For Fresno politics to be truly representative, there must be more women, Hispanic leaders
Why should we strive for diversity? Fresno County is a melting pot of people with different racial, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. More than half of the 1,018,241 residents are Latinos (53.37%,) roughly a quarter of the population is white, and half of the population is women. So we should expect the local government to reflect those demographics.
The Board of Supervisors consists of five men, but only one board member is Latino. There is not one woman and definitely not one woman of color. One man of color — that is it. That is not nearly enough representation for a county as culturally diverse as Fresno, which is one of the most diverse in California.
Breaking it down further, we have 53.8% Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.8% Black and 6.5% other races (data from the Census Bureau).
These percentages represent the melting pot of California. Having a diverse group of leaders will give citizens hope that their voice will be heard by someone who understands the hardships of being a minority while most politicians are white. With a population of such ethnic and cultural diversity and half the population being women, we should expect the local government to reflect our county.
Our community needs to elect more women to establish much-needed representation. Giving women of color a platform in politics will positively influence our community, and break down the barriers of gender and racial inequality. The Scholars Strategy Network website shows that women of color are more likely to prioritize different policy areas in support of the needs of marginalized groups compared to white male peers. Scholars Strategy also states that women of color are actively attentive to minority needs.
Giving more women a platform in politics reveals that they are just as qualified to be in the role. During a Fresno County Young Democrats (FCYD) panel, Fresno City Council member Esmeralda Soria discussed her experiences with racism and sexism. She explained that women are more likely to be questioned in positions of influence compared to male counterparts. Women of color need to disrupt the expectations and combat the male majority officeholders. People in the county deserve a better community and we should start with the people that need it most.
Another reason why we should consider diversifying a board is for the purpose of redistricting. According to the American Civil Liberties Union every ten years redistricting takes place, with the county process determining the boundaries of the districts from which public officials are chosen. If the process is conducted equitably, the demographic changes in our varied communities should be reflected. With the current status of Fresno redistricting, the board decided to establish an advisory committee. The redistribution process was guided by a nine-member commission, although six of the members were conservatives. Why should we be concerned? When a board of mostly conservative white men has the power to redistrict the lines, they lack the perspective that low-income communities will face.
Fresno County has a long history of political marginalization due to the fact that white, wealthy neighborhoods have a disproportionate amount of voting power. Gerrymandering can be in the self-interest of politicians because they can manipulate district lines to influence a certain party and/or candidate. Diversifying a board will create a space with all types of backgrounds sharing different values, morals, and experiences. Politics is a male-dominated atmosphere, this creates a limited perspective for what our county needs. Elected officials must represent their districts because they must be responsive to the necessities of their people.
Fresno County deserves a fair representation of its population. This can be done by including a space for women of color and also adding more representation in redistricting. Fresno’s injustices needs to be overturn for the people.