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Listen to the interview with Joaquin Jimenez
"Climate change is real, we see its effects every day: floods, fires, rising sea levels," said Joaquin Jimenez, mayor of Half Moon Bay, during the start of his re-election campaign for the City Council of that town. Farmers have knowledge that is key to confronting this climate change, but it is not talked about.
"Before Joaquin was mayor of Half Moon Bay, no one took us Mexicans seriously," said Alondra Rodriguez, 25, one of the people who gathered to support the start of Jimenez's campaign.
The event took place in the spacious garden of Cantina San Benito, located at 1101 Miramontes Street in downtown Half Moon Bay. The attendees were mostly young, something unusual at political campaign events.
Jimenez, now running for a seat on the City Council in District 3, was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and came to the United States at the age of 13. The son of farmers, he trained as a sociologist at the University of California, Chico, and then broke barriers by becoming the first Mexican immigrant to serve as mayor of Half Moon Bay.
https://peninsula360press.com/es_mx/joaquin-jimenez/
Before Jimenez was mayor, "Mexicans weren't taken seriously" in Half Moon Bay, Rodriguez said. He added that in "this town," farm families like his were seen only as labor in the fields, but under Jimenez they were recognized as people.
At the end of the Mexican band music, played live by young people who made several people dance, Jimenez took the floor to thank those present for their support, among whom was the Sheriff of San Mateo County, Christina Corpus.
Jiménez also took to the microphone to reaffirm his government commitments, which are mainly oriented towards four areas of work: housing, public safety, climate change and economic mobility.
"We have been talking about affordable housing for the community for a decade, but it has not been achieved. Now we are achieving it, we are pushing the members of the Municipal Council to get more housing and that is something we must continue because our community lives in terrible housing," said Jimenez.
As for security, the mayor said, it has always been one of his priorities, but it became even more relevant after the shooting where eight farmworkers were killed. In this regard, he said he has had support and close collaboration with San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus, whom he said he admires.
Regarding his third axis of government, Jiménez said that farmers are key to confronting climate change, since they have traditional knowledge of land management, which could serve to mitigate these effects, such as floods and fires.
"The way they [the farmers] work the land is an important issue that is not addressed. The way the land is worked can affect or benefit climate change." He gave the example of the use of chemicals and pesticides that affect the atmosphere. "That is why we must return to the ancestral knowledge that farmers possess."
In order to promote economic mobility, Jiménez launched during his administration an innovative project for farmers to be owners of their own crops, including their own land. Likewise, the mayor highlighted his drive to increase the minimum wage for farmers, which is currently 17 dollars and one cent per hour. "If elected, we will continue along this path, which will lead to better living conditions for our community."
"Joaquin has been a pillar of our community, someone who not only leads, but listens and acts with empathy and determination," said Tony Serrano, another attendee at this first campaign rally.
Serrano recalled that when his family was faced with the loss of his sister during a mental health crisis at the hands of the San Mateo sheriff, "it was Joaquin who stepped up, didn't sit back, took action, organized protests, amplified our voices and fought for justice."
In that regard, she noted that Joaquín Jiménez's efforts were instrumental in creating the Yanira Serrano Presente program, which led to the creation of the CARES team, a fundamental initiative that ensures that people in crisis receive compassionate care instead of a police response.
This is the type of leadership, Serrano said, that transforms communities.
He added that Joaquin has always been more than just a champion for Latino voices, as he represents all Half Moon Bay residents with integrity, whether supporting local businesses, addressing housing needs, or working to ensure everyone has access to essential services.
"His work for mental health and safety resources goes far beyond political promises, he delivers results. His leadership and dedication to our community are needed now more than ever. Joaquin has shown us that being committed to building a Half Moon Bay where everyone is valued and heard, we need him at City Hall to continue to push for a future that works for all of us, let's come together and re-elect Joaquin Jimenez, a true advocate for the people," she concluded.
Joaquin's campaign website is now live. Those interested can visit https://www.joaquinhmb.org/ And if you want to know what Joaquín has done in the last 4 years at the City Hall, and his plans for the next 4 years, you can read it at https://www.joaquinhmb.org/platform.
On these pages, donations can be made to Joaquín's campaign via the big yellow "Donate" button.
If you're interested in doing more, you can volunteer your time by canvassing, running errands, helping out at campaign events, and more. Look for the yellow "Volunteer" button on the website and fill out the form.
Also, on Thursday, October 3, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Casa de San Benito, you can meet Joaquin and ask him questions about his platform and his plans for City Hall; and on Saturday, October 12, there will be a Meet & Greet at Oceanview Park from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The final fundraiser will be on Sunday 13th October from 4pm to 6pm at Cameron's Pub.
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