Richmond city council elections are coming up! Time for monster threads to document the candidate forums in a public, searchable manner.

First up - the Fairemede-Hilltop Neighborhood Council & Hilltop Community Church forum, which can be watched at ).
The forum is moderated by Robert Rogers, who works for county supervisor John Gioia's office.

The candidates (running in Districts 1, 5, and 6) are Ahmad Anderson, Ms. Dandie, Claudia Jiménez, Gayle McLaughlin, Vinay Pimplé, Najari Smith, Mike Vasilas, and Melvin Willis.
(Eleanor Thompson is also running in District 1, but a family emergency prevented her from attending this forum.)

Candidates began by delivering 80-second opening statements.
Ms. Dandie (District 6): "I am running because I have four children, a grandson, and we've been there for 10 years. The things that I've been doing in District 6, in Richmond, for the last 10 years, is I've worked at the school district, I worked with homeless..."
Ms. Dandie (continued): "...I worked with mental health. Just this morning, I received a call from (?) to help someone that was in need. Just this afternoon, I was with Caltrans, and looking at all the debris that was thrown off the side of the road. I am here for Richmond."
Ms. Dandie (continued): "There are a lot of things that need to be taken care of, there are a lot of people that need to be taken care of, there are a lot of issues that need to be taken care of. We've talked about a lot of things, I've been in a lot of things, I've been around."
Ms. Dandie (continued): "I can walk the streets of Richmond, day in and day out. If you need me, I'm there for you. If you want me, you can call me. I am the person for District 6."
Ms. Dandie (continued): "I am not just for Richmond, I'm with Richmond. And if anyone needs to know what's going on, just give me a call, I'm just a few seconds away." (End of opening statement.)
The next opening statement is delivered by Vinay Pimplé, also of District 6: "I came here as an immigrant from India. I went blind at the age of 10, but thanks to a lot of help from friends, family, and volunteers I managed to get a good education, a law degree from Berkeley..."
Vinay Pimplé (continued): "...I worked as a software engineer, I'm working as a government analyst now. So the issue I'm most passionate about is education. And when I was appointed to the city council in 2015, I had a lot of ideas about how we can improve education in the city."
Vinay Pimplé (continued): "But I got thrown a curve ball when our city got a junk bond rating. So I had to become an expert in city finances, and I helped navigate the city through its difficult times."
Vinay Pimplé (continued): "And that will be important now, because we just had a 7% budget cut, thanks to COVID. I'm really proud of my record of approving every affordable housing project that came before council, and market-rate housing projects. About crafting..."
Vinay Pimplé (cont.): "...a really well-balanced police accountability ordinance. So I'm the only candidate in our district, District 6, who has a proven record of doing what needs to be done, particularly with COVID, with reviving the economy and restoring our finances." (End.)
Up next is Mike Vasilas, of District 5: "I'm an East Bay native, and a Richmond small business owner. I graduated from UC Davis with a degree in economics, and went into my father's trade as a home-builder shortly thereafter.
Mike Vasilas (continued): "As a child, I worked by my father's side as he built entry-level housing all over Richmond, and housing is my passion. Fast-forward to today, and I'm in the same city that my father was, building homes. I'm in the same profession as my father...
Mike Vasilas (continued): "...and I'm here running for city council because I'm passionate about Richmond, I'm passionate about this city, and I believe we need governance that strives to best represent everybody, not just one side of the story."
Mike Vasilas (continued): "Obviously, COVID-19 has presented us with some big health and economic challenges. There's a lot we can't control, but what we can control is our response to this crisis. We need a city council that's committed to supporting and stabilizing..."
Mike Vasilas (continued): "...both our residents and our businesses during this very troubling time. There are a lot of difficult and imminent decisions facing our city council, but I believe I have a passion for and a skill for bringing a diverse range..."
Mike Vasilas (continued): "of perspectives together to come up with balanced solutions. I'm a natural problem-solver, and for the last four years I've been a 100% volunteer community advocate for this city, standing up for this city and its constituents." (End.)
The next statement is given by Ahmad Anderson, also of District 5: "It is a critical election for our city of Richmond. It is no secret that our city is suffering financially, and at the same time, the coronavirus is threatening our health, livelihoods, and business."
Ahmad Anderson, continued: "I will provide a fresh voice, new ideas, and results-oriented leadership. I will advocate for healthy, clean, and safe neighborhoods, without blight, litter, and graffiti, and properly maintained streets."
Ahmad Anderson, continued: "I will also work towards job creation, economic revitalization, working with skilled and training apprenticeship programs, career development, and (?) further to jobs and opportunities."
Ahmad Anderson, continued: "I will also work towards addressing homelessness in a compassionate and effective manner, leading more away from managing it, and leading more towards a solution base."
Ahmad Anderson, continued: "But in the midst of all this, we need to take a look at two priorities. One of those priorities is the comprehensive COVID-19 health and welfare plan for West Contra Costa County...
