Friends, we are at the end of the 2021 North Miami election cycle. All of us candidates have put our ideas, goals and grievances out into the community. My campaign has gone above and beyond to reach every voter multiple times. We have sent letters, knocked on so many doors, phone called, visited churches, community partners, radio, early voting, postcards, podcasts. Our social media has been relentless with our ideas. My campaign may have my face on it, but it’s been the campaign for the people of North Miami. None of the work in this campaign or even my life as an activist has been about me as an individual- it has been about North Miami.

I have reflected greatly about an interaction one of my wonderful friend and canvasser had with Mary Estimé-Irvin yesterday. For the past week her campaign team has been following my canvassers around. Yesterday, Mary herself approached my campaign team through this canvasser. Mary asked her why she was working for me. Mary explained that she is a single mother and is so upset that we would be targeting her to run a campaign. She said she didn’t think it was fair as I did not ever run against Bien Aime when he was the council representative before her. She thinks it’s very unfair to her.

When I heard this I was really unsure how to respond. In 21 years of campaigns, I’ve never heard this. I’m a very compassion filled woman. But I’m a taxpayer and a resident too. I’m also a worker. And I’m a deep believer in representative government and democracy. Deep believer. I would help anyone any day of the week who needs help. But my belief in the role of public service is not unclear at all.

We do not elect people because we feel sorry for them. Politics is hard. Public service is hard. But it is service. It isn’t meant to be used in this way and the residents of district 3 need a strong representative who can and will work for the residents. Read that again. We have grandmother’s raising grand daughters in apartments that are unsuitable for any human being. We have single mothers with children who are in grade schools who have nothing to eat. Out of work. Locked out of unemployment. My mother was was single mother and we lived in apartments when I was young. I am a candidate but I am a resident too. I am a mom too. I understand how it works when your water is shut off when you have kids because mine was shut off about 2 days after my family returned from Georgia after being there for 3 months. My family and I left the day after Thanksgiving to fight hard for decency and covid relief through through senate majority. When we returned home, 2 days later, with no notice, our water was cut off. Somehow, that bill went up despite us not flushing a single toilet for 3 months.

Mine wasn’t the only one. I have a list of the people in North Miami who’s water was also cut off in a pandemic when many children were homeschooling. It was about 7pm when it got turned back on. I’m pretty sure I will never slather soap on my face again before checking that water is available. And yet, I live to tell the story.

We have so much work to do to bring good government and quite frankly ethics to this City. We have so many city staff that takes “vacations” during election time. Same people you see at City Hall whom hand out the federal grants and covid relief funds. Apparently their vacations are spent at the North Miami library to take seniors to vote. Think about that and then reflect on who’s pamphlets are being handed out. Same people who raised the water bill in a time of pandemic.

My campaign may end in success, victory, could be a run off, or we could be defeated. What I know is that my campaign ran a smart, data driven, ethical, idea based and quite frankly an amazing campaign. We elevated the conversation to bring attention to long standing problems. We are good people who care deeply for our community and we want to bring that energy and care to City Hall. And we will still be here after. And honestly, we will still do the work if we don’t win. Because it needs to be done. If not us, now- who and when?

Get out and vote. Vote for change. Vote as an investment into your own community and life. That’s what has to happen here.

Thank you to all the residents who are hoping. My campaign team is the best. My allies who know we are the real deal are the best. So many people have given out of their hearts and their frustration to help carry this huge lift and my heart is theirs.

Tomorrow is a day of planning and doors. Then it’s Tuesday and allllll yallll that haven’t voted yet need to get it done. Get out and vote. Let’s bring it home.

Laura Hill