Part Three of Three: What the Roy/Brewer Run-Off Teaches Us About Alexandria In today's Town Talk, Jodie Belgard writes about how Jacques Roy inspired her to feel more engaged in the political process and how he reached out and included young people who would otherwise never be involved in a political race. Jodie witnessed something at the Roy victory party she was surprised to see: throngs of young people all celebrating a new spirit of leadership. But, as I have mentioned before, Roy ran on a platform of true inclusiveness, and for him, it meant more than just rallying young people; it meant traveling all across the city and getting everyone motivated for a change. One prominent supporter of the Brewer campaign wrote an article of endorsement in a citywide Brewer mail-out (which was distributed in gas stations and grocery stores) about the need for getting out the vote in his neighborhood, Charles Park. When I read the article, I must admit: I was disappointed. The mayor's race wasn't simply about ONE neighborhood, and it seemed to me at least that any attempt to specifically target a neighborhood like Charles Park-- while ignoring other parts of the city-- was a strategy designed to embolden one group of people in one neighborhood to determine our city's leadership. This is not to suggest that Mrs. Brewer didn't attend events in South Alexandria. She did. And I have personally heard her speak about the need for infrastructure improvements throughout our community. But during the last few weeks of the campaign, it became evident that her campaign hoped to drastically increase voter turn-out in specific parts of the city-- and I think we all know what areas those are and why it was perceived as politically advantageous for Mrs. Brewer to embark on this strategy. However, this election taught us that in order to win an election in Alexandria, one must be willing to motivate citizens throughout the entire community. That means canvassing in the Sonia Quarters, Acadian Village, Martin Park, and Charles Park. It's more than just attending social events; one must be willing to literally walk door-to-door and ask people for their vote. For me, one of the biggest surprises of the mayoral election wasn't the margin of victory; it was the immense turn-out in precincts that have historically voted in lower numbers. Mr. Roy could have won 60/40 if he had only focused on traditionally white neighborhoods, but that was not the mission of his campaign. Inclusiveness means bringing everyone to the table; it means paying attention to the needs and hopes of people from all walks of life. And as we look forward to the next four years, we must remember that Jacques Roy wasn't elected by just one group of people from one or two neighborhoods; he was elected by the entire community.

This entry was posted by Blogger, on Tuesday, November 14, 2006.