Your Home, Your Vote Sabine Leskopf skrifar 7. maí 2022 09:31 Reykjavik has been my home for almost 22 years now, I have lost track of how much German or Icelandic I am by now, but I am definitely a Reykvikian, if that is even a word. But for the most part I am a local, from my neighborhood, Laugardalur. This is my home, it’s where the bus stop I use is, the school and preschool my children went to, and it’s where the park is that I walk my dog in. And it’s the place where I first realized how much local politics matter. In 2006, the so-called Sundabraut motorway was proposed which would lead tens of thousands of cars, and particularly heavy traffic, right through my neighborhood. As someone who has been an activist for women of foreign origin since 2004 here in Iceland, I had long noticed many parties being interested in having a foreign name on their list, but usually tucked safely away in the lower ranks. But in 2014 I received an interesting offer, from a friend in Samfylkingin, the Social Democratic Party. I was asked to take a seat on the city council that offered real participation. At first, I didn’t dare participate in the primaries, but accepted a seat as deputy city councilor. Since then I have successfully gone through 2 primaries and received an incredible amount of support. Among the members of this party there was a unique will to have a voice that speaks with an accent. And representation does matter, our current list of candidates is as diverse as I have seen it. Candidates with diverse backgrounds occupy one in the top four candidates, three more in the top 20 and another 3 on the whole list. All of us have been actively involved in the grassroot activities of our party, contributing with our voices, experiences, and points of view to shaping of party politics in all spheres. The sheer number of immigrants who have the right to vote in municipal elections has attracted attention, which is something that we should appreciate. Rightfully so, however, there is concern that too many of them are not aware of this right. I can confirm that this is indeed the case. Both in this and previous campaigns, Samfylkingin has put out information in more than 10 languages, we are visiting workplaces, walking door to door, phoning people, and chatting with people in shopping malls. Still, I meet and talk to many who are not aware of their rights. This is unfortunate and something that should be remedied, because healthy and prosperous societies thrive on participation of all of its inhabitants. This will not be fixed by only reacting right before elections. From my activist work I know how challenging it can be to reach out to people that may be too busy going about their everyday lives to have the luxury of time for politics or activism. But I also know how rewarding it is when it is a success. We politicians need to build trust by our actions, as well as with having a clear vision on how we will deliver promises. Samfylkingin has led an immense increase on spending for the education of children with other mother tongues and just today, the city council passed a new equal pay policy addressing not only the gender wage gap but also the wage gap based on origin. But apart from issues concerning the immigrant status, Samfylkingin is also the party focusing on affordable housing offered by not-for-profit companies like Bjarg and a public transport system that will offer a real alternative to dependence on cars, just to name a choice of issues. This is your home, your vote! Find all the info you need in 10 languages on www.xsreykjavik.is. Höfundur er borgarfulltrúi og frambjóðandi Samfylkingarinnar í komandi borgarstjórnarkosningum. Viltu birta grein á Vísi? Sendu okkur póst. Senda grein Samfylkingin Innflytjendamál Reykjavík Sveitarstjórnarkosningar 2022 Borgarstjórn Sabine Leskopf Skoðun: Kosningar 2022 Mest lesið Þjónn, það er bakslag í beinasoðinu mínu Hlédís Maren Guðmundsdóttir Skoðun Er loftslagskvíðinn horfinn? Sonja Huld Guðjónsdóttir Skoðun Hagsmunir flugrekstrar á Íslandi eru miklir Jóhannes Bjarni Guðmundsson Skoðun Betri hellir, stærri kylfur? Ingvar Þóroddsson Skoðun Aðförin að einkabílnum eða bara meira frelsi? Kristín Hrefna Halldórsdóttir Skoðun Málið er dautt (A Modest Proposal) Skoðun Kvöld sem er ekki bara fyrir börnin Alicja Lei Skoðun Líttupp - ertu að missa af einhverju? Skúli Bragi Geirdal Skoðun Kvennabarátta á tímum bakslags Tatjana Latinovic Skoðun Femínísk utanríkisstefna: aukin samstaða og aðgerðir Guillaume Bazard Skoðun Skoðun Skoðun Rannsóknarnefnd styrjalda Gunnar Einarsson skrifar Skoðun Börn eiga ekki heima í fangelsi Tótla I. Sæmundsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Aðförin að einkabílnum eða bara meira frelsi? Kristín Hrefna Halldórsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Kvöld sem er ekki bara fyrir börnin Alicja Lei skrifar Skoðun Verkakonur samtímans – og nýtt skeið í kvennabaráttu! Guðrún Margrét Guðmundsdóttir,Aleksandra Leonardsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Málið er dautt (A Modest Proposal) skrifar Skoðun Femínísk utanríkisstefna: aukin samstaða og aðgerðir Guillaume Bazard skrifar Skoðun Hagsmunir flugrekstrar á Íslandi eru miklir Jóhannes Bjarni Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun Þjónn, það er bakslag í beinasoðinu mínu Hlédís Maren Guðmundsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Samhljómur á meðal ÍSÍ og Íslandsspila um endursköpun spilaumhverfisins Ingvar Örn Ingvarsson skrifar Skoðun Kvennabarátta á tímum bakslags Tatjana Latinovic skrifar Skoðun Líttupp - ertu að missa af einhverju? Skúli Bragi Geirdal skrifar Skoðun Betri hellir, stærri kylfur? Ingvar Þóroddsson skrifar Skoðun Er loftslagskvíðinn horfinn? Sonja Huld Guðjónsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Okur