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LONGTIME NEIGHBORHOOD LEADER AND COMMUNITY PSCYHOLOGIST ENTERS MAYOR RACE
Frustrated mom says Lansing and our Kids Deserve Better
Lansing, Michigan, April 20 — Melissa (Quon) Huber has filed candidacy and will run for Lansing mayor in the August 3, 2021 primary election.
Huber is a longtime Lansing neighborhood leader and community activist. But she has been frustrated watching her community go down the wrong path for so long, despite her efforts along with many other residents.
“Running is a matter of conscience, not ego, for me. This wasn’t on my radar until about a month ago. For the past 15 years I have mostly been working behind the scenes to fix problems in the city and help neighborhoods. But in my efforts to do so, I have gone against Bernero, Schor, Spitzley, and Dunbar on different issues that are incredibly important to me and vital to our future. I knew my fellow residents were looking for other choices. I couldn't just stand by. I kept waiting for someone to step up that I could support, and no one did. So that someone became me.”
A Different Kind of Leader
Based on her experience as a community psychologist, working with communities all over Michigan and her long-term work in Lansing, Huber believes she is the right choice for Lansing at this time.
“With all the big issues we are dealing with as a community, it is the right time for a community psychologist to be at the helm along with a great team of problem-solvers. Cranes in the air and more marijuana shops aren’t going to save us from the issues we face right now. Too many people are worn out and feel left behind. We don’t have much pride in our city or faith in our local elected officials.”
She is confident there is a clear path forward. “We have to invest in our people, neighborhoods, parks, schools, and local entrepreneurs. We need to feel good about where we are heading. That’s what we do as community psychologists. For us the “patient” is actually the community. We monitor the health and well-being of communities.”
She points out that these kinds of professionals “have a huge toolkit that addresses all kinds of community problems in ways that use money wisely. We manage large budgets and track our progress to get the best outcomes for our dollars. We are also professionally bound by strong ethical guidelines. We make sure the solutions are based on community input and that our vulnerable residents are not further marginalized by our efforts. We are also scientists, so we deal with facts and truth-telling, not spin. Lansing needs that kind of transparency right now.”
Cleaning up the Mess
Huber says that it's also the right time for a mom to step in and clean up the mess left behind by years of egos, special interests, and self-serving priorities. “There is going to be a lot of house cleaning if my team is elected. And everyone is going to place nice in the sandbox again.“
She is adamant about the changes that are needed. “I am not letting my kids continue to live in a city that tolerates sexual assault as a norm in our schools or workplaces and certainly not at city hall. I am not letting my friends continue to live in a city that sees people as too poor, too Black, too Brown, too old, too young, too fat, too disabled, or from the ‘wrong neighborhood’ to be believed, heard, or have their complaints addressed.”
Advocating for Neighborhoods and Vulnerable Residents
Much of her fire and passion to solve community problems comes from the 15+ years Huber has served as a volunteer working hand-in-hand with other Lansing residents to fight for changes in Lansing. She was a founder of, and presided over, the Averill Woods Neighborhood Association and had leadership roles with Rejuvenating South Lansing and Lansing Neighborhood Council.
“I am so proud of all we accomplished as a team of residents and stakeholders in creating safer neighborhoods, building strong bonds between neighbors, supporting our schools, restoring public gathering spaces, fixing bad ordinances, improving 911 dispatch protocols, problem-solving to improve emergency response after the 2013 ice storm, and so much more.”
But Huber reports that the fight got harder over the years, and that residents starting losing hope and energy. “We starting losing too many fights regardless of who was mayor or on council. And residents started getting attacked from their government if they spoke out.”
Huber had briefly stepped back from community involvement out of sheer exhaustion and frustration until seeing the struggles of others. Then she was once again compelled to take action.
“I see now that some of our HUD-funded programs that are supposed to be helping our most vulnerable people are instead doing great harm. Residents have been terrified to speak out. Thanks to a few brave residents, we know that the Home Rehabilitation Program is doing physical and economic harm to some of our residents due to shoddy work and actual vandalism by the city-approved contractors. I have seen the independent evidence that shows the city has failed to do proper inspections, has mishandled contracts (possibly including forgery), and has misrepresented information. The problems continue as the city fails to respond to the issues.”
Huber is worried about the ongoing impact of these seemingly mismanaged programs within the city.
“People can, and have died, because of these kinds of oversight failures. For the last two years I have been worried about what would happen to our city funding if HUD was truly aware of all the violations we are committing. I have a lot of questions about how long this has been going on. Based on the research it appears that there could be a long history of shoddy work. We need to do a full audit of this program.
Bias and Policing
Huber has many concerns about how people in some neighborhoods or different backgrounds have been treated. “Why is it okay for someone in my neighborhood to be encouraged to pass out the city-owned cell phone numbers of city employees when others are disparaged when they do so? Why is that public information now missing from the city website?”
After many years working with different neighborhoods Huber concludes that “Bias doesn’t just show up in policing. It also affects code compliance, and other city departments. We have so many wonderful, and often under-appreciated, city employees. I’m not trying to paint them all with a broad stroke. We just need to be more proactive in identifying our individual and institutional discrimination and dealing with it promptly.”
