What are the factors that determined why you decided to run for mayor of Sacramento?
There were several factors that I had to consider carefully. First, I had to ensure that St. HOPE was set up in such a way that it could continue to prosper. I now feel fully confident that we have the capacity and infrastructure necessary to be successful without my day-to-day involvement. The second factor was more personal. Becoming a public official means being more visible and under more scrutiny. I knew it would mean a different lifestyle for my family and for me. The most significant difference I had to think about, however, was what it would mean to move from operating on the outside of the political system – where I’d run my own organization with tremendous amount of freedom and autonomy – to working within the political system where I would no doubt be more constrained by the existing bureaucracy. Ultimately, though, the decision I had to make was whether I could make a greater impact on the community within the political realm or outside of it. I decided that serving Sacrame
