Herrera wants to see increased activism

When Alderman John Herrera talks about Carrboro issues - from increasing affordable housing to involving more residents in town meetings - he regularly applies a motto to his reasoning: "Think globally, act locally."

His global outlook comes from experiences unique to Carrboro and to the country - when Herrera joined the aldermen in 2001, he was the first Costa Rican elected to public office in the U. S.- now he's seeking to be the first to gain re-election.

Herrera became a U.S. citizen in 1999, two years before running for alderman.

He has been an outspoken advocate for Latinos, helping found outreach groups that work at the local and state levels - El Centro Latino, a Carrboro community center and El Pueblo Inc., a Raleigh organization that lobbies the N.C. General Assembly.

He is chairman of the center for community self-help at the Latino Community Credit Union.

Herrera said that one of his goals is to start an outreach and advisory board to help involve underrepresented groups in town politics.

The aldermen and town boards meet in the evenings, which Herrera said discourages working parents from attending the meetings.

"Only people who have the time and the ardor can participate," he said.

Herrera said the aldermen should reduce the number of meetings they have per month to make serving on the board less of a time commitment.

"It's about understanding their limitations," he said. "If they can't come to us, how do we go to them?"

Herrera's own ardor got him named one of The Nation magazine's progressive city leaders in its June 20 issue this year.

"I think it's really great to have someone looking out for the interests of the Latino community," said Ana Cerna, president of the Carolina Hispanic Association.

"It's important for people to realize that we are a part of the community," she added.

Herrera said he would like to see people use the Bolin Creek trail more often and suggested starting a bicycle sharing program to give residents another way to reach downtown.

Herrera also said he thinks the aldermen should rely more on Carrboro's town staff - a move that would allow for fewer meetings.

"I believe that this board shouldn't micromanage," he said. "We hired the best town manager in the area for a reason," he said of town manager Steven Stewart, whom he voted to hire in 2003.

He said he wants Carrboro to work with the University to increase affordable housing in the area.

Herrera said that while he does not see a simple solution for housing, the possibility of workforce housing at Carolina North, the University's proposed satellite campus, is a step in the right direction.

"Carolina North should provide for the workers," he said.

 

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.