fákeppni og ofurvextir halda uppi verðbólgu Þorsteinn Sæmundsson skrifar Skoðun Óverjandi framkoma við fyrirtæki Ólafur Stephensen skrifar Skoðun Viljum við læra af sögunni eða endurtaka hana? Arndís Anna Kristínardóttir Gunnarsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Réttlæti hins sterka. Þegar vitleysan í dómsal slær allt út Jörgen Ingimar Hansson skrifar Skoðun Sameiginlegt sundkort fyrir höfuðborgarsvæðið – löngu tímabært Þórdís Lóa Þórhallsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Frá Peking 1995 til 2025: Samstarf, framþróun og ný heimsskipan Karl Héðinn Kristjánsson skrifar Skoðun Ástarsvik ein tegund ofbeldis gegn eldra fólki Kolbrún Áslaugar Baldursdóttir skrifar Skoðun Lítil bleik slaufa kemur miklu til leiðar Halla Þorvaldsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Fræ menntunar – frá Froebel til Jung Kristín Magdalena Ágústsdóttir skrifar Skoðun 1500 vanvirk ungmenni í Reykjavík Magnea Gná Jóhannsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Hvað eiga kaffihúsin á 18. öld á Englandi og gervigreind sameiginlegt? Stefán Atli Rúnarsson skrifar Skoðun Að hafa trú á samfélaginu Hjálmar Bogi Hafliðason skrifar Skoðun Sköpum samfélag fyrir börn Gunnar Salvarsson skrifar Skoðun Skrift er málið Guðbjörg Rut Þórisdóttir skrifar Skoðun Viltu hafa jákvæð áhrif þegar þú ferðast? Ásdís Guðmundsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Tvær leiðir færar til þess að skóli fyrir alla geti virkað Íris Björk Eysteinsdóttir skrifar Sjá meira
Reykjavik has been my home for almost 22 years now, I have lost track of how much German or Icelandic I am by now, but I am definitely a Reykvikian, if that is even a word. But for the most part I am a local, from my neighborhood, Laugardalur. This is my home, it’s where the bus stop I use is, the school and preschool my children went to, and it’s where the park is that I walk my dog in. And it’s the place where I first realized how much local politics matter. In 2006, the so-called Sundabraut motorway was proposed which would lead tens of thousands of cars, and particularly heavy traffic, right through my neighborhood. As someone who has been an activist for women of foreign origin since 2004 here in Iceland, I had long noticed many parties being interested in having a foreign name on their list, but usually tucked safely away in the lower ranks. But in 2014 I received an interesting offer, from a friend in Samfylkingin, the Social Democratic Party. I was asked to take a seat on the city council that offered real participation. At first, I didn’t dare participate in the primaries, but accepted a seat as deputy city councilor. Since then I have successfully gone through 2 primaries and received an incredible amount of support. Among the members of this party there was a unique will to have a voice that speaks with an accent. And representation does matter, our current list of candidates is as diverse as I have seen it. Candidates with diverse backgrounds occupy one in the top four candidates, three more in the top 20 and another 3 on the whole list. All of us have been actively involved in the grassroot activities of our party, contributing with our voices, experiences, and points of view to shaping of party politics in all spheres. The sheer number of immigrants who have the right to vote in municipal elections has attracted attention, which is something that we should appreciate. Rightfully so, however, there is concern that too many of them are not aware of this right. I can confirm that this is indeed the case. Both in this and previous campaigns, Samfylkingin has put out information in more than 10 languages, we are visiting workplaces, walking door to door, phoning people, and chatting with people in shopping malls. Still, I meet and talk to many who are not aware of their rights. This is unfortunate and something that should be remedied, because healthy and prosperous societies thrive on participation of all of its inhabitants. This will not be fixed by only reacting right before elections. From my activist work I know how challenging it can be to reach out to people that may be too busy going about their everyday lives to have the luxury of time for politics or activism. But I also know how rewarding it is when it is a success. We politicians need to build trust by our actions, as well as with having a clear vision on how we will deliver promises. Samfylkingin has led an immense increase on spending for the education of children with other mother tongues and just today, the city council passed a new equal pay policy addressing not only the gender wage gap but also the wage gap based on origin. But apart from issues concerning the immigrant status, Samfylkingin is also the party focusing on affordable housing offered by not-for-profit companies like Bjarg and a public transport system that will offer a real alternative to dependence on cars, just to name a choice of issues. This is your home, your vote! Find all the info you need in 10 languages on www.xsreykjavik.is. Höfundur er borgarfulltrúi og frambjóðandi Samfylkingarinnar í komandi borgarstjórnarkosningum.
Skoðun Verkakonur samtímans – og nýtt skeið í kvennabaráttu! Guðrún Margrét Guðmundsdóttir,Aleksandra Leonardsdóttir skrifar
Skoðun Samhljómur á meðal ÍSÍ og Íslandsspila um endursköpun spilaumhverfisins Ingvar Örn Ingvarsson skrifar
Skoðun Viljum við læra af sögunni eða endurtaka hana? Arndís Anna Kristínardóttir Gunnarsdóttir skrifar
Skoðun Sameiginlegt sundkort fyrir höfuðborgarsvæðið – löngu tímabært Þórdís Lóa Þórhallsdóttir skrifar
Skoðun Frá Peking 1995 til 2025: Samstarf, framþróun og ný heimsskipan Karl Héðinn Kristjánsson skrifar
Skoðun Hvað eiga kaffihúsin á 18. öld á Englandi og gervigreind sameiginlegt? Stefán Atli Rúnarsson skrifar