My Story

My paternal grandfather came to the United States from Romania as a child in the early 1920’s. My paternal grandmother was born in a small village in Northern Poland and she also immigrated to the United States as child. My maternal great grandparents immigrated here from Lithuania. They all arrived at Ellis Island rich with hopes and dreams but with almost no material possessions. Life in these European countries for Jews was especially hard. Antisemitism was normalized. Pogroms were always a possibility and rape of Jewish women by the local male population was not rare. My grandmother would often tell me they did not come to America to become rich; they came here to become safe. All of my grandparents were fiercely patriotic – for them, these shores were truly the golden land.

I remember walking on a street in Pittsburgh with my grandmother as a child and someone derisively called her a “Yid”. She smiled and waved her hand at him and said, “Yes, it is a beautiful day.” Totally bewildered I asked why she responded that way. She said that it was her way of telling him that his little nasty comment was not going to ruin the joy of her day. In this subtle way I learned that people could disagree with us and people could  be disagreeable, but we can respond with positivity. When I did something similar after a fellow 3rd grade student made a disparaging remark about my heritage, my teacher, somewhat amazed, said, “You are ready for politics!.” That was 56 years ago, and I am just now putting my foot in those waters – kind of.

Obviously, running for an elected city council position is getting involved in politics but I have always understood politics as party politics. My parents used to joke that I was born a Democrat and since everyone else in the family is a Republican, I must have been a baby swap. After my father returned from serving in the Air Force during the Korean War, he became deeply ensconced in conservative politics. It was a great way to be raised because though I did not agree with most of my parent’s political views, I learned to respect them, and they likewise showed respect for my views. It was also wonderful that neither of my parents felt that they had to agree with everything the Republican Party said, they would occasionally “cross lines” and see the wisdom in a Democratic point of view. This was a great background for what would eventually lead me to move from the Democratic Party and become an Independent.

There should not be litmus tests in party politics but these days I see that more and more. It appears that one must be a round peg fitting in a perfect round hole to have a voice in either party. I am a square peg. I do not pass the litmus test for being “progressive” or “MAGA”. I had/have great respect for both John McCain and Barack Obama. I believe that both George W. Bush and Joe Biden are truly good men at heart though both are flawed leaders. I despise the parties attacking each other and erecting artificial barriers. Lawmakers need to be able to collaborate and compromise. Lawmakers need to be able to see that their side does not possess 100% of the wisdom. I may feel my opinions are correct on any given issue but if I am to serve all of the people, I need to have the humility to listen to opposing opinions with an open mind. Then I need to have the courage to vote in the way that represents my values even knowing that some people will be disappointed. I do not need to turn to legislators in my party and vote as a bloc.

As far as local politics is concerned, I believe it is time to move past party division. Local leaders should be exclusively focused on what is in the best interest of the city. Republicans, Democrats and Independents must join hands and work together. The voices of all residents- from the wealthiest to the most economically challenged should be heard. Our businesses and non-profits must be supported and championed by our city staff and elected leaders. The unique character of our city should be enshrined. The beautiful mountains with hiking and riding trails, the streams and rivers offering fishing and boating, our cultural assets - from myriad music and theater spaces to top tier museums, our vibrant and varied higher learning institutions, our growing first-rate medical offerings, and our many spring, summer and fall festivals define the true nature of our city. None of these amazing assets should be mired in political infighting. Collaboration and compromise are the paths to the greatest success for the future of Roanoke.

I arrived with my family in Roanoke thirty years ago with the intention of staying here for 3-5 years. I stayed here because Roanoke was a great place for my children to grow up. I stayed here because the natural beauty was unlike any other place I have seen. Most of all, I stayed here because the people here are truly kind, genuine and welcoming. Sometimes when we get caught up in the difficulties of our city, like budgets and potholes, we can forget the true beauty and strength of our city. It’s that beauty and strength that I hope to enhance as a member of City Council. I am a new voice but an experienced one. Not only have I lived and worked in Roanoke for thirty years, I have also served on myriad boards and commissions. As chair of the Family Promise Board, I became educated about the nature and needs of the unhoused population in Roanoke. As Commissioner and Chair of the Roanoke City Gun Violence Prevention Committee, I have a strong understanding of the violent crime in our city. As a member of the Equity and Empowerment board and chair of the subcommittee on Breaking the Cycle of Poverty, I have studied both the history of Roanoke’s racial segregation and the effect that it has on our African American neighbors to this day. We have some difficult financial challenges to face in the coming years. Nevertheless, I do believe that we can work together, make the difficult decisions, and successfully navigate through these challenges. We are the star city and working together we can make that star shine even brighter!