A Winnipeg Free Press profile once described how my connection to the North End helped shape my decision to enter public life.
When I attended Stop the Violence rallies in 2014, I found something I had been searching for: camaraderie, safety, inclusion and a sense of belonging. Indigenous youth were leading a powerful social-justice movement, creating space for people from many backgrounds while responding to the violence and challenges affecting the North End.
As a second-generation Filipino Canadian who grew up in The Maples, I often felt disconnected from my cultural identity and struggled to find a community where I truly belonged. The North End gatherings changed that. They showed me the importance of welcoming spaces, youth leadership and community-led action.
Photo Credit taken by Holly Enns
That experience motivated me to run for school trustee in the Seven Oaks School Division in 2014. Although my first mayoral campaign in 2018 did not result in my name appearing on the ballot, the experience strengthened my commitment to public service.
The North End also shaped how I think about poverty, economic development and municipal responsibility. Walking along Selkirk Avenue, you see both serious challenges and enormous potential: boarded storefronts, burned-out buildings, active social-service agencies, local entrepreneurs and residents working every day to improve their neighbourhood.
I believe Winnipeg must give greater priority to the inner city and to the people who live there. Residents should not be blocked by complicated political systems or institutional barriers when they want to improve their own communities.
My political outlook is practical and community-focused. I believe in fiscal responsibility, social progress, environmental stewardship and creating opportunities for residents to participate meaningfully in the future of their city.
The North End taught me that community is not simply a place on a map. It is people creating safety, belonging and possibility together. That lesson continues to guide my public-service work and my vision for Winnipeg.
This post reflects on themes discussed in the Winnipeg Free Press profile “Finding inspiration in the North End,” published September 30, 2022. The views and wording above are my own.