Samba Baldeh is a Gambian born United States citizen resident in Madison Wisconsin. He is a young, educated and a highly enthusiastic Software Engineer who has been dedicated to his community in Madison. He has taken a giant step in running for public office in Madison as a Common Council member for District 17. Samba has exemplary leadership qualities and is not afraid to take up challenges of community projects to make a difference in every life he came across. Below is a preview of Samba’s own words on why he is running for office, his position and political platform. If you are inspired by a young family man committing to public life don’t look any further. Support this promising public servant in the making!
Samba Baldeh, Common Council Candidate, Madison D17
Donate at: http://www.samba4district17.com/
1) Why are you running for the particular office that you are seeking
I am running for Common Council to make sure all the residents of District 17 have a voice at city hall, and to make sure Madison is doing everything possible to address the profound issue of equity in our community. I want to hold community forums and communicate regularly with my constituents to learn what they care about, whether the issue is pedestrian safety around neighborhood schools or city spending on private projects. As a community, we will all do better when everyone is doing better, and when everyone is involved.
I am also running to advocate for policy decisions that will support strong, safe neighborhoods, which is important to supporting our schools, individuals, families and elders. As a small business owner, a software engineer and an immigrant, I have a lot of experience learning new situations and information and I will use that ability in the best interest of my district and the city. I also have a good deal of experience volunteering in the community – Big Brothers, Big Sisters, AIDS Network, translating for hospital and clinic patients, and helping organizing community conversations with police, for examples. These experiences have helped me see the diversity and needs of our community, and will allow me to be a representative for everyone. I have had great opportunities to learn from people I’ve worked with as president of the Senegambia Association, a board member of the African Association and a member of 100 Black Men.
2) What is your campaign’s strategy to be successful during the election?
My strategy is first to reach out to my community, let them know why I am running but also listen to their issues and concerns. Once this message and two way dialogue is established, I will make every possible effort to reach out to all my constituent members and ask for their support and vote. I also plan to send literature in the mail for residents that I am not able to meet in person or knock their doors.
I also plan to engage my friends particularly those in the district to volunteer and knock doors. I will try and engage businesses particularly small and minority businesses to make sure their issues are heard. While my main strategy will be to knock every door, I will also make robo calls and media interviews to highlight the campaign platform and the need for change.
3) Why is it important for people of color to run for political office?
Our community is made up of people who come from diverse backgrounds and experiences. If political office-holders reflect that same diversity of background and experience, we could have a more democratic local government, and one that is more focused on the needs of the people. Too often, policies are made without considering the opportunity cost, including the cost to people who have the least access to opportunity. If people are invisible to officials, then it is not likely people will really be represented, even if office-holders mean them no harm. There is also a diversity of style and inclusiveness that can go with diverse backgrounds. Our local democracy will be healthier when it can be informed by the richness of other traditions.
Platform
Openness and Communication – I will regularly communicate with you, ask for your opinions, ask what is important to you. I will hold neighborhood forums.
Strong neighborhoods, strong families and schools, respect for elders – invest in public and community space, libraries – including “express” or smaller scale libraries where it is not feasible to build a full service branch. Expand neighborhood response team locations and resources. Support city initiatives on early childhood care/education and after school programs and care, and we must make sure there are educational and economic options for older youth and young adults. We must also make sure older adults have the necessary community resources. Maintain parks and open spaces. Make sure the community has a say in the management of parks.
Community Policing – promote respectful relationships and trust between police and neighborhoods. Invest in neighborhood officers.
Public Safety – address traffic issues, resident and pedestrian safety – especially around schools, partner with county to address addiction – much crime related to heroin use. Promote community in neighborhoods, so that people know each other. Strong community is protective and healthy.
Community for all – Work with the city to make sure our resources are invested in an equitable way and one that improves circumstances for people who are targeted by racism and/or struggling the most. Make sure the new equity impact review process is thoroughly applied to the budget so that our investments match our values. Make sure we are investing in only what we really need.
Transit – Bus routes and times of service have to be expanded and fares adjusted to help low-income workers get to work. Routes and times of service have to be expanded so that riding the bus is an option for more people – and the bus must be affordable. I will support Rapid Bus if the routes appear to be feasible for the investment.
Affordable Housing – Way too many people cannot afford to buy a house, or the many market rate and luxury apartments that have been built in the last few years. We need to attract, and pay for, if necessary, affordable apartment homes and/or expand programs to make single home ownership possible for more people.
Homelessness – The city must partner with the county – or if necessary take the lead, to provide shelter for all, including a day center where people have access to resources such as showers, lockers, bus passes, job information, basic medical and mental health care. Make sure our city ordinances are not criminalizing homelessness and poverty. We should be a leader in this area for other cities. Our current situation is unacceptable.
Economic Development and jobs – As a partner in a small IT consulting business, I know the importance of small local businesses to our community. It is tempting to want to invest in the biggest corporations but we also have to look at sustainability. Small and local has a lot of value. Zoning that allows for businesses people can walk and bike should be considered. We should not subsidize development that brings low wage jobs. We should not invest in private development projects unless they bring very substantial public benefit and cannot occur otherwise.
Environment – We need to pay attention to our air and our water and protect these important indicators of health. We need to pay attention to the impact of new development on our natural environment. For example, as development occurs on the north edge of the district, we will want to protect the sensitive Token Creek watershed.
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