So I Stumbled During My First Campaign Speech

I can talk  for hours about sexual violence and equal rights without missing a beat.  Put a camera on me, put a mic in front of my face, ask me the hard questions, I've got it.  But apparently, the same does not apply when I'm supposed to be promoting myself.  Last week the generous folks at the Jeff Richey Experience gave me the mic during the intermission of their performance at Berea Coffee and Tea.  It was the perfect time to get out in front of my local community and I just couldn't wait to share my enthusiasm with everyone.  But then the mic was handed to me and all eyes were on me, and I felt like a little girl playing grown-up tea party.  I stumped, I stuttered, I was no match for the competing sidewalk greetings and band down the street. Everything that came out of my mouth sounded like a script and the crowd just wanted the band back up there already. I always knew I would never be the world's greatest politician.  Thank God I'm not trying to be one.  I'm just an ordinary person interested in doing my part to make this place better.  In case you were lucky enough to miss it, here is what I had to say that night.

Next time, I'll remember that this campaigning business is not about promoting myself, but it's about advocating for my community.  That should make it easier.  Thanks for your grace and see you back out there.

Jeff Richey Experience Intermission Remarks

July 12, 2014

Good evening.  My name is Mae Suramek.  And I’m running for city council.  But I’m not up here tonight to ask for your vote.   In fact, don’t vote for me.  I’m serious.  But please vote for someone you believe in.  Or better yet, run yourself – the filing deadline isn’t until August 12^th and there are 8 seats up for grabs.

Vote for someone or run yourself.  Unless you’re OK with the fact that right this very moment you could be asked to leave this coffee shop simply because of who you are dating, or who you are married to.

Vote for someone or run yourself.  Unless you’re good knowing that some of our neighbors survive only by going to the local food bank every month.

Vote for someone or run yourself. If you want to live in the kind of town where people with skin my shade and darker still experience street harassment regularly.  Where men, women, and children are still experiencing rape and sexual violence right here, right now.  Where heroin deaths occur weekly – a problem so severe that our local police has created a special drug taskforce.

Vote for someone or run yourself.  Unless  you believe that Berea has already peaked on its potential:

That our days of Boone Tavern serving 500 people every Friday night,

Our days of thousands of people flocking to Berea to watch our homegrown theater production - Wilderness Road,

Our days of being courageous enough to choose to be on the right side of history,

Our days of working together to prepare land, build structures, create industries, and provide opportunities for learning and growth for our children,

Are over.

Vote for someone or run yourself.  Unless you’re perfectly happy, comfortable, content exactly with the way things are right now.

Because I’m not.

And I did vote for someone.  In fact, like most responsible and loyal Americans who once had great faith in the “system”, I diligently did my homework and voted in every primary, every general election.  And things haven’t changed much.

And so I started working from the ground up – volunteering, switching jobs to non-profit, chairing our local human rights commission.  And things still felt the same.   

So I’m running.  Because I've come to believe that until the people who are in decision-making positions start to reflect everyday ordinary people like you and me, things will never change.

So, don’t vote for me. 

Join me on the ticket or vote for someone who believes that this place we choose to call home, can be even greater, safer, kinder - and unequivocally unafraid to embrace it’s bold, radical roots of opportunity, equality, and inclusive love.

Thank you.