Thumbnail photo: Candidates for Yurok Tribal Chair from left to right: Edward 'Horse' Aubrey, Susan Masten, Jewel Frank, Joseph L. James, Thomas P. O'Rourke Sr., Phillip L. Williams | Courtesy of True North Organizing Network By Tamara Brooks Disclaimer: I am a Yurok Tribal member, a Yurok Tribal employee, and a Leader with True North and one of the organizers of this event. All opinions expressed are my own, and not affiliated with any agency, organization, or employment. I firmly believe that participation in the process of politics is not just a right that we are afforded but is vital. I have organized a few candidates’ forums, canvassed, volunteered in campaigns, a California poll worker, and am currently a trustee on the Del Norte County Library Board. As a family when we got our ballots we would sit around the table and discuss the candidates and the referendums, we would discuss the whys of our vote, and I have continued that tradition with my child: Voting as a family event; voting as an ongoing discussion of what we see to be the challenges and the strengths within the system; and voting as one of the solutions to the ongoing struggles that we see in our community, our tribe, our state, our country. As in small communities, tribal elections feel personal. That’s your auntie, or cousin, or sibling running for office. Attacks can feel personal and sometimes funny. The joke of “I can’t vote for them, don’t you remember what they said about your uncle’s car in 1967,” isn’t far off sometimes. We also have our own experiences with the candidates that shape our view, whether good or bad. Which is why these types of forums are so important, we need to push through what we think we know about a person, what we may know about their family, and actually hear their responses to the issues that matter to us as Tribal members. The forum was set up with each candidate making an opening statement, answering five preselected questions and giving closing statements. Stephanie Weldon gave a brief “Get Out the Vote” and Laura White Woods facilitated the forum. As a committee, we have been meeting for the last few months planning the agenda, finding a place, reaching out to people to volunteer, soliciting ideas for questions and topics, and general event planning. While listening to the candidates, you can tell what matters to them, the issues that resonated, the ones that maybe they hadn’t really considered before, and ones that are not important. I was impressed with how thoughtful and passionate they all were. They were taking this seriously, this was important, being a leader for our tribe matters to all of them. I have done several forums and can honestly say that isn’t always the case. While the candidates' comments were thoughtful and provided me with a lot to think about as I prepare to fill out my ballot, the thing that resonated with me the most was part of Stephanie Weldon’s Get Out the Vote. She said we are fortunate to have so many people who want to be a leader for our Tribe. While I have been swimming in the pessimism that seems to seep into everything nowadays, I was truly inspired by the idea that so many people want to step up and make things better. Just because we may not agree with everything they do or say doesn’t negate the fact that they are showing up. It is easy to sit at home and complain about the people who are actually trying to do the work. It is much harder to go and do the work and take the criticism. To do the work, knowing you will be critiqued for having the audacity to show up. We, as Tribal members, need to start showing up. In the 2024 election only about 1/3 of eligible voters even voted. That was actually higher than normal, where we are closer to about 25% of eligible voters voting in most elections. As a member of the forum committee, the number of negative comments we received about only having one forum, about the sound quality, the quality of questions, who they were directed to, and everything in between, was disheartening. I helped with both the Vice Chair Forum in 2024 and this one and instead of people helping with the process we just were barraged with criticism for not being what people wanted or what they thought it should be. While my inclination was to be a bit snarky, I looked around at who showed up: Nearly 50 people who came on a Wednesday to learn more about the candidates, the six candidates themselves that prepared and were ready to talk in front of voters in person and online, and those of us who got there early to set up chairs and tables and to organize and plan. I realize I will continue to show up. I hope that you will as well. The candidates for Yurok Tribal Chair are Edward 'Horse' Aubrey, Jewel Frank, Susan Masten, Thomas P. O'Rourke Sr., Phillip L. Williams and incumbent Joseph L. James. Primary election day will be held Oct. 8. For more information, visit www.yuroktribe.org or call the Election Department at (707) 482-1350. Tamara Brooks is a member of the KFUG Community Radio LLP Board of Directors.