Who is Berkeley City Council candidate Mari Mendonca?
"The voices of Berkeleyans have been drowned out by co-opted leadership serving outside special interests and lobbyists."
Name: Mari Mendonca
Age: 55
Occupation: Organizer/Advocate
What office are you are running for? Berkeley City Council, District 8
What is the main reason you are running? I am running for Berkeley City Council District 8 because the voices of Berkeleyans have been drowned out by co-opted leadership serving outside special interests and lobbyists. We deserve better. I will bring accountability in service not only to District 8 but to all of Berkeley. I will bring responsible and thoughtful decision making, who listens to, and incorporates the needs and communicated priorities of my community along with bringing integrity back into the work of managing our city.
Why are you qualified? I was born and raised in Berkeley and have dedicated over a decade of service in our community. I served as an elected on the Rent Stabilization Board as well as a commissioner on the Housing Advisory Commission (vice chair). I have a diversity of experience as a union leader and community advocate, working in partnership with seniors as well as families and marginalized neighbors. I am able to identify and understand core systemic and structural issues that will allow me to powerfully advocate and address the needs of District 8 while providing a more just and equitable Berkeley for us all.
What sets you apart from other candidates? What sets me apart is that I do this work out of my passion to serve and take care of one another and our city. Deepak Chopra suggests, in the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, the importance of the Law of Dharma… finding your purpose in life. Dharma is defined as your unique self expression, something you would do irrespective of money, and when you are doing it, you lose track of time. Imagine elected leadership whose purpose is to serve, and whose passion it is to bring integrity and accountability to our city. I will work tirelessly to make sure Berkeley is a place where we can all thrive.
How and when did you end up in Berkeley? I was blessed to be born at Alta Bates and raised in Berkeley after my grandfather, who was the first Japanese American to play varsity basketball at Cal, was placed into Japanese internment nine years after graduation. I was part of early integration, bussed to Hillside School during a time when Berkeley would elect two consecutive Black Mayors and its first Black Councilwoman before the creation of districts helped to gerrymander voting, forever shifting the direction of Berkeley politics.
What are the three biggest challenges for Berkeley in the next five years? Our biggest challenges are electing accountable leaders, creating a plan to address our $30M dollar structural deficit, the preservation of the integrity of our neighborhoods which includes protecting the viability of small businesses, ending the threat of exorbitant upzoning and the continued displacement of neighbors, supporting policies enforcing police accountability and saying NO to mass surveillance. This all begins with the long overdue election of new leadership. We have an opportunity this November to take Berkeley in a better direction, vote for change. Vote Mari for District 8.
How would you begin to address them? Running for Council in District 8 is how I am addressing the need for accountable leadership. To address the city’s structural deficit I would do a formal and detailed analysis of our budget so that I and my colleagues could make informed and responsible decisions on developing an appropriate plan to address this ongoing issue. I would challenge the current density bonus rather than double down on its aggressive demands. I will listen to and work with constituents in District 8 to save our shops and protect our vibrant business district. I will work toward identifying new resources and partnerships to capture affordability along with reparative and restorative actions that bring back historically dispossessed neighbors. I would enforce police accountability and say no to mass surveillance.
What is one new idea you'd like to bring to Berkeley? A new idea that I would like to bring to Berkeley is that we do not have to follow the status quo. Berkeley has been a birthplace for revolutionary consciousness and now more than ever all of our humanity needs us to be aligned for the good of all where we are going is someplace we have never been before and it will take humility, generosity, love and care in ways that we have perhaps never shared before.
How will you be accessible to constituents? I will be accessible to constituents by phone, email and by in person appointments, as well as holding open office hours and participating directly with neighborhood groups. I want to be deeply engaged directly with community members because the work of our office is to serve and take care of our community’s needs. Too many times folks who enter elected office end up further away from the constituents who they serve when that is the time that they need to be closer than ever.
Are you using public financing? Yes
How much money do you expect to spend on your campaign? Just what is needed.
A final thought? I will be a leader for District 8 and all of Berkeley serving the community with a depth of respect, care, integrity and accountability that our political arena has been longing for… In my experience, I think that folks just have a hard time imagining it is possible. It is possible. We can be the change! Our beautiful city is depending on us along with our future generations to come.
Campaign website: electmarimendonca.com
See complete election coverage on The Berkeley Scanner.
