood pressure brought on by stress.
A bartender at Fish Brewing Company, Guerra has lived in
Olympia for 15 years, and is a homeowner in the Carlyon neighborhood area. His
goal if elected is to raise the standard of living for Olympians, noting that
service sector jobs have replaced manufacturing jobs.
“We want to promote local businesses that support
their workers….Our city council can do more than reactively
respond to local issues...we can be innovative, creative, and
exceptional in our policy and our budgeting. Many of our citizens live in the
harsh realities imposed by systemic poverty. We can and should address the
challenges impacting the poor! People like to fear monger about a $15 minimum wage, but I like
to think about the possibilities of what this new wage will achieve! If the
three of us are elected, and we have one more progressive vote on the council,
we can get a lot of shit done!” exclaimed Guerra.
Above: Olympia City Council Candidate Rafael Ruiz
Rafael Ruiz, 32, is running for Position 3, along with
incumbent Nathaniel Jones. He has lived in Olympia for 10 years and works at the Olympia
Food Coop. He is a former volunteer for the Emma Goldman Youth and Homeless
Outreach Project (EGYHOP) that provides emergency supplies, services, and
resources to the homeless and low-income populations living on the streets. Through
that experience, he said he learned how to listen.
A single parent of two children, Ruiz grew up in
Southern California, and told the crowd personal stories of how he did not feel
safe. For Ruiz, this also means feeling the lack of food security. He now has a
refrigerator full of food, but he has difficult childhood memories of opening
the refrigerator and having it reveal only tortillas, milk, eggs, and beans.
He stressed that if elected, he will have the
opportunity to fight for paid sick leave for low wage workers, policies that
guarantee shelter, fight for people who rent, police accountability, and create
disciplinary policies that reform, such as transformative justice models.
“Safety is really my priority,” said Ruiz.
“Trabajo duro para que mis niños tengan la comida
más sana, y Mexicana.Trabajo duro para pagar la renta y las cuentas. En cada
elección nunca veo candidata/os trabajadores. Yo soy tu candidato en
solidaridad con todos trabajadores. Voy luchar para subir el salario mínimo por
hora hasta $15. Voy luchar para mejorar los derechos en la ley para todos
arrendataria/os en Olympia. Voy luchar para mejorar la vida para los pobres y
sin casa propia. Voy luchar para establecer y facilitar la democracia directa.
Vota Rafael Ruiz para un futuro brillante en Olympia. Rafa trabaja para ustedes!” dicho Ruiz.
“I work hard so that my kids can eat healthy and
pass down my Mexican culture. I work hard to pay my bills and rent. In every
election I hardly ever see working class candidates. I am your working class
candidate in solidarity with all workers. I will fight for a $15 minimum wage.
I will fight for tenants’ rights. I will fight against poverty and homelessness
in Olympia. I will fight to establish direct and participatory democracy in
Olympia. Vote Rafael Ruiz for a brighter future in Olympia. Rafa will work for
you!” says Ruiz.
Rob Richards Finds A New Voice
The candidates’ campaign manager is Rob Richards,
who spearheaded the Downtown Ambassador Program through the Capital Recovery Center
for the past three years.
Richards says he was asked by many to run for city
council, and he thought about it, but had to admit to himself that three solid years
at the Ambassador Program, and three years serving on the city Planning
Commission, working on the Shoreline Master Plan and the Comprehensive Plan
burnt him out on process issues.
Richards was abruptly let go recently from his
position with the program but is proud of his accomplishments and is only looking
forward. Richards said he has created his own closure.
“I feel passionate about our community….It took baby
steps to make the welcome center what it is now and it looks fantastic.
Partnerships were formed with the business community, the Olympia Downtown
Association, the Parking and Business Improvement Area, and the
community. Although we’re not quite ready for a drop-in center, we’ve now created
a model that works. This is just the beginning for a larger three to five year
vision,” he said.
When asked by Rossi and Guerra to run their campaigns,
he jumped at the opportunity.
“If creating a platform of progressive issues will
engage and inspire more candidates who don’t have access to the process, then
that’s great. We want to create a real voter’s guide, scorecards, and develop
campaign services and do voter outreach and education,” said Richards.
Richards is looking for supporters for sign waving,
house parties, and donations for yard signs. Richards and the candidates can be
reached at www.olympiaforall.org. For the candidates, Richards can be reached at (360) 292-0565.
An opportunity to meet many candidates for city
council and the Port of Olympia is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, 7:00 p.m.,
at Garfield Elementary School. The event is co-sponsored by the Northwest
Neighborhood Association and the Southwest Neighborhood Association. According
to Northwest Neighborhood Association president Rip Hemingway, all but one
have agreed to participate.
For
information about local individual campaigns, go to the Washington State Public
Disclosure Commission at www.pds.wa.gov.
Above: Liz Atkins Pattenson and Madeline Weltchek support
a $15 minimum wage in Olympia.
