City: Norwalk
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.

as a youngster growing up in a time when Hip Hop was new I stumbled into Norwalk Records with my mom, While there I heard there DJ (DJ Vince) scratch some records and couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Scared to approach him he could sense my apprehensiveness, and asked me if I had heard of Scratching, I said yes. I already had a makeshift system but nothing like the record store, I asked him to show me a few things to which he gladly did, 27 years and 25 crates of records later. He still dj’s at the store and we still talk. I take my kids to see him now and he always asks if they have questions. That moment changed my life and showed me there was a whole world out there if you just listen. I am an advocate for music, art, and dance to be taught in school from as early as kindergarten.

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

It should be to promote the Arts in all positive facets, Such as Art walks, Open Mics, Independent Art Showings and Galleries, The promotion of mural projects to deter unwanted graffiti in areas in the city. The promotion of Dance companies, And performances in the city.

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

A huge role, I would like to work with the school board to try to make music lessons more financially available to all families. I am a strong believer that reading music is as fundamental as reading the ABC’s. I would also like to see more bike culture added to our city like Long Beach And Santa Monica, Which would add more functional art through out the city.

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?

I would like to see more Creative work space available in the city where tech and creative needs are met without having the overhead of a traditional office space, Rent a cubicle for your App pitch, Or rent a conference room for trying to close that flaw in your contractors security breach report. A google office environment with all the newest technology without the high rent.