Ethics Reform
There are a host of issues concerns Huber will address about Lansing’s ethical codes and practices. “It is not safe to complain in Lansing. And that is unacceptable. We have seen our ethics board and ordinances gutted in ways that remove the power of employees and residents to have complaints addressed.”
She has been very upset by the number of past and present employees and residents of Lansing who have been traumatized by interactions with the city. “Yes, the city attorney is supposed to represent the interests of the city. But that doesn’t mean the office of the city attorney should be going on the attack against residents or employees.”
Diversity and Culture for Service
Diversity is also a critical part of her values. “Our team is going to look a lot more diverse, just like Lansing. Our city contracts and vendors need to be more representative as well. Plus, there will be roles for youth whom we need to elevate and engage instead of being ignored. We are going to stop acting like disabled people shouldn’t be incorporated into our society. City services and all communications need to be designed for those with hearing, visual, mobility, and other challenges.”
Coming from a small town and a Mennonite culture, Huber has an entirely different perspective on the role of elected officials. “I come from a long line of people devoted to helping others. Whether you are a builder like my brothers and dad, a church leader like my mom and zillion of her cousins, or a mayor like my great grandfather, you are a servant to others. My goal is to change the culture of Lansing politics to one focused on service, ethical standards, and effective governance.
Grassroot Funding - No Ties
Huber believes strongly that campaign finance reforms are needed. “Campaign money from special interests has played too big of a role in Lansing politics. We can’t do what is best for the city and its residents when candidates are tied to big money. I will not seek the endorsement or funding from these special interest groups. I welcome the support of residents and any donors acting on their own behalf.
About Melissa
Melissa (Quon) Huber is a community psychologist, having graduated with both a Masters and Ph.D. from Michigan State University. She has been engaged in research and outreach work at MSU since 1993. Her areas of expertise include youth development, community and economic development. She has managed significant grant budgets, projects, and teams. She did her undergraduate work at Goshen College, a Mennonite college in her Indiana hometown known for its emphasis on social justice, service, and intercultural studies. Her professional and volunteer activities can be viewed at https://melissaquonhuber.weebly.com/.
She and her husband, Sam Quon, a Los Angeles native, have lived in their Lansing neighborhood since 1999. Sam has a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from MSU. Sam and Melissa have been committed to urban development and renewal so they chose to live in the city of Lansing to live out that commitment.
They are proud of their two teenagers that have helped flyer neighborhoods for community outreach since they were babies and now remain politically active on their own.
Frustrated mom says Lansing and our Kids Deserve Better
Lansing, Michigan, April 20 — Melissa (Quon) Huber has filed candidacy and will run for Lansing mayor in the August 3, 2021 primary election.
Huber is a longtime Lansing neighborhood leader and community activist. But she has been frustrated watching her community go down the wrong path for so long, despite her efforts along with many other residents.
“Running is a matter of conscience, not ego, for me. This wasn’t on my radar until about a month ago. For the past 15 years I have mostly been working behind the scenes to fix problems in the city and help neighborhoods. But in my efforts to do so, I have gone against Bernero, Schor, Spitzley, and Dunbar on different issues that are incredibly important to me and vital to our future. I knew my fellow residents were looking for other choices. I couldn't just stand by. I kept waiting for someone to step up that I could support, and no one did. So that someone became me.”
A Different Kind of Leader
Based on her experience as a community psychologist, working with communities all over Michigan and her long-term work in Lansing, Huber believes she is the right choice for Lansing at this time.
“With all the big issues we are dealing with as a community, it is the right time for a community psychologist to be at the helm along with a great team of problem-solvers. Cranes in the air and more marijuana shops aren’t going to save us from the issues we face right now. Too many people are worn out and feel left behind. We don’t have much pride in our city or faith in our local elected officials.”
She is confident there is a clear path forward. “We have to invest in our people, neighborhoods, parks, schools, and local entrepreneurs. We need to feel good about where we are heading. That’s what we do as community psychologists. For us the “patient” is actually the community. We monitor the health and well-being of communities.”
She points out that these kinds of professionals “have a huge toolkit that addresses all kinds of community problems in ways that use money wisely. We manage large budgets and track our progress to get the best outcomes for our dollars. We are also professionally bound by strong ethical guidelines. We make sure the solutions are based on community input and that our vulnerable residents are not further marginalized by our efforts. We are also scientists, so we deal with facts and truth-telling, not spin. Lansing needs that kind of transparency right now.”
Cleaning up the Mess
Huber says that it's also the right time for a mom to step in and clean up the mess left behind by years of egos, special interests, and self-serving priorities. “There is going to be a lot of house cleaning if my team is elected. And everyone is going to place nice in the sandbox again.“
She is adamant about the changes that are needed. “I am not letting my kids continue to live in a city that tolerates sexual assault as a norm in our schools or workplaces and certainly not at city hall. I am not letting my friends continue to live in a city that sees people as too poor, too Black, too Brown, too old, too young, too fat, too disabled, or from the ‘wrong neighborhood’ to be believed, heard, or have their complaints addressed.”
