Local community organizer to run for Santa Maria-Bonita board
Surrounded by about 20 supporters, Abraham Melendrez formally announced his candidacy for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District governing board at Veterans’ Memorial Park on Sept. 24.
Melendrez, a Santa Maria native and nonprofit community organizer for Central Coast United for A Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), said that as a former student of the district, he hopes to give kids like himself a positive experience in the education system.Â
“Like many students, I had difficulties growing up,” Melendrez said at the event, adding that he was an English learner, survivor of abuse, and the son of parents who were often away working long, hard hours.Â
“And I know firsthand how critical resources can be to a child that often has a lot going on at home or is affected by violence,” Melendrez said. “These are issues that are unfortunately all too common in our community. But as a district that serves nearly 17,000 students, we have to act.”
If elected, Melendrez said he would work to decrease class sizes and increase resources for students struggling with mental health issues. He also said he’d like to improve the district’s services for English learners, advocate for more state funding, and create better education pathways for district staffers wanting to become teachers.
Melendrez, an alum of Allan Hancock College and UC Berkeley, said he recently moved back to Santa Maria to help local high school and college students develop civic engagement, community service, policy research, and leadership skills. He’s worked with multiple nonprofit, faith, and labor organizations.
Now, he’s turning his attention to Santa Maria-Bonita.Â
“The struggles that our district faces are great, ” Melendrez said at the event. “But that’s exactly why we need leadership that is willing to take action.”
Melendrez is running against three other candidates–incumbents Ricky Lara and Vedamarie Alvarez-Flores, and e-rate consultant Gary Michaels.
This article appears in Sep 27 – Oct 4, 2018.
