Petition drafts are available at www.nwpcca.org.

The NWCP is a non-partisan organization and welcomes both men and women to membership although they focus their endorsement process on women.  I am looking forward to staying in tune with the local pulse through my work in this organization and welcome any one who is interested to get in touch with me and I will guide you to the most appropriate person or group to become a member.

My family gave up a lot for me to run my campaign.  They adjusted schedules, filled in on commitments, gave up certain savings, and always cheered me on.  If I didn’t have their real support I would never have been able to keep it going.  I also learned that my family grew as the campaign grew.  I have people here in Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona, Coachella, Temecula, Perris, and Murrieta who have counseled me, taken on assignments for me, and kept me real through out the campaign.  I can never thank all of you enough and I know I’ll never be able to fully repay you.  At this time it is my responsibility to give back to my family, to be there when they need me, and to cheer them on as they push through their challenges.

I haven’t given up my plans though.  I want to remain involved and available to other candidates and campaigns.  I have accepted a position on the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC) as Vice President — Political Action Committee.  It will be my job to insure that all female candidates within the Inland Empire receive the necessary paperwork and encouragement to seek the NWPC endorsement and then to make sure that they are supported with training and as much other assistance as can equitably be managed.  In the future I may run for another elected office but that’s not going to happen right now.

I learned a lot from the campaign.  I learned that to be really effective you have to be seeking the office you campaign for for at least a year before the election date.  I learned that endorsements and base support (including funding) are vital to carrying on a successful campaign.  Finally, I learned that running for office can fill one with an oversized idea of their own self importance.  It is easy to lose track of the particular talents you have and begin to think that you could be anything.  It is important that people of integrity run for office but also they should be people of appropriate knowledge and experience, people whose life experiences have naturally brought them to the place where they can best serve their fellow citizens by being in this particular office.  It is too often that people are in the office for the prestige and the name without true regard for the responsibilities.  When you vote in November look for the experience, the knowledge, and the service dedication — not the glory seeker.

In Riverside County there are several groups in place — the Latino Network, The Group, the Friday Morning Network, and over 20 neighborhood associations, that can inform and involve citizens and elected officials with citizens.  The problem is unless you know someone in those groups, you don’t know about the groups. The Press Enterprise could go along way by publicizing the meetings and agendas and speakers.  The Latino Network meets at Bordwell Park’s Casa de Ninos twice a month — 7-8am on the first and third Wednesday (off for the summer).  The Group meets at the Coffee Depot downtown Riverside on the first and third Thursdays (off for the summer).  The neighborhood groups generally meet at night at various community centers. 

Our survival as a country depends on involved citizens — it always has.  We have so many wonderful gifts that need to be used, exercised, nurtured, and protected.  For my part, I want to approach the high schools again (I did it years ago.) and see about presenting a forum to the senior government/economic classes regarding such things as government budgeting, voting, and taxes.  I’ll continue to teach my governmental accounting class at the UCR Extension but this will be for that somewhat younger group who are just coming of age and getting involved.  Hopefully we can get them interested in the Value of the Vote.

Our campaign is sitting pretty well.  We need to work hard to get the signs out and meet the voters.  We are also at that last moment where contributions can help seal the deal.  I want to take this time to thank you all for everything that you have done and will continue to do.  Our families are our best supporters and you have all been family for me.  We can make a difference together and we’ll make a change that’s good for us all!

Look for QUINONES on Slate Mailers you receive, signs in yards through out the County, and on cards, brochures, and flyers that you helped get into the hands of the voters.  Listen for QUINONES in the phone calls leading up to election day.  Watch for QUINONES to make a difference in the way government responds to people.