The United Lowrider Coalition and Vision Culture Foundation hosted a forum for National City candidates running for mayor or city council at Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center on Sept. 22. Mayoral candidates Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, Jose Rodriguez and Ron Morrison all participated, as did city council candidates Ditas Yamane and Marissa Acierto.
ULC youth members Lena Garcia, 18, Frankie Simone-Obana, 10 and Trinity Garcia, 14 took turns posing questions on issues of importance to them in this election, with an emphasis on job readiness, after-school programs, youth violence and drugs in schools, youth mental health and the no cruising ordinance recently revisited by the city.
Sotelo-Solis left after the first question to attend a previously schedule event and Luz Molina called off with late notice due to contracting COVID-19.
The ULC representatives let candidates know they each had one minute to answer each question, beginning with how candidates would address a dearth of after-school activities in the city.
After school activities are available, Morrison said, at Camacho gym and Las Palmas pool, which is currently closed for renovation.
Rodriguez said it is unacceptable to see Martin Luther King, Jr. community center closed, that “we need to make sure we have programming so those facilities are teeming with life” and are open to youth.
Sotelo-Solis said “programming begins in elementary school” and must be built from an early age, while both Yamane and Acierto said community partnerships are key to after school youth activities.
To keep schools free from violence, Yamane suggested instituting a lockdown and monitoring system in conjunction with the National City Police Department while Acierto said more frequent visits from NCPD and law enforcement presence on campus would reduce violence on campus. Morrison said the city recently voted to increase Safety Resource Officers on campuses but did not say how he would direct future policy as mayor.
“We need to get to the root cause of violence,” Rodriguez said, before a balance can be found at schools.”
To reduce drug abuse, Yamana said she would encourage the city to partner with the county department of Health and Human Services while Acierto said change “has to come from home”.
“The county is sitting on a quarter of a million dollars— they need to release some of that for programs,” Morrison said, and make penalties harsher for drug convictions.
“First, get them off the street. Then, realize drug use is a cry for help and the first church is at home. Stressors at home lead to drug abuse,” Rodriguez said, although he did not specify how he would eliminate those stressors to ultimately reduce drug abuse.
Asked what could be done to reduce suicide rates, Acierto said people need to seek out friends or family who can obtain professional help. Rodriguez noted “we had two and a half years of kids staying at home” and it affected families across the nation.
“I had an adult son who committed suicide and we need to let our young people know we care about them,” Morrison said.
Rodriguez, Yamane, Acierto and Morrison all said the city has to work with other agencies to reduce homelessness in the city. Morrison also noted it is important to segment out different populations and address their needs, whether they are in need of mental health or have other reasons for sleeping on the street.
As part of the ULC, the three girls asked the candidates for the stance on lowriders.
Yamane said she wanted the girls to be “proud of their heritage” just as she is proud of her own heritage and said she would support the return of cruising to National City.
To promote homeownership, Morrison said developers would need to build more condominiums which could either be rented out as apartments or sold as homes depending on the economy. Acierto said the department of Housing and Urban Development might offer help. Yamane said the first task is to create more jobs in the city so people can afford homes.
“National City has one of the lowest homeowner rates,” Rodriguez said, primarily because buying a home is so costly.
Sotelo-Solis returned in time to supply a closing statement in which she said it is important to create affordable housing, fund public safety programs, and create opportunities for community engagement for families.
In a follow up phone call, Vision Culture Foundation President Marie Obana said she was disappointed none of the candidates really addressed mental health.
“Jose touched on it with bills and financial stressors but the lack of direct mental health support in National City is daunting… Youth are speaking on it— we’re killing ourselves and each other,” Obana said.
