Not new to this, true to this.
You may not have heard that line before, “not new to this, true to this,” but it’s one that keeps coming to mind when explaining my candidacy for City Council. I didn’t start showing up at Planned Parenthood rallies or City Hall meetings or PRIDE events when I became a candidate for public office or even because someone I liked was running for office. I’ve been showing up in these spaces for years because I care about this community and Austin so much.
Just today, I came across a Facebook memory from four years ago when I was the board chair of AIDS Services of Austin and the then-CEO Paul Scott and I met with Congressman Lloyd Doggett. Paul has since become the CEO of Health Alliance for Austin Musicians and I’m now running for City Council, District 9, but some things don’t change. People who truly care about the Austin community show up in important spaces as leaders regardless of if their names are on the ballot. Paul is leading a new nonprofit and I’m running for office, but - like Congressman Doggett - our long-term commitment to Austin and the people in it is nothing new.