Photo: Paloma Aguirre, Mayor of Imperial Beach, California, and her most loyal constituent, Dasha
The Ancestors bless the land of the Great Kumeyaay Nation with the sacred gift of another day in the universe while the people wake from an induced coma that has separated and isolated them from their natural indigenous heritage. Diversity, in nature and people, is the umbilical cord that ties Imperial Beach (IB) to the universe.
Being the most Southwesterly settlement in the continental United States, Imperial Beach is a family-oriented beach town in the south bay of San Diego County. The mighty Pacific borders the town on the West, while scenic estuaries cradle the South and North boundaries. These geographic barriers have contained the population growth and contributed to the natural beauty and habitat for abundant birds and marine and other wildlife. There are miles of undeveloped beach both south, heading to the border of Mexico, and north, along the Silver Strand. It is home to the Navy Seals’ training base. A stunning aspect of IB is this unique, protected location is only a few minutes’ drive to infrastructure—leading medical facilities, the arts in all forms, an international airport, shopping, biomedical research firms, and multiple universities.
Imperial Beach, land of the Kumeyaay Nation, is now home to 28,000 folks; many have lived here for generations, with deep roots, while others are young military families that pass through as their careers dictate. It has transitioned from being a motorcycle gang stomping ground in the 1970s and 1980s to a family friendly, sort of sleepy town with beautiful beaches, a classic California pier, and enviable waves for surfers.
Imperial Beach has the everyday problems of a small town, from potholes to housing insecurity. Besides these inescapable struggles, given its geographic location, IB is faced daily with global issues of border security and immigration challenges, inevitable sea rise concerns, and an international boundary pollution crisis of untreated industrial waste and sewage flowing down the usually dry Tijuana riverbed and pouring into the Pacific.
This land needs strong and enlightened leadership. The cultural diversity and the multitude of global struggles highlight what the mayor of Imperial Beach, Paloma Aguirre, brings to the table and the futuristic collective consciousness that she and her vision represent.
Indian Voices met with Paloma Aguirre for a casual and informative conversation at the relaxed high energy oceanfront home of Tom and Marvel Harrison in Imperial Beach.
There is no doubt that mayor Aguirre is a fighter for the a people that have historically been left out of the democratic process. As mayor of Imperial Beach many of these are her constituents. Her pluralistic background, cultural sensitivity and vision allow her to articulate and be a public face for this vast hidden, ignored and abused community.
While she is sharpening political skills in preparation for District 1 Supervisor seat, an army of grassroots community organizations have been pushing forward and gaining strength within the corridors civic influence across the country. Coalition building and civic education are first responders to the call to save our democracy. A greater asset to this cause is to widen the path of influence of Mayor Aguirre. We can do this if we all work together. The Ancestors are providing that opportunity on the land of the Great Kumeyaay Nation for all people for the next Seven Generations.
