11/06/2024
🇺🇸🇺🇸 A message from Councilwoman Ingrid Nieves-Clark. From the Heart and Facts 🇺🇸🇺🇸
It's not the result that we had hoped, but it was the result nonetheless. I have one last year left on council, so I will try my hardest to continue to serve my city in whatever capacity that is afforded to me.
But now that election is over let's get some things out and in the open. At $2,700 a year for council or $3,200 a year for Mayor, it was never about the money. It was about being a position where your voice could be brought to the forefront and not be ignored. There was no hidden agenda, I never aspired to be anything more than a public servant to help my community and secure the future for generations to come by using my platform to bring opportunities and a spotlight to a small town that would otherwise be overlooked. I am not a politician by any means, much to the chagrin of those that tried to lead me down that path. I don’t lead others on with false promises to get votes, I listen to concerns, and I always end the conversation with "I will try my best", because I know that I am not a miracleworker, but I will try my best to get answers and/or results.
My mother came here in 1976 to raise my brother and sister on her own and I was born 5 years later. A single Latina mother raising 3 kids and trying to maintain a household. To imply that after 43 years I am somehow controlled by ANY man is laughable and offensive to the hard work and lessons she taught her children. I stand 10000% by what I say and the actions that I take, that's accountability. I don't need a bodyguard and I certainly don't need approval to post my opinions.
As for my community service, just because I'm not in a picture or posting every single time I'm out there, doesn't mean I am not working behind the scenes.
Someone once said (and I hope they see this) that I wasn't for the Latinos and Blacks of my community because of the prices raised at the lake. That price hike affected everyone and to imply that the Blacks and Latinos couldn't afford to go to the lake because of it, honestly reflects more on your perception of our community than it does whatever you thought mine is. I'm 43 years old, the only "riff raff" I know was a cartoon cat that came on after Heathcliff and had a best friend Mungo McMungo. But you know what I have done? Translate forms into Spanish for the Police Department because we didn't have any, come directly from a full day of work to help a school employee understand employment documents he received before his meeting with the school board, research into all hours of the night ways to help the Crusaders raise funds and organize community events so that ALL children can participate regardless of income, sweat and/or freeze my butt off with Kasey Attianese and countless other volunteers at that field for the kids of this community, as well as visit and spend my money at local Latino owned businesses (did you know QuickMart is Boricua owned and at one point Alex and his mom had Caribbean based produce so we wouldn't have to drive out of town for it?). No, because I'm not followed by a photographer to document, it doesn't count or the fact that I ran with an (R) next to my name, it was some political stunt.
As for the Crusaders, I dare you find me a group of people that work harder for these kids of Egg Harbor City. We are a family that bleeds green. The people that criticize it the most aren't the ones you see feeding them, making sure they make it to games, hand out band-aids for every cut, and wipe away tears and band together to support the youth win, lose or draw. We were never a charity, we are and always were a non-profit. We file and pay our taxes, maybe you should work off of current information instead of riding antiquated news, the wheels fell off. Better yet, get involved with an intention to help rather than the intention "to get to the bottom of things" because everyone can point out a problem, but very few offer solutions.
To those who have supported me over these last 8 years of running, thank you! What has disappointed me the most about politics is the knee jerk reaction of some to dismiss others just based on political affiliation. I am and always will be Purple, it's ashame some were too busy judging and being fanatical instead of actually engaging.
The only decision I am making for my future right now, is to continue to serve my community in whatever capacity that may be. ❤️
