Michael Tubbs went from his hometown to leading it as mayor. He says democracy is a team sport and wants to make his story less rare by getting more people involved in civic roles like planning commissioner, not just complaining.
The Michael Tubbs that's before me today might not have, should have been here.
So I really feel a big responsibility to make stories like mine less rare. So to really illustrate to people that you can find talent, you can find intelligence everywhere.
How many people can go through what they've gone through in their hometown and then become the leader of their hometown?
It was not a burden, but a real responsibility and a real focus on, like, no, this is not for some other people is for me. It's for my family, it's for my neighborhood. And how do we govern in a way where it also feels different?
Partnering with your local government, your city officials, and what that means for you as a city official.
I do think democracy is a team sport. I do think there's a role for everyone. So maybe it's not an elected office, but can you be a planning commissioner? If you have a heart to serve, a willingness to listen and to read. You are above 99% of folks in local office, and you should be a part of the ecosystem. You don't just have to complain. You can do something about it.
What all are you up to now?
I'm running for lieutenant governor of California. So, like the vice president of the second largest, fourth largest economy in the world. So that's taking up a lot of time. And then I run a group called In Poverty in California, where we're focused on. On sort of. We have some policies in California that can make the California dream real for everyone.
