built three schools , made improvements to every campus in Natomas .
The lowest moment was this pandemic . People dying all around you , and you ’ re trying to figure out how to help them .
Why do you think there ’ s so much discourse and incivility in politics and life right now ? When 9 / 11 happened , we had a common enemy , and everyone was threatened by that enemy who was ready to kill any and all of us for their positioning . Now everything is very internal and divided . We ’ re not in agreement . We don ’ t have a commonality . The discourse is completely uncivil . It ’ s hard to operate when that happens .
We just need people to see each other ; really accept the people who aren ’ t the same as you . We need room . We need grace . We need to give each other grace and tolerance . Just because you don ’ t agree with someone on one issue doesn ’ t mean you won ’ t agree with them on another . When you disagree , it can ’ t be for life . It ’ s got to be civil and kind . We ’ ve lost the kindness .
What gives you hope ? I ’ ve been working with teens . I have a very large youth committee — it has 1,000 ( members that volunteer at community events and get job training ). Right now , there ’ s something sort of special about them . I don ’ t know if it ’ s the pandemic , ( but ) they don ’ t care about social media . This group is not about Twitter or Facebook — maybe TikTok or Snapchat . They ’ re not so much about judging each other . … They ’ re seeing the divide in our country and don ’ t want any part of it . So it gives me a tremendous amount of hope when I ’ m around young people .
You ’ re the mother of three children , two of whom are school-age . Many women have traditionally waited until their children were grown or older before running for office . I ran a city council meeting on a Tuesday in 2013 , and on Thursday , I gave birth to ( my daughter ) Alia . If there ’ s anything my life does , I hope at least to prove that women need not choose between being moms and working professionals . You can do both . Yes , it ’ s a lot of work , but you can do it . I know so many women who come up to me and say , “ I really want to have a family , but I also want to do this .” I ask them , “ What ’ s stopping you ?” I never heard a man say , “ I want that promotion , but I also want to have a baby .” They just do it , and women should do it too and not be so hard on themselves .
Edited for length and clarity .
Judy Farah is managing editor of Comstock ’ s . Online at www . judyfarah . com and on Twitter @ newsbabe1530 .
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