The election is coming up on November 8, and voters will soon have their choice among the four candidates vying to represent District 9. Mission Local will be hosting a debate between all four at the Mission Cultural Center on October 13, but in the meantime, we’re continuing our weekly question series.
If you are not elected supervisor in November, what will you be doing instead?
Respuestas en español aquí.
Melissa San Miguel, Education Advocate
I fully expect to be the next supervisor and I look forward to working with the people of the community, to give a voice to people who are too often forgotten and overlooked, to bring real leadership to San Francisco and to end the game-playing that has plagued our city for too long.
Joshua Arce, Civil Rights Attorney
If I am not elected in November, I will continue my work as a civil rights attorney representing tenants, workers, and public housing residents in our neighborhood. As Secretary of the Board of Mission Housing, I will continue to build much needed affordable housing in District 9 and beyond, and I will continue to help break cycles of homelessness in our streets. As a labor representative, I will always advocate for our working families and push to bring local hiring policies to the healthcare and technology sectors. I will also continue my environmental justice and clean energy work in partnership with statewide leaders like Senator Kevin de León. Regardless of the outcome in November, I look forward to spending some long overdue time with my wife, Lisa, and our two boys.
Iswari España, Training Officer with the Human Services Agency
I have learned so much during this campaign. I have enjoyed advocating for my community, talking to people in need, listening to my peers and their opinions. After this campaign is over, you will find me at vigil fighting for police accountability, supporting the memorial for Alex Nieto, demanding for Justice for Amilcar, Luis Gongora and Mario Woods. You will continue to see me at meetings fighting unscrupulous developers at the City Planning Commission. I will be supporting the fight against the 2000 luxury units, coming to the district, while they destroy PDR space in the neighborhood. I will continue to support the community fight against Axis, the Beast on Bryant and other similar projects that have free reign to destroy our beloved neighborhoods. I will be calling out the new D9 supervisor on their promises.
I will be sharing my campaign stories to inspire others in the community. I will be advocating for city workers and calling out my union for endorsing individuals that never advocated for them. Most importantly, I will be eternally grateful to my family, old and new friends, business owners and neighbors for their love and tireless encouragement and support.
Hillary Ronen, Chief of Staff to Supervisor David Campos
I have spent the last 14 years advocating for and representing the interests of District 9 residents, workers, and businesses. I spent close to 7 years working as a civil rights attorney at La Raza Centro Legal in the Mission and another 6 ½ years as a legislative aide in the District 9 office.
I met my husband on Valencia Street after bumping into each other every week walking from our apartments to our non-profit jobs in the Mission and we got married in the Women’s Building. My 3 year old daughter went to daycare in Bernal and attends dance class each week at the Bernal Rec Center. We live in the Portola and spend every weekend at either Palega Park, the Portola library, or McLaren. My daughter will soon be entering the public school system – most likely in District 9.
Win or lose the Supervisor race, my life, career, and passion has been the people and neighborhoods of District 9. That will not change. I will likely return to practicing public interest law with a focus on affordable housing, worker’s rights, or education. I will continue to be a neighborhood advocate.
43 Questions is a weekly series — started 43 weeks before Election Day — to question the candidates running for District 9 supervisor. Send us questions to info@missionlocal.com and let us know in comments or in an email if you think candidates have answered as asked.