Just over a week after Election Day, Noelia CorzoSan Mateo-Foster City School Board Trustee, declared victory in the race for the District 2 Supervisor seat for San Mateo County Supervisor, beating out her opponent, Belmont City Councilmember Charles Stone.
Corzo will be the first Latina to hold this position, and for at least two years, will be the only woman on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.
Election night numbers were extremely close between the two, but the daily counts over the past week saw the gap widen. After Corzo’s lead grew to 51.1 percent to 48.9, her opponent, Stone, conceded Thursday morning via an email.
Corzo was thrilled.
“This win sends a message to everyone in our community that we all belong. It's a win for the community and it's a win for the voters.” Corzo said.
The announcement culminates a race between two very different candidates.
While both are San Mateo natives, Stone, a two-term Belmont City Councilman, declared his race for County Supervisor three years ago, and fueled by endorsements from many public officials, raised significant amounts of money in his bid for higher office.
Corzo, the daughter of immigrants from Guatemala, attended local schools, obtained her Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology from San Francisco State University, and is currently a social worker who works with people with developmental disabilities. Inspired by her son, she ran for school board in 2017, hoping to make improvements in education including improving equity and parent engagement.
After seeing the struggles of those in the county recovering from the pandemic, Corzo felt again called to represent community members who most needed representation, including women, children, and essential workers. Just over a year ago, Corzo began her bid for the Supervisor seat being vacated by long-time Supervisor, Carole Groom.
Corzo’s campaign referenced her life experiences and her ability to relate to diverse groups in the county.
“Our district needs a Supervisor that has a deep understanding of the vital services our county provides and as a social worker in this community, I have seen those services in action and recognize the diverse needs in our community firsthand,” said Corzo.
I want to protect tenants, improve mental health services in our community and improve the status of women in our county. And I want to improve educational and health outcomes,” Corzo said.
The win is a culmination of Corzo’s grassroots campaign, which emphasized equity, inclusion and belonging, and emphasized that everyone can make change.
“We do not have to live in a world where politics is about status quo candidates who endorse each other, who throw big money around and who keep our system the way it has always been.
It's about you, it’s about me – it's about all of our lived experiences. It’s about how you can show up and belong, as yourself, in every space, as you are. So many people look away from politics because they don’t feel like they belong. And I’m here to tell you that we all belong. It’s our county. We can be part of transforming our community so that we don’t see cycles of division, of income inequality, or racism,” Corzo said.
Her campaign reached out to many communities that have long been ignored, including Mandarin and Spanish speakers, and made specific efforts to assist first time voters.
Corzo’s commitment to represent all people in San Mateo County is clear.
“As a woman, a Latina, a former community organizer, a mother, a social worker, I knew that I had a perspective that was missing and needed on the board of supervisors.”
My mom has been a nanny and a housecleaner in this county for decades and to know that my mom can feel “seen” and that people like her feel “seen” It embodies the best of our community where everyone belongs and everyone is worthy,”.
“I hope to be an advocate for all immigrants. I hope to improve the quality of life for every single person in the county,” Corzo said.
Corzo will be one of two newly elected County Supervisors, joining Ray Mueller who won the seat in District 3 over Laura Parmer-Lohan. They will be sworn into office in January.
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