What does it mean to be a good neighbor?
How many times over the last five months have you stopped and thought to yourself, “This is a really strange time to be alive”? I’ve stopped keeping track, but for me, it’s quite a few.
It’s also a really strange time to be a political candidate. Honestly, I didn’t anticipate running for office this quickly after returning home to Boise—but when the incumbent of the State Senate seat in my district asked me to raise my hand, I knew it was time to step up for my community. After all, that’s what I was raised to believe being a good neighbor is about: offering a helping hand when times are tough.
Between a global pandemic, debates about mandated mask-wearing, protests over systemic racism, and for many, the added stress of juggling working from home with kids’ remote learning, the world feels overwhelming right now. Meanwhile, politicians at the federal level draw lines and pick sides, because division is all they know how to do.
In my nonprofit work at Jesse Tree, I have lots of opportunities to connect with our neighbors right here in Boise. In our mission to prevent eviction, we interact with folks who are unable to pay rent. Issues of housing often intersect with many other systemic issues: wages, transportation, generational poverty, and mental health—and lately, these intersections are more obvious than ever. When you boil it down, this isn’t about politics. It’s about community.
That’s one thing I’ve always loved about Boise: even as it grows into a bigger city, it feels like a community. It’s not just that people smile and wave when we pass each other on the greenbelt (although I love that, too!). Even though federal politics sometimes make me want to throw my hands in the air, I’m heartened by the fact that Boiseans are stepping up.
I’ve talked to dozens of people who decided to donate their stimulus checks to my nonprofit to help cover their neighbors’ rent. People turn up at the Capitol daily to share messages of hope and inclusivity. It’s a crucial reminder that what we need right now isn’t politics. What we need right now are good neighbors.
Here on the Bench, I’m lucky to have great neighbors. They wave as they walk by, stop to chat for a moment when they see me in the yard, and keep an eye on my house when I’m away. It’s one of my favorite things about living here. My parents raised me to be a good neighbor, and I hope the folks on my street think the same things about me, too (even when my dog barks at the squirrels in my backyard).
Right now, being a good neighbor also means taking a stand for my community. It means using my career in public service to help my neighbors who are disenfranchised or experiencing housing insecurity. It means taking on a bigger leadership role here in Boise, because we need local leaders with a pulse on the community. We need public servants whose lives are based in reality, with boots on the ground.
