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MY NAME IS DAVIDI GREW UP IN A NEIGHBORHOOD CALLED DOVE SPRINGS AND SOUTHEAST AUSTIN IS A COMMUNITY THAT I HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN AND LOVED.
AND IT'S THE COMMUNITY THAT DESPITE BEING SO UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED HAS REMAINED VIBRANT AND RESILIENT AND HAS GIVEN ME AND OTHER SO MUCH THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF MY FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS AND BILINGUAL EDUCATORS, LIBRARY AND REC CENTER STAFF, COMMUNITY LEADERS THROUGHOUT.
I WAS ABLE TO REALIZE MY DREAM OF ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN AND BECOMING THE FIRST PERSON IN MY FAMILY TO EARN A COLLEGE DEGREE.
AND SINCE MY TIME AT THE UNIVERSITY, I WORKED TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CHILDREN AND THE FAMILIES WHO ARE STILL FACING MANY OF THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AND WHO FACE EVEN BIGGER CHALLENGES THAT HAVE ARISEN AS OUR CITY HAS CONTINUED TO GROW.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS A BOARD MEMBER FOR MY LABOR UNION OPS ME 1624 AS THE CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN TO HANDLE DEMOCRATS, UH, AS AN ELECTED MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
AND FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS, I WORKED AS A SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR AND CHIEF OF STAFF.
I'M AUSTIN CITY HALL, WORKING TO MOVE FORWARD, PROGRESSIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES, UM, AT THE CITY COUNCIL MORE RECENTLY DURING THE DEMEC I SERVED AS A COMMUNITY LIAISON FOR TRAVIS COUNTY WORKING TO PROVIDE FOOD PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND OTHER VITAL RESOURCES TO THE FAMILIES IN SOUTH STOCKTON THAT ARE BEING DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED DEPENDENT BY THE PANDEMICS.
AND THE REASON THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN AND IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY IS BECAUSE WE HAVE FACED DECADES AND DECADES OF INSTITUTIONAL NEGLECT, WHICH HAVE LEFT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS VULNERABLE WITH PREEXISTING CONDITIONS LIKE HOUSING INSTABILITY, FOOD INSECURITY, LACK OF ACCESS TO QUALITY, HEALTHCARE CHILDCARE, EDUCATIONAL, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.
MANY OF OUR FRIENDS, FAMILIES, NEIGHBORS ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING AS MINE, ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO ARE OUT THERE RISKING THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR LIVES PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT NOT BEING GIVEN THE ESSENTIAL PROTECTIONS THAT THEY NEED OR DESERVE.
THEY ARE BEING ASKED TO RISK THEIR LIVES WITHOUT BEING GIVEN A WHOLE LOT OF CHOICE, UM, OR COMPENSATION OR PROTECTIONS.
AND SO I'M RUNNING TO DO ALL THAT I CAN TO HELP BETTER THE LIVES OF WORKING FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M RUNNING TO MAKE SURE THAT SOUTHEAST AUSTIN HAS OWN VOICE.
WHEN DECISIONS ABOUT HEALTH OR SAFETY OR QUALITY OF LIFE ARE BEING MADE AT CITY HALL AND I'M RUNNING TO HELP BUILD AN AUSTIN FOR ALL WHERE EVERY SINGLE PERSON, REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE COME FROM, HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS AND ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL.
AND FOR THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE, WE HAVE EARNED THE ENDORSEMENT OF SO MANY LABOR AND DEMOCRATIC LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE SUPPORT OF THE WORKERS DEFENSE ACTION FUND OF APPS, ME AND THE CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL, WHICH INCLUDES ORGANIZATIONS LIKE EDUCATION, AUSTIN, LIKE YUNA UNITE HERE IPW AND SO MANY MORE.
AND WE'VE EARNED THE SUPPORT OF EVERY DEMOCRATIC CLUB THAT HAS ENDORSED, UH, LOCALLY, INCLUDING THE SOUTH AUSTIN DEMOCRATS, THE AUSTIN CHICANO DEMOCRATS.
I COST THE DEMOCRATS, THE AUSTIN ENVIRONMENTAL DEMOCRATS, UH, AND SO MANY OTHER GROUPS.
WE'VE ALSO EARNED THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE AUSTIN FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION.
AND, UH, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
UM, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY IS INVESTING IN, IN OUR CAMPAIGN.
AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING US, IF YOU SHARE THIS VISION, UH, I HUMBLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR BOAT.
UH, YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS DAVID