Candidate Profile: Ami Chen Mills For County Supervisor

SANTA CRUZ, CA— Ami Chen Mills is one of three candidates running for Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors District 3 in the June 7 primary.

District 3 stretches from 7th Avenue in Live Oak through the City of Santa Cruz and up the North Coast.

Chen Mills is running against Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson and Justin Cummings.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns. Below are Chem Mills' responses.

Age (as of Election Day)

53

Party Affiliation

Democratic

Family

Husband, Two Teenage Daughters

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BS Communications, Northwestern University, Santa Clara County Health and Hospitals System, Department of Alcohol and Drug Services, “Health Realization Training of Trainers program”

Occupation

Co-Founder, Executive Director and Education Director-- Center for Sustainable Change, a 501(c)3 (2004–2014)

Lead Trainer, Trainer of Trainers, Leadership Team, Health Realization/Three Principles Services Division, Santa Clara County Health & Hospitals System, Department of Alcohol & Drug Services (1998–2004)

Staff Journalist, Freelancer, Metro Newspapers, San Francisco Chronicle and Examiner, Inc. Magazine, Etc. (1991–1998)

Master Composter Trainer, Ecology Action of Santa Cruz County (1992–1994)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

City of Santa Cruz - Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness
Westlake Elementary School Site Council

Campaign website

www.AmiChenMills.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

Santa Cruz County should be a role model county of "best practices" on all the issues that face us. This does not mean that we can solve them all immediately, but that we should be moving quickly toward carbon drawdown, community resiliency, all forms of shelter for those without shelter, as well as treatment options for those who are ready. We should be open to new solutions for the housing crisis for both middle and low income residents of our beautiful county.

As an Asian-American woman, I will bring a fresh voice to the County Board of Supervisors. I am a former national non-profit director, mental health educator, journalist, and mother of two who has lived here for 30 years. Santa Cruz County needs innovative leadership to solve the worsening problems of climate crisis, housing and homelessness.

Amidst devastating fires and a deepening housing crisis, we need bold leadership by our electeds. Solutions are at hand, but we need courage and political will to engage them. Our youth should feel inspired by County leadership on climate.

I will fight for housing solutions for the middle class, workers and the unsheltered. I support local business, regenerative agriculture (see the Netflix film "Kiss the Ground and my website, including climate page) and local, renewable energy toward our resiliency.

For 30 years, I worked with cities and counties to improve juvenile justice, alternative schools, and human and homeless services. I have worked with hundreds of county employees across departments to optimize efficiency, teamwork and individual resilience. I served on the Westlake School Site Council, the Santa Cruz Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness, and the Board for the Conflict Mediation Center.

I believe that dialogue across political divides, with skilled facilitation, can help us come together and find common ground solutions. I believe all human beings have "innate mental health" and wise thinking available at core, and that by getting past our distorted thinking, we can work together for the good of our community. I will pursue sensible policies–listening to all residents. I am not a career politician, but a hardworking advocate and creative thinker who will roll up her sleeves and work for the best for Santa Cruz County.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I will be more of an advocate and educator on climate, mental health and homelessness, as well as being more "hands on" in terms of County coordination of homeless and mental health services. I have worked with the unhoused and “barely housed” with positive outcomes for decades, as well as with non-profits, schools, counties and cities in the Bay Area and nationally–including mental health staff, educators, inmates and corrections staff.

I will seek new forms of mental health education, more easily deliverable to the unhoused and ordinary residents and youth–as we provided in Santa Clara County.. Promoting mental health can be as simple as a caring feeling, a kind word and quiet listening. Professional services are necessary, but I see mental health as a public health issue.

Building community and listening to constituents, offering resources and ensuring that County clients receive the best care available, as well as encouraging volunteering are all part of my platform. I'm running because I want what is best for our community, not to advance a political career.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

In my work as director of my national nonprofit over 10 years, we were able to effect lower crime rates, decreased stress and depression for migrants and others, increased civic engagement, greater trust between residents and police, and increased student achievement–even in very at-risk neighborhoods. “Activism” has moved the dial on so many crucial issues for us in the United States, from civil rights to voting rights, women’s rights, disability rights, indigenous rights, LGBTQ+ rights and so much more. I am proud of my work with Extinction Rebellion and local groups to draw thousands to the streets and bring media attention to the climate crisis in ways we have not seen before (reality-based and urgent). I helped form the first DEI committee for my global professional network, and we have made great headway educating colleagues on BIPOC issues. I have also brought the climate crisis to the fore in all my networks.

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Check out the full CalMatters 2022 Voter Guide here.