Pride is more than visibility. It is whether LGBTQ+ people can afford to stay in Berkeley, move through public space safely, and have a City Hall that treats belonging as something concrete.

Every morning before most of Berkeley is awake, Telegraph Avenue is already being cared for. After spending time with the Telegraph Ambassador team and attending the Telegraph Business Improvement District annual meeting, I came away with a deeper appreciation for the people whose daily work keeps Southside clean, welcoming, and economically vibrant. Telegraph’s future depends less on one transformative project than on consistent stewardship, responsive government, and investing in the people who show up every day.

District 7 is one of the smallest and most unique council districts in Berkeley. It includes UC Berkeley, Southside, and the Telegraph corridor. It is a renter-majority district, with roughly 2,500 voters, and small margins can decide the outcome.

That matters.

Accountable growth means Southside can welcome more housing while protecting existing residents, preserving affordable homes, and making sure infrastructure keeps pace. It means development should come with real community input, better sidewalks, lighting, cleaning, transit access, trees, public safety capacity, and public spaces where people can gather, rest, organize, and participate without needing to spend money.