Sixteen years ago this community inspired me to not just blog, but to run for office. It's been an amazing ride. Thank you!
This article profiling my service begins with:
More than a third of Susan Epstein’s life has been dedicated to improving the lives of K-12 students. As she steps down from 16 years of service on the Goleta Union School Board, Epstein’s legacy will continue on in her push to better public education.
“I’ve been on the Goleta School board for 40 years and never come across a boardmember like Susan,” said Boardmember Richard Mayer. “She studies up on whatever we’re working on, and she shows up to help the rest of us understand the issues. She is always very evidence-based, and we’ve all come to rely on asking her about the material.”
But Epstein didn’t always see herself as playing this role. Her journey began nearly two decades earlier, when a group of parents approached her and asked if she’d run. At the time, her two kids were in pre-kindergarten, so she had little involvement with the district. She had just moved to Santa Barbara from San Francisco, where she had been a teacher and started her own nonprofit, Our Schools, Our Media. She did not envision herself as an elected official.
I joined dkos early on, concerned about war in Iraq, and about economic and racial injustice at home. I enjoyed blogging while my young kids took naps, and finding a community I could connect with who shared these political concerns and wanted to do something about it. We talked about how to build a stronger progressive infrastructure across the country and the need to begin locally.
In late spring 2004, Governor Howard Dean encouraged those of us who had supported his Presidential campaign to run for local office. We had been fans of his style of government — a socially progressive, fiscally responsible, straight-shooting, get it done approach. And he was a rare politician with a science background who demonstrated the importance of data-based decision making.
When some local parents asked me to run for school board at that same time, it seemed to be the perfect storm.
I was honored to become one of the Dean Wings as he called us. I still have the letter he mailed me with his support and encouragement.
Over the past sixteen years, I’ve been inspired by how impactful good governance can be. It’s been an incredibly meaningful experience to serve my community. I encourage you to check it out for yourself and your community.