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A message from Burien City Council candidate Hugo Garcia, who is running for Position No. 1:
How You Show Up for Community Matters
I take pride in the values that my parents instilled in me and my brothers growing up. Hard work. A dedication to doing the right thing. Showing compassion to all around you. And most importantly, that showing up with respect can make an enormous difference.
The City of Burien faces some big questions of how we address the continued growth and, how we want to honor our current community, while welcoming new residents. Throughout my campaign, I have also heard my neighbors ask questions about ensuring a robust balance of ideas on the City Council.
When I hear my neighbors share their point of view on the big civic questions we are grappling with as a community, I lean in to listen, I want to understand deeply the various perspectives at door after door. Rather than simply explain my positions, I want to know what community issues like safety and business support mean for each individual and their life in Burien. What I have found and what I have heard is that most individuals want to know they have a City Council that will hear them and show up for them.
Listening and show up is exactly what I have been doing for Burien, and what I will continue to do as your council member.
In my time on the Burien Economic Development Partnership (BEDP) and Planning Commissions I have attended over 85 meetings and invested over 142 hours into serving Burien since joining in 2018. During those sessions I have done my best to listen to the issues in front of each commission, take in feedback during public comment periods, and questioned city staff on a way forward that is best for Burien. I have also brought these issues into my communities so people know what their commissions and City Council are discussing and how it might impact their lives. I organized and held a Spanish language DESC business townhall with Latinx business owners and local family advocate nonprofit Para Los Ninos. I was on the organizing team for the Boulevard Park Block Party after numerous meetings on improving economic development opportunities in the neighborhood. We made recommendations to zoning and implementation of a legacy business program that made the reopening of The Three Tree Point store a reality. Those are just a few of the many, many topics I have served and invested my time and commitment to in our town.
As a member of City Council, I will continue to show up. I will be available to you and will do my best to proactively listen to your needs to help influence the policies I support. That is why I have showed up to every candidate forum, no matter the host and no matter who sponsored it. Yes, even after also knocking on thousands of doors over the last few months having one on one conversations. I showed up to all forums, debates, and directly at Burien front doors, because if elected I will represent all of Burien and I owe constituents the chance to get to know who I am and how I show up.
I am proud to be comfortable with hard conversations. The values of empathy, kindness and respect in this campaign are not an idea that just applies to those that support me. They are the values that I will bring when I show up as your city council member. Earlier today I received an email from a Burien voter and resident who shared with me his concerns over the recent Vaccine mandates. I first met him in person on a sizzling summer day walking to his doorstep wearing a mask to introduce myself during the primary and he wanted to know where I stood on vaccine mandates. I replied to the email inquiry confirming my support of our State and King County public health mandates. I got vaccinated as soon as possible back in March and glad I did, because I recently contracted Covid and am going on day 7 of fighting the virus since getting a positive test result. The resident was very insightful in sharing his opinions on why he was against the mandates, and we didn’t fully agree. He shared he was still likely to vote for me and that showing up at his door and replying to him while sick was a big factor.
Even if we do not agree at the end of every issue, I want you to know that I plan to show up for you with the same kindness and respect every time. I promise to listen deeply, hear your concerns, and act on issues that are of vital importance in our community. I hope I can earn your vote.
To learn more about me and our campaign, please visit:
https://hugoforburien.com/
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