I am running for Raleigh City Council (District B) located in North Carolina.

I am running for Raleigh City Council because it’s time to have a voice at the decision-making table that provides a voice to the future. I am tired of the growing divisiveness in our local politics, and the fact that we continue to neglect our under-served communities. I decided to run because I strongly believe that we need a voice that not only represents the voice of current residents in District B (and Raleigh), but also represents the future homeowners and renters of tomorrow.

Enabling the development of affordable housing is an issue that I hold dear to my heart. As a first-generation Korean-American, I understand - and have experienced - the struggles that so many families face in this country. My parents, two older sisters, and I lived paycheck to paycheck, living in a 1-2 bedroom rental apartment in the hopes that one day we would have enough to buy our own home. As Raleigh is one of the most expensive cities to rent and buy a house, we need effective action today. If elected, I plan to work towards bringing more affordable housing to the City of Raleigh to ensure that rent and home prices do not continue to skyrocket. We must make the American Dream attainable for our existing and future generations.

A second issue that is important to me is reducing traffic by expanding/improving our public transit system and working towards walkable neighborhoods. A month ago, my Campaign Manager, Elijah Geist, and I decided to document how long it takes for someone that lives in Northeast Raleigh to commute to work in Downtown Raleigh riding public transit. The results were absurd; we found that it took over three hours on a regular basis. Our public transit system should never be in such a state, and it’s no wonder why people continue to drive to work rather than ride public transit. Raleigh needs to work towards transportation options that are affordable, accessible, efficient, and equitable for all.

As the son of a small business owner, providing our small businesses with the opportunity to grow is an issue that is important to me. It’s difficult to start up and maintain a small business. As the son of a small business owner based in Raleigh, I understand many of the issues and difficulties that entrepreneurs have when attempting to build a solid foundation to maintain a successful business. Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy here in Raleigh. They employ our citizens, contribute to our economy, and ensure the further progression of the City. As such, we must work towards ensuring the proper resources and funds for struggling small businesses to ensure that they remain a key part of our economy.

I am honored to say that if elected, I would be the youngest and first Asian-American elected to the Raleigh City Council - creating history. In fact, I’ve recently made City history by being elected by City employees to serve a four-year term as Commissioner on the Raleigh Civil Service Commission as the youngest Commissioner in the history of its existence.

Filing Window: July 1st (noon) - July 15th
General Election: November 8th, 2022

Raleigh City Council elections are non-partisan; therefore, candidates are not involved in a primary election.

I am a registered voter with the Democratic Party. I have served as the 2nd Vice-President of the Wake County Democratic Party's Asian-American and Pacific Islanders Caucus, and have volunteered in previous years with the Democratic Party.

Some of the biggest challenges that my team and I have come across are name recognition and fundraising. Name recognition arrives with time and due diligence; once we begin canvassing, phone-banking, and setting up yard signs, it should no longer be as much of an issue. Fundraising will almost always be an issue as a typical political campaign will always be focused on expenditures for campaign materials (e.g., yard signs, pamphlets, stickers, etc.).

I believe I will win because District B needs better. District B needs better representation; District B needs better parks; District B needs more affordable housing; District B needs less traffic. This is not as much of a divisive, outrageous idea as it seems. Most people agree with much of this; we have to work towards electing the right person to get the job done while serving to be the voice of the future of Raleigh. People are also starting to realize that it is time that we elect someone who will represent the needs of the residents of today, as well as the future residents of tomorrow. In addition to such, I am proud to have a hard-working staff that works diligently to get their work done. I would not have made it this far without the assistance from my staff and interns. With all of these factors combined, I am extremely confident that we will be successful on Election Day.

My campaign manager is Elijah Geist; he is also a student at North Carolina State University, and has been a crucial part of the day-to-day operations of the campaign.
Phone: (707) 267-0108
Email: elijahkgeist@gmail.com.

My campaign staff is divided into three teams: Communications, Research, and Events. Communications is currently made up of two individuals who are tasked with monitoring social media and the local news, creating social media posts, and responding to inquiries from the public/constituents. Research is made up of three individuals who are tasked with researching a local issue and drafting policy research memos for Minu to review. Finally, Events is made up of two individuals who are tasked with organizing all campaign-related events which include fundraisers, meet and greets, and community outreach events. The Campaign Manager is primarily tasked with dividing up work accordingly and ensuring that all staff members are on task and that their assignments are completed on time.

I have a handful of close friends who are not a part of the campaign, but show their support through other means. They’ve donated what they can to the campaign, they volunteer their time to help out however they can. Most importantly, they provide me with reassurance and optimism whenever the campaign runs into any obstacles. Running for office can be emotionally/mentally exhausting; as such, it’s comforting to know that I can rely on my friends to lift up my spirits and motivate me to push forward.

I was endorsed by Run for Something in February, and they have been providing me with an abundance of useful resources that serve to assist my campaign.

I am currently running against the incumbent, David Cox. I have not heard of anyone else that plans to run for this position as of yet.

Agreed on 03-28-2022