My name is Sue Wilson...
And I am running for Richmond City Council in District 5, which contains the Richmond Annex (including Panhandle), Marina Bay, and the southernmost Southside neighborhoods (Eastshore, Laurel Park, Stege/Cortez, Easter Hill Village).
I am honored to be endorsed by our current District 5 Council Member Gayle McLaughlin, who is not seeking reelection in November.
Gayle McLaughlin was my introduction to Richmond politics -- I went to my first City Council meeting in 2013 to learn about Gayle's plan to help homeowners who were stuck in underwater mortgages due to the subprime mortgage crisis. I was one of them. My husband and I had put all of our money into buying our first house here in Richmond, and within weeks it was worth less than half of what we owed on it. As I sat in that meeting I felt terrible, but also I could not believe how lucky we were to have ended up in the only city with leaders bold enough to hold banks accountable for the mess they had created for working people like me. Gayle inspired me to volunteer for her and for other progressive leaders and causes in Richmond, which I have done for 10 years. So it means a lot to me that Gayle trusts me to carry on her work on City Council.
As a first-time candidate, what I want to convey most is that I love Richmond. There is no place I'd rather live and raise my family. One of the reasons I am running for office is I want more people to see Richmond the way I do.
No Corporate Money Pledge
For too long Richmond politics were influenced by large corporations, especially Chevron. Some of the corporate-backed leaders would govern in the best interest of investors rather than give Richmond residents what they needed. We still deal with the consequences of some of those decisions -- this is how we ended up with contaminated air and the highest child asthma rates in the county. If elected, I want to make decisions solely for the benefit of current and future Richmond residents. To maintain my independence, I will accept no campaign contributions from corporations, businesses, or business-promoting organizations. I think it's important that all candidates for public office make the same pledge, starting here in Richmond.
My Campaign is Endorsed By Many Local Leaders
In politics, teamwork is essential for achieving meaningful progress. I am honored to be endorsed by our Mayor, the County Supervisor that represents Richmond, a majority of the current Richmond City Council Members, and the best candidate to represent Richmond in the State Senate. Having these local leaders in my corner will make me an effective representative for District 5 -- one who is able to get things done for you.
Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez
Richmond City Council Member Gayle McLaughlin
Richmond City Council Member Melvin Willis
Richmond City Council Member Claudia Jimenez
Richmond City Council Member Doria Robinson
AC Transit Board Member & State Senate Candidate Jovanka Beckles
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia
My Campaign is Endorsed by These Organizations
I have received endorsements from independent organizations dedicated to environmental justice, affordable housing, and criminal justice reform, as well as local labor unions and progressive political organizations. These organizations have reviewed my record and interviewed me before making these endorsements. They trust me to do what's right on the issues that matter to Richmond voters most.
Environmental Organizations
- Sierra Club
- Lead Locally
- APEN Action
Affordable Housing Organizations
- Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Action
- California Democratic Renter Council
Labor Unions
- Contra Costa County Central Labor Council
- SEIU Local 1021
- Richmond Firefighters (IAFF Local 188)
- IFPTE Local 21
- United Steel Workers Local 5
- United Teachers of Richmond
Political Organizations
- Richmond Progressive Alliance
- Working Families Party
- Young Democrats of Contra Costa County
Other Organizations
- Contra Costa Public Defenders Association
Why I am Running
I know that almost everything I like about Richmond is the result of someone's effort. A person, or more often, a group of people, did the work to pass rent control, set up a seed library, organize a farmer's market or parade. And I know that many of the things I appreciate about Richmond are at risk of disappearing if not properly cared for, just like our once-vibrant downtown filled with minority-owned small businesses. Looking at our situation today, if our leaders don't take action to expand affordable housing and protect existing renters, will working people be able to stay here? If we don't use city resources to expand the creation of union jobs in clean industries, as well as training for those jobs, will our kids have to leave to find work as they become adults? And how do we rebuild our downtown?
I appreciate all the people who have kept Richmond moving forward. Since moving to Richmond in 2008 I have worked behind the scenes to contribute to some of the changes that have made Richmond better. At this moment, I believe I can do more good for Richmond by getting out of my comfort zone and running for office myself.
About Sue Wilson
Born in Detroit to a nurse and utility company worker, Sue got a B.A. at the University of Michigan before coming to the Bay Area for graduate school. She earned a PhD in Socio-Cultural anthropology at UC Berkeley under the guidance of Professor Laura Nader, writing a dissertation that focused on the black market economy in Cuba. After returning from fieldwork in Havana, Sue joined the labor union that represented graduate student instructors in the University of California system. She was eventually elected unit chair of UAW 2865 and hired as a UAW organizer to work on the successful campaign to unionize student-instructors in the California State University system. Inspired by the power of collective action, Sue accepted a position with the California Nurses Association, where she learned to negotiate collective bargaining agreements and organize strikes and other forms of direct action. She spent much of her career with another healthcare union, the Union of American Physicians and Dentists, an AFSCME local that represents public-sector doctors. In addition to handling organizing campaigns and negotiations, Sue served as the Communications Director for UAPD and managed union staff. In 2018 Sue transitioned to full-time consultant work, continuing to offer training, communications, and technical services to labor unions and non-profits while also advising corporate-free political candidates and causes. Sue and her husband Dan bought a home in Richmond in 2007 and welcomed a daughter a year later. In her free time Sue enjoys water-wise gardening, screen printing at the Richmond Art Center, and studying videography and video editing at Berkeley City College.