Letter to Editor | In support of Jennifer Swanson, my mom, for County Council

||| FROM SOPHIA SWANSON |||

I believe that my mom’s candidacy for county council is both unexpected and a long time coming; that is to say, it’s such a natural role for her to step into. The depth to which she cares for our community is obvious: she served on the Shaw Island School Board for eleven years while my sister and I attended, as well as seven years as superintendent; alongside fellow Shaw Islanders, she’s dreamed and planned the Shaw Island teacher housing that’s now almost completed; she volunteers for Shaw Inc., the Fourth of July committee, and the library; she advocates for our island on the Ferry Advisory Committee; she’s behind the efforts of Shaw Community Land Trust, creating affordable, permanent islander housing; she’s behind the scenes everywhere, always working to materially improve our sacred little island community. This comes from a pure, heartfelt care for both our present community and its future generations – she wants to see this place be liveable for a long time. She has both the foresight and the dedication necessary to do this.

When I say her candidacy was unexpected, I do not mean that it doesn’t make sense. On the contrary, it is the clear next step. My mom simply did none of this work for any recognition nor resume, but instead because she understands that this is what’s asked of you in a small community such as ours: to always show up and give back. Even if it is, at times, difficult.

One of my earliest memories of such times is at a Shaw School winter play (à la Anita Orne, this is a notoriously fabulous and celebrated production) soon after my mom became superintendent. I was young and still relegated to the play’s K-4 chorus, quite anxious to be performing in front of the entire island. Yet before our performance, my mom had to give her first speech to the community as superintendent – she was thanking the audience and introducing us students – and, although she tried not to let it show, I believe she was just as nervous as I. The order of operations demanded that she go first, and as she walked onstage and the clapping died down, I remember feeling a certain sense of awe, peering up at her from the community building’s little side room, that that was my mom up there. She was smiling and illuminated and brave. I felt so proud to be her daughter.

This is exactly how I feel about her now running for county council. While the stage is much larger, and the stakes a bit higher, her devotion to serving our community is ever the same. I could go on about my mom’s kindness, capability, thoughtfulness, dedication, etc. forever – admittedly, I am quite biased – but I’ll save the ink, because anyone who’s met her already knows all of this. She cares for this
island community so deeply. I’m not sure there could be a better fit for county council.