It was a Saturday morning. A Filipina American of Chinese ancestry was busy handing out window signs and fliers in front of Safeway (Supermarket) on Mission Street, deep in the heart of the Excelsior District in San Francisco, California, one of the areas that encompasses District 11. Recipients were not immediately aware that the face on the fliers and window signs was also the face of the same person handing them out. Many were quite surprised to chat directly with a candidate for political office right in the heart of their neighborhood.
“Goodness, this is you? May I have your autograph?” was a common comment.
The Filipina laughed and responded: “You should give me your autograph instead. You’re more important than I am.”
The first time Myrna Lim ran for Board of Supervisors in the year 2000, all she had was her gutsy attitude in getting things done. Sometimes quite irreverent and always passionate, she debunked some of the traditional Filipino community leaders’ ideas of what a politician should look like and behave.
Here’s a comment from a Filipino gay businessman: “You should dress up like Diane Feinstein.”
Myrna jokingly responded, “Are you kidding? Diane Feinstein would kill to look like me.”
Only Myrna Lim can say this and get away with it!
I’ve walked through this Mission Street corridor at least three times with Myrna Lim in the last eight years. I really wanted an “up close and personal” experience with someone who was determined to find out what her district’s needs were so she could become a more effective legislator. Although my feet hurt, I was happy to see old friends as we visited business after business after business… and I also got a realistic sense of the frustrations and shattered hopes of these small business owners because of unreasonable anti-small business policies imposed by the local government.
Myrna Lim did me a favor. I was forced to reach out of my comfort zone (since I’m usually a “virtual” or on-line personality) and hit the streets to get a taste and feel of what residents and citizens of District 11 in San Francisco were thinking, talking, and protesting about. Myrna, I’ve observed, embodies representation of District 11’s multi-racial neighborhoods: Chinese, African-American, Filipino, Irish, Italian, and Latino. Spiritual sustenance is also a strong component in this District, represented by Epiphany Church, Corpus Christi Church, and St. Emydius Church.
Now, it’s 2008. Elections are coming up in November! So, if you have relatives and friends in zipcode 94112 (Excelsior, Ingleside, Outer Mission, Crocker Amazon, and Oceanview), let them know that a Filipina American is running for political office, Myrna Lim for District 11 Supervisor — and that it’s time for Filipinos in San Francisco to be represented. There are 67,000 Filipinos in San Francisco. Help her out! Myrna is fiercely loyal and dedicated, especially to the people who believe in her. She will win. She can do this. And we will be proudly Filipina!
This video showcases the Filipina American that will make it to a much-coveted legislative position (Board of Supervisors) in the City and County of San Francisco. WHEN (I’m optimistic) Myrna Lim wins, she will open the doors to opportunities for more minorities and women — opportunites only available to the old boys and old girls networks. Listen to her speak! And check out the documentaries she produced (as an independent TV producer for Channel 29 and Channel 76, San Francisco Public Broadcasting) at her campaign website, MyrnaLim.com.
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