Ahmad Anderson, continued: "...and secondly the business closures and looking out for those who are losing jobs and opportunities and businesses. It is important we stand together, because it is we, us, together that can make a difference." (End.)
The next statement is made by Gayle McLaughlin, of District 5: "I served on the city council from 2005 to 2017, eight of those years as mayor. During that time, working with all segments of the community, we increased the minimum wage to $15 an hour..."
Gayle McLaughlin, continued: "...reduced homicides 75%, passed rent control, forced Chevron to pay millions more in taxes, supported immigrant rights, defended our schools, strengthened our police review commission, and much more."
Gayle McLaughlin, continued: "Today, COVID-19 threatens our health and demonstrates the core inequities of our society. My priorities include preventing evictions on renters and foreclosures on homeowners, addressing solutions for homelessness..."
Gayle McLaughlin, continued: "...ending Chevron's flaring and pollution, cleaning up our neighborhoods, building affordable housing, developing a local Green New Deal, and promoting democracy in all decisions."
Gayle McLaughlin, continued: "I bring to this job my experience, integrity, kindness, and solidarity. When we build solidarity and systems of mutual support for justice around us, we can live healthier lives with social well-being."
Gayle McLaughlin, continued: "Life can be joyful - not perfect, but much better, and certainly healthier. If elected, I will work to assure each and every resident experiences the best that life has to offer."
Gayle McLaughlin, continued: "I believe this with all my heart, and I look forward to carving out the road ahead with all of you." (End of opening statement.)
Now we come to the opening statement of Claudia Jiménez (District 6): "For the last 10 years, I've worked with the Richmond community, from working with moms in my neighborhood to rebuild our Solano Playlot...
Claudia Jiménez (continued): "...to negotiating policies to protect immigrant communities with Bisa French and Mark Gagan from the police department, to leading campaigns like Invest in People, Not Prison that allocate $5.2 million into services."
Claudia Jiménez (continued): "I am running because District 6, and Richmond, need a strong voice to make sure nobody is left behind, and everybody is included in decisions. This is why I have been endorsed by many organizations that typically don't work together, like..."
Claudia Jiménez (continued): "BWOPA, California Nurses Association, Sierra Club, United Teachers of Richmond, RPA, SEIU, and many other grassroots organizations, and individuals like city council member Jael Myrick, Melvin Willis, Eduardo Martinez, and Lateefah Simon."
Next is Melvin Willis of District 1 (the only person in the video to be wearing a face mask): "I was born and raised in Richmond, and for the past nine years I've been a community organizer with Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment."
Melvin Willis (continued): "Being an organizer allowed me to get into the community and talk to my neighbors that I grew up around my entire life, but I never knew who they were. I got to know their issues, and not only get to know their issues..."
Melvin Willis (continued): "...but been a part of mobilizing to bring people together and power numbers to fight for the issues that they care about in their community. That's why I was empowered to pass rent control and just cause for eviction..."
Melvin Willis (continued): "...increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and also strengthening our Sanctuary City ordinance along with working with other council members before me who also supported these measures."
Melvin Willis (continued): "Moving forward, we have a lot to recover from, because COVID-19 has caused a lot of damage. Homelessness has increased, job loss has increased, and people are desperate to find resources that are available for them to alleviate..."
Melvin Willis (continued): "...a lot of the pain they're feeling as we hit 2020. My responsibility, and what I'm going to look forward to, is working on affordable housing opportunities, homelessness, and connecting people with resources who were impacted by COVID." (End)
The final opening statement is given by Najari Smith, of District 5: "Over the past 10 years of my time here in Richmond, I've seen all too often people look outside of the city for the answers that our city needs. I started a nonprofit 8 years ago..."
Najari Smith (continued): "...fully staffed by Richmond residents, because I believe that the answers lie in the hearts of the residents right here. From that, I had a youth who said he had an idea for a bike shop, and I said 'you know what, we'll do that, but we're going..."
Najari Smith (continued): "...to do it a little differently. I'm not going to be your boss, we're going to make it a worker-owned bike shop.' And for the past six years, that bike shop has been running and operated here in Richmond, 100% owned and operated by Richmond residents."
Najari Smith (continued): "I am running for city council because I would like to create those pathways, provide those opportunities, for the residents of Richmond."
Najari Smith (continued): "Because I believe that if you live in Richmond, you should have the opportunity to own your home and own a business and be engaged in the civics of Richmond." (End of opening statements.)"
Thread for the first question asked at the forum (about tax rates and attracting business to Richmond): https://twitter.com/Richmondesque/status/1316161128796282880
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