Why do YOU want to run for office?

I can't tell you how many times I had to answer that question when I ran for office in 2008.  I lost count.  I also had a lot of reasons to run for office:

• I love my community
• I'm good at conflict resolution
• My friends, family and many others wanted me to
• I knew I could do the job

The list goes on and on.  Then one day as I reflected on the exact moment I knew I was going to make a difference it hit me... my daughter...  She was the reason I wanted to run for office.

The moment happened during a Planning Commission meeting.  As I was reviewing mountains of paper for Bend's Urban Growth Boundary Expansion, I recognized some names.  I remembered my parents and grandparents talking about some of these folks in the 70's and 80's.  It dawned on me that I was my daughter's age, in elementary school right here, the last time Bend had gone through this monumental land use process.  Whoa.  I was now the 'grown up' making decisions that would affect my daughter's generation.

I understand the importance of thinking about those who will come after us.  I want to make decisions that will benefit those generations, not take from them.  We must ensure our daughters have women leaders to look to for guidance, and to equip them should they want to seek appointed or elected office. 

That is why I ran.  That is why I am running again this year.   How about you?  Do you have a defining moment?  Why do YOU want to run?


By Jodie Barram
Bendy City Councilor
Emerge Oregon Class of 2010

www.jodiebarram.com