It's about giving all Edmontonians a voice
As a servant leader, I will be your representative, Diana Steele writes.
We invited the 11 mayoral candidates running in Edmonton's municipal election to send us an opinion article by Sept. 17, answering the question: “Why should you be mayor of Edmonton?” Diana Steele was among those who took us up on the offer.
■ FRIDAY: CHERYLL WATSON
My name is Diana Steele and I am running for mayor of our city to offer Edmontonians a different kind of leader. I have a well-rounded platform, excellent work experience and a master's degree in leadership. I am also a big fan of servant leadership. Servant leaders believe in being true elected representatives of the people. It is not about electing me as the mayor; it is about giving a voice to all Edmontonians through me.
These days are long right now. I'm running a fiscally responsible, grassroots campaign, working full-time for a not-for-profit (because I don't hold the privilege to campaign full-time) and raising two boys, part-time, on my own. But campaigns should show what you can do. So here it is: I literally do it all. I book all my own appointments, answer all my own calls/direct messages/ emails/text messages, take all my own meetings, write all my own speeches, run all my own social media, manage all my own expenses, do all my own research, develop all my own marketing, issue donation receipts and hand write my own thank-you cards, do all my own fundraising, and come up with all my own ideas — with a little help from some friendly and creative YEG residents.
I am fiscally responsible with money that belongs to other people because there should be no other way. I walk the walk, and not just during campaign periods, but for the past seven years, where I have been on the ground with our citizens every single day. I have personal relationships with people from some of the most marginalized communities in our city and I know firsthand how badly they need a voice.
Finally, I don't have a headquarters because I make the effort to travel to see every single person who wants to meet with me. I will never make you come to me.
Most importantly, and this is evident in the way I am running my campaign, I am not a fan of status quo. I think differently and challenge old-fashioned mindsets that only result in the same old. I am bucking the tradition of old-school lawn signs and utilizing technology instead, responsibly refusing a campaign headquarters during a pandemic, declining the use of swag that will end up in a landfill, and sharing my campaign expenses and donations real-time, ahead of the March deadline.
I have an excellent relationship with many of the other candidates and when we speak it is with such respect for one another, and some playfulness as well. Which speaks volumes in our ability to collaborate with those on the “other side.”
My top priorities are focused around creating a strong and thriving city which encompasses an unprecedented, intertwined relationship between the private and public sector and encourages economic gardening and developing our inclusive voice; where we put people at the heart of the economy; ending homelessness; building mental health supports; supporting families (in whatever form you define as a family), and advocating for at-risk or forgotten communities by developing a strong social infrastructure.
When selecting your next mayor, I encourage you to research all candidates, not just those with name recognition.
I could not have possibly foreseen what I was stepping into when I made the decision to run for mayor. Nor did I anticipate the spectacular calibre of candidates you have to choose from in this historic election.
However, I am confident that the leadership I am offering to our city is unlike anything we have ever seen before.
I hope you see that, too.