I Ran for Public Office at 23. Here’s Why.

It was 2008. My dad, an African immigrant, had won a City Council seat against an incumbent in my Washington State hometown.

Dad’s win was revolutionary. For a town that had visible swastika flags in certain neighborhood windows, a black man winning a City Council seat was significant. And yet, after he won, racist hate mail arrived that contained words I will not ever repeat. I saw the letters and, horrified, I asked him why he ran.

He was clear, kind, and firm—he emphasized the importance of lifting where you live. He explained that if you have resources, you help out in your local, national, and global communities. You do it no matter what hate you may face. You do it. And you do it well.

Nine years later, I was 23. I was working for Ballard Brief. My job: to research and write succinct research papers summarizing  important social problems and what effective--or ineffective--solutions existed. This was my dream job.

At the time, I was writing a brief about Native American women and sexual assault on reservations. It’s an upsetting topic—one with no simple solutions.

Despite the lack of easy solutions, I found an abundance of powerful stories about Native women who were speaking up about sexual assault and using their voice to shed light on the topic. These women were finding new solutions based on research and their own experiences. I was inspired that they were doing it no matter what hate they may face. And they were doing it well.

One day, mid-writing this brief, a lingering thought in my mind rose to the surface again: you need to run for office.

I clocked out for a short break, stood up, and stepped out of the Ballard Center and called my dad. And I told him I was going to run for Provo City Council.

My dad’s example and the Ballard Brief prepared me for my journey. Dad’s words and example encouraged and reminded me of the great importance of giving back to my community. He also lifted me up when I was personally targeted by white supremacists during my campaign, a painful echo of his experience so many years before. My continued work with Ballard Brief provided skills to research and recognize viable solutions to pressing issues, such as the affordable housing crisis in Provo. Undoubtedly, the Ballard Brief gave me confidence to know that I can find today’s best practices to society's most pressing issues.

Running for office was one of the greatest blessings and opportunities of my life thus far. What I now know to be true is that doing good is important. Doing good better—that’s what makes all the difference.