Building community

Stockton, California, Mayor Michael Tubbs was the Center’s Jane Jacobs Lecture featured speaker. Tubbs, a Stanford graduate, has served for five years in public service, four of which were spent as a Stockton City Council member before winning election as mayor. He addressed the crowd on his motivation for entering public service, his plans for the city, and how he believes current students can contribute to positive change in their local communities. Tubbs spoke about his emphasis on reviving the city of Stockton. He shared a story of when he was first elected to city council at the age of 22: two women told him his first initiative as a member of city council should be to close the local liquor store that had been the site of frequent crime in the city. From there, Tubbs initiated a plan to revitalize the city of Stockton, opening a health clinic, a local bank, and a community park while promising to continue listening to the ideas and needs of those whom he is serving.

Throughout his talk, Tubbs stressed the importance of values in guiding the policies that impact communities. As the mayor of a city whose inhabitants are ethnically, racially, and socioeconomically diverse, he noted the inherent difficulty but necessity of working on behalf of all people in an increasingly partisan environment. He spoke of his desire to see the country return to its founding principles of opportunity, equality, fairness, and democracy before urging members of the audience to consider the impact of public service. In closing, Tubbs issued a call-to-action for attendees, asking, “How can you use your time, resources, and skills to make a difference?” He declared it a responsibility of those with an education to expend some of their time and intellect for the public good. Additionally, he spoke of the uncertainty of enacting change, but stated that efforts to make a difference must be intentional, and they require dedicated action. Before taking questions, the mayor delivered a final challenge to the audience: “What are you prepared to do today so that the world looks different 50 years from now?”

Alexis Grimard '18, Winston Ambassador