• Why are you running?

    Why are you running?

    So I have been serving the city for the last few years and through that experience I’ve seen the threads of a common vision for Juneau. Obviously, we’re in a really important moment in history. In the short term, we need Assembly members who are going to make smart, informed decisions about our health and safety. But this moment is also an opportunity for us to think long term about how to meet that vision and make Juneau a healthier, more resilient and more just place to live and I want to be part of that conversation.

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  • Pandemic response

    Do you think the city’s response to the pandemic has been adequate?

    I think that the city has done a good job up onto this point. They have, their process has been very good. Their priorities have been right. I think we need to be using public health expertise to guide our decision making, because I think that’s what we need to eventually get back to work and get our kids back to school. I posed this question to my husband who’s a firefighter — and so he’s on the front lines — and he also agreed that, given all the circumstances, their decision making has been spot on. And I think we can see that in the numbers. 

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  • 2021 Cruise Season

    How should the city prepare for the 2021 cruise ship season?

    I think this moment offers us an opportunity to get in the driver’s seat. I think we’ve seen this summer that people still want to come to Alaska. We know we still have a world class cruise ship destination, but we also need to be thinking harder about how to bring in people who are going to want to stay longer, spend locally and come back because they’ve had an authentic experience. We want to make sure that we are supporting more local businesses and more local hires. And personally, I want a downtown where I want to go and be even in the summer and I’ve been working on the downtown area plan and I’ve talked to people from — people who live downtown and then people (who) live out the road too and they all feel like that as well.

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  • Housing and Homelessness

    What role should the Assembly play in addressing housing and homelessness issues in the city?

    I think the city needs to be playing an active role in dealing with both housing and working with people who are experiencing homelessness. We need more affordable housing options in Juneau, especially downtown and it’s going to take a proactive approach to be able to offer that. I think that, you know, we often — you know, people who are experiencing homelessness in this community are residents, they’re members of our community and they’re not always treated like that. And so it is our duty as a city to help provide the support that they need by working in close partnerships with the nonprofits who really know what, what that population needs.

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  • Racism

    Does Juneau have a problem with racism? If so, how should the Assembly address it?

    I definitely think that racism is present in Juneau and I think the first step to addressing it is acknowledging it. We need to acknowledge that racism is here and that Black lives matter and that Native lives matter and that people of colors’ lives matter. As a white person, I think it’s my job to listen to people of color when they say that they don’t always feel equally treated in this community and I’ve heard that and I think we’ve definitely heard that in the last few months. The systemic racism (review) committee that the Assembly just approved I think is an important step because it allows us the opportunity to listen to experts to tell us how our policies may be perpetuating disparities. Or how to make policies that are actually going to be anti-racist. And I think there are easy things that we can do, too. So, as an example, more Alaska Native art and language and culture in our public places I think helps show the community that that’s an important part of our identity.

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