City: South Gate
Position Seeking: City Council

Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up and its impact on you.

Growing up in South Gate I was part of the Marching Band at South Gate Jr. High, now South Gate Middle School. This was a great experience for me as I had the opportunity to learn to play an instrument to the point that I participated in the South Gate Children Christmas Lane Parade, and the Disneyland Main Street Musical Parade every year while at South Gate Jr High School.
It was a great experience because I learned to play an instrument, make new friends, and enjoyed new experiences through music.
I am grateful to have had this opportunity because it helped me with with academic performance, decision making, creativity, building relationships, and most importantly, staying out of trouble.
I believe music was one of the reasons I was able to go on to college and become a professional, and I believe the arts are important and can make a huge impact in the lives of many children within our community.

Question 2: What do you believe the role of City Council should be in developing and supporting the region’s arts and cultural infrastructure?

City Council should promote and encourage art and culture throughout the City and foster an environment conducive to involvement of parents, children, schools, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders within the community. The importance of art and culture in children’s lives should be communicated to all stakeholders, and the availability of these types of programs within the community should also be communicated.
By everyone working together this topic can receive the proper attention and awareness so stakeholders are informed about what they can do to help.

Question 3: What’s your vision for the city? What role, if any, does art and culture play in advancing that vision?

My vision for the City of South Gate is growth at all levels via increased civic involvement throughout the City so communication about topics that affect residents can improve and every resident is aware of what is going on around our City. My goal is to make sure residents in our City know their voice counts and is needed to help our community grow.
By this, we can increase civic participation, growth in our economy, develop talent within our community, and improve our overall infrastructure.
Art and culture can help advance this vision by bringing the community together for the interest of our community as a whole. Events such as talent shows, concerts by local bands, and art shows promoting local artists can help promote the arts and bring attention to the importance of their presence within our community and our lives. Events such as these can foster a sense of community, which can then lead to increased civic participation and improved communication within our community, and help our voice be heard so the needs of the community can be addressed.

Questions 4: A recent report by the Otis College of Design found that 1 in every 6 jobs in LA County supports the creative sector and economy in Los Angeles County. If elected, how will you aim to ensure the continued vitality and growth of the creative economy and the artistic community that it supports?

A creative sector and economy is important in every community, as such, I will aim to inform residents about the role this plays in our lives and community. This can be done by inviting stakeholders from our community such as parents, nonprofit organizations, schools, and City officials to have frequent discussions about the status of our creative sector and economy so the needs of the community are addressed. This is a process that requires stakeholders be involved and voice their thoughts and opinion, and my goal is to make sure everyone within our community knows their voice is heard.