HEY NEIGHBOR!

Thank you. This campaign has always been for you and by you. An impressive 44% of the town came out to show support for affordable housing, for workers’ rights, for transparency in governmental process, for improved avenues of communication and interaction, and for preparedness for an ever-changing future.

 

Our campaign was powered by the people, and I am so proud to have worked alongside you. We received nearly 40 financial contributions, some as small as $5 or $10. We ran numerous events, marched, knocked on hundreds of doors, and listened to countless townspeople express their needs. We engaged and energized new voters as well as people who stopped voting long ago.

 

The last six months have been dedicated to seeing this campaign through. In truth, running a campaign while holding multiple jobs has been the most challenging experience of my life. I worked hard to gain name recognition, to educate myself deeply on the issues, to persevere through continuous criticism and skepticism, and to stretch myself far beyond my comfort zone. I put everything I could have into this.

 

These 2025 elections have shown that many other American cities are ready for young, progressive leaders. Thus, the work has just begun. I hope you continue to attend Council meetings and present your public comments for the record. I hope you write Letters to the Editor. I hope you step into leadership positions in your organizations. I hope you show up to rallies and fundraisers. And perhaps, it is you the town needs, and you are a person who should consider running for office. We must continue to fight for a better future for all.

 

I wish my very best to Evan Perrollaz and his new administration. Evan is deeply embedded here and cares very much. I truly hope he can find a resolution to Holliwalk and support affordable housing initiatives, speed up the permit process, support town employees in a meaningful way, and improve Town communications.

 

You will see many changes in the Town of Friday Harbor over the coming years. Public utility services are currently being expanded. A handful of housing developments are in design. Lawsuits will be settled. Buildings will get taller. The library will move. The Town will need to navigate a lack of parking stalls and adjust for a fluctuating tourist economy, all while grappling with its identity. I hope we continue to preserve our turn of the century frontier architectural charm as best we can. Concurrently, I hope we begin to incorporate more Coast Salish voices, ideals, wisdom, history, and aesthetic into our story. We will benefit from listening more than we talk.

 

As for myself, I am taking the time to reflect on what is next. I hope you will continue to be a part of this next chapter in my story. Thank you for believing in this first-time candidate.

​

Onwards,