Advocating for Neighborhoods and Vulnerable Residents
Much of her fire and passion to solve community problems comes from the 15+ years Huber has served as a volunteer working hand-in-hand with other Lansing residents to fight for changes in Lansing. She was a founder of, and presided over, the Averill Woods Neighborhood Association and had leadership roles with Rejuvenating South Lansing and Lansing Neighborhood Council.
“I am so proud of all we accomplished as a team of residents and stakeholders in creating safer neighborhoods, building strong bonds between neighbors, supporting our schools, restoring public gathering spaces, fixing bad ordinances, improving 911 dispatch protocols, problem-solving to improve emergency response after the 2013 ice storm, and so much more.”
But Huber reports that the fight got harder over the years, and that residents starting losing hope and energy. “We starting losing too many fights regardless of who was mayor or on council. And residents started getting attacked from their government if they spoke out.”
Huber had briefly stepped back from community involvement out of sheer exhaustion and frustration until seeing the struggles of others. Then she was once again compelled to take action.
“I see now that some of our HUD-funded programs that are supposed to be helping our most vulnerable people are instead doing great harm. Residents have been terrified to speak out. Thanks to a few brave residents, we know that the Home Rehabilitation Program is doing physical and economic harm to some of our residents due to shoddy work and actual vandalism by the city-approved contractors. I have seen the independent evidence that shows the city has failed to do proper inspections, has mishandled contracts (possibly including forgery), and has misrepresented information. The problems continue as the city fails to respond to the issues.”
Huber is worried about the ongoing impact of these seemingly mismanaged programs within the city.
“People can, and have died, because of these kinds of oversight failures. For the last two years I have been worried about what would happen to our city funding if HUD was truly aware of all the violations we are committing. I have a lot of questions about how long this has been going on. Based on the research it appears that there could be a long history of shoddy work. We need to do a full audit of this program.
Bias and Policing
Huber has many concerns about how people in some neighborhoods or different backgrounds have been treated. “Why is it okay for someone in my neighborhood to be encouraged to pass out the city-owned cell phone numbers of city employees when others are disparaged when they do so? Why is that public information now missing from the city website?”
After many years working with different neighborhoods Huber concludes that “Bias doesn’t just show up in policing. It also affects code compliance, and other city departments. We have so many wonderful, and often under-appreciated, city employees. I’m not trying to paint them all with a broad stroke. We just need to be more proactive in identifying our individual and institutional discrimination and dealing with it promptly.”
Ethics Reform
There are a host of issues concerns Huber will address about Lansing’s ethical codes and practices. “It is not safe to complain in Lansing. And that is unacceptable. We have seen our ethics board and ordinances gutted in ways that remove the power of employees and residents to have complaints addressed.”
She has been very upset by the number of past and present employees and residents of Lansing who have been traumatized by interactions with the city. “Yes, the city attorney is supposed to represent the interests of the city. But that doesn’t mean the office of the city attorney should be going on the attack against residents or employees.”
Diversity and Culture for Service
Diversity is also a critical part of her values. “Our team is going to look a lot more diverse, just like Lansing. Our city contracts and vendors need to be more representative as well. Plus, there will be roles for youth whom we need to elevate and engage instead of being ignored. We are going to stop acting like disabled people shouldn’t be incorporated into our society. City services and all communications need to be designed for those with hearing, visual, mobility, and other challenges.”
Coming from a small town and a Mennonite culture, Huber has an entirely different perspective on the role of elected officials. “I come from a long line of people devoted to helping others. Whether you are a builder like my brothers and dad, a church leader like my mom and zillion of her cousins, or a mayor like my great grandfather, you are a servant to others. My goal is to change the culture of Lansing politics to one focused on service, ethical standards, and effective governance.
Grassroot Funding - No Ties
Huber believes strongly that campaign finance reforms are needed. “Campaign money from special interests has played too big of a role in Lansing politics. We can’t do what is best for the city and its residents when candidates are tied to big money. I will not seek the endorsement or funding from these special interest groups. I welcome the support of residents and any donors acting on their own behalf.
About Melissa
Melissa (Quon) Huber is a community psychologist, having graduated with both a Masters and Ph.D. from Michigan State University. She has been engaged in research and outreach work at MSU since 1993. Her areas of expertise include youth development, community and economic development. She has managed significant grant budgets, projects, and teams. She did her undergraduate work at Goshen College, a Mennonite college in her Indiana hometown known for its emphasis on social justice, service, and intercultural studies. Her professional and volunteer activities can be viewed at https://melissaquonhuber.weebly.com/.
She and her husband, Sam Quon, a Los Angeles native, have lived in their Lansing neighborhood since 1999. Sam has a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from MSU. Sam and Melissa have been committed to urban development and renewal so they chose to live in the city of Lansing to live out that commitment.
They are proud of their two teenagers that have helped flyer neighborhoods for community outreach since they were babies and now remain politically active on their own.