Yesterday, people walked through my neighborhood who were paid by "Richmond Progress," a political action committee controlled by the Richmond Police Officers Association and supported by large landlord associations and polluting corporations. They put up flyers saying that I am not part of the community, and that a legal complaint was filed against me because of this. They left out that the bogus complaint went nowhere.
Richmond Progress is spending $300,000 this year to defeat independent candidates like myself. A lot of the people who are funding the action committee are opposed to me because of actions I've taken and decisions I've made as a council member, such as phasing out coal and reimagining public safety.
Unlike my opponent, I run a campaign without corporate support. I take no money from the police association, big landlords, or the Levin Terminal (the ones suing Richmond so they can keep shipping coal through our neighborhoods). If elected, you can count on me to be your independent representative and do the hard work of holding each of them accountable.
For the record, I do live in the district and have complied with all candidacy laws. I was raised here (yes, that's Little Melvin in front of my house on Wendell Avenue) and went to school here (that's my class picture from Chavez Elementary). My mom worked at Bab's Dairy Drive-In for 10 years. The former owners of Andy's Donut's and the Philaburger owners have watched me grow up. And for the past 10 years I've been working with neighbors and organizing around issues within our community.
Anyone who thinks I am not part of this community, is probably not part of the community themselves.
I hope you will vote for me and give me the opportunity to continue serving you.
Richmond Progress está gastando $300,000 este año para derrotar a candidatos independientes como yo. Muchas de las personas que financian el comité de acción se oponen a mí debido a las acciones que he tomado y las decisiones que he tomado como miembro del concejo municipal, como eliminar gradualmente el carbón y reimaginar la seguridad pública.
A diferencia de mi oponente, yo realizo una campaña sin apoyo corporativo. No acepto dinero de la asociación de policías, los grandes propietarios o la Terminal Levin (los que están demandando a Richmond para que puedan seguir transportando carbón a través de nuestros vecindarios). Si soy elegido, pueden contar conmigo para ser su representante independiente y hacer el arduo trabajo para que cada una de estas corporaciones o grandes propietarios rinda cuentas a la comunidad.
Para que conste, vivo en el distrito y he cumplido con todas las leyes de la candidatura. Me crié aquí (sí, ese es el pequeño Melvin frente a mi casa en Wendell Avenue) y fui a la escuela aquí (esa es mi foto de clase de la primaria Chavez). Mi mamá trabajó en Bab's Dairy Drive-In durante 10 años. Los antiguos propietarios de Andy Donut's y los propietarios de Philaburger me han visto crecer. Y durante los últimos 10 años he estado trabajando con vecinos y organizando en torno a problemas de nuestra comunidad.
Cualquiera que piense que no soy parte de esta comunidad, probablemente no es parte de esta comunidad.
Espero que voten por mí y me den la oportunidad de seguir sirviendoles.
--Melvin Willis
Current Richmond City Council Member
Candidate, District 1
