When Gavin Newsom Showed Up for My Community

California Gov. Gavin Newsom needs friends right now. I’m not a “friend.” But as a journalist he once invited me to coffee to talk about some columns I wrote, which included negative swipes about his policies. He reached out. We chatted. He’s still not a “friend.” But if I was on the street homeless, I know he wouldn’t be as cruel as some of his past policies might have indicated at first.

He would have at least given me some new cardboard.

Maybe made sure I had access to public services. But he’d help.

Since that meeting (he was mayor of San Francisco), he’s climbed to the highest office in the state.

Me? I’m talking to you directly.

I’ve written about him sparingly, but I did write a couple of years ago when we were both in attendance at the funeral of Alice Bulos.

Bulos was the “Godmother of Filipino American Politics.” You didn’t make political lumpia without the help of Alice Bulos. By lumpia, I mean that Filipino version of the egg roll, stuffed with anything you want. Cabbage? Tofu? Collards? You can put anything in a lumpia wrapper. Then you flash fry it crispy, add the secret dipping sauce. Have no party without them.

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Lumpia. That’s how Bulos put together coalitions of different groups in politics.

You need Alice’s lumpia recipe.

At her funeral, Newsom towered over most of the Filipino Americans who were in attendance. He was like the whole string bean in the lumpia.  But he came. He went to Mass. He walked out with the casket. And then he hung out with all of us outside the church. Took selfies. It was the same old Gavin. He was only lieutenant governor back then. But he wanted to be governor. Was he “campaigning” us? No, he was being personal. And real. He had to be there for all that Alice Bulos meant.

He showed up for her. And for us.

Right now, Newsom could use Alice’s recipe. He’s up for a recall vote that’s about to turn nasty as we get to the final month before the election which will be held on Sept. 14.

In this last month, Newsom will be blamed for everything from the fires (PG&E is a better culprit if Mother Nature isn’t good enough for you); to the coronavirus (You saw how Republicans in lock-step with Trump enabled the virus to grow in 2020. Hundreds of thousands of Americans died needlessly); And you can throw in climate change (though Newsom has been one of the most forthright about addressing climate change. The Republicans? Climate deniers all).

Republicans will do worse than Newsom on any of the big issues. And they’ll ignore all the little issues real folk care about.

Republicans do have a full roster of people among the more than 45 candidates who want the job. Some are talk show hosts. Having been one myself, I know the ones running can’t be serious. Running for office is just a publicity stunt. Lord help us if they win. Look at Trump. But they suck votes away from Newsom and wreak havoc on government when it already has enough problems on its hands– like fires, climate change and the coronavirus.

Start caring about this election. This is no slam dunk. In a UC Berkeley/Los Angeles Times poll, among likely voters, 47% want the recall;  50% are for Newsom.

That’s way too close with a month away.

Newsom needs people to show up by marking up their mail-in ballots (arriving by the middle of August), sending them in, or by voting in-person on September 14.

Don’t let voter apathy and more stringent coronavirus restrictions have an impact. A Republican running for fun, or a Trump wannabe isn’t what California needs right now.

My Filipino American friends who were at Alice Bulos’ funeral know how critical this all is.

They haven’t forgotten when Newsom showed up for us.

Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist and commentator. He vlogs at www.amok.com and on Facebook Watch. Twitter @emilamok.

Isabelle Price

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