Changemaker Spotlight: November 2020
Camille Zapata
Campaign Manager,
Susan Eggman for State Senate
In one sentence, what do you do?
I am the campaign manager for Susan Eggman for State Senate 2020.
What drew you to the work you are doing with Susan Eggman?
I think what drew me in was her community-rooted work around education, equity, and public policy locally. Centering education has always been important to me especially as a first-generation college graduate on both sides of my family, being both Puerto Rican and Mexican American. It has been amazing seeing someone like Susan Eggman, who is an out gay and Latina elected official, being progressive and leading on policy issues that are pivotal to Stockton and the broader Central Valley. Being in that position can be very vulnerable, and I have appreciated seeing her be so bold in face of that criticism. From what I'd seen and heard, I wanted to figure out how to get in touch with her team. A month or so later, I had just wrapped up a contract when I got a call back from her. It was like the universe was calling, and I got hired!
What inspires you about Stockton?
I've found that something that's special about Stockton is that there are a lot of academic leaders. These leaders in academia, in the nonprofit space, and within public service are so valuable because they are also rooted in their community. They understand and can contextualize their environment, policy-wise, and how that impacts different groups and they're intentional about centering those things in their work. And so I've found really great mentors here in Stockton. But I think once you are in a space where you're organizing and engaging with the community, you really see how culturally diverse our population here is. And this diversity is so valuable for us as residents because we formulate understandings of systems of power and inequities that can't be seen as easily in spaces that are more White. This knowledge and understanding is part of what makes Stockton so rich. And although I'm a Stockton native, a lot of my organizing has been in the greater Central Valley in places like Modesto, Fresno, and Galt where there's great potential to build power. Now I'm seeing myself more as a resident of the Central Valley and not just looking strictly at Stockton.
What advice do you have for those looking to make change in Stockton?
One thing we've done in our campaign is to make sure we are building new, fresh political organizers that represent the perspectives of the entire Central Valley. It's important to do your best to understand your city or county in its entirety. This can look like reaching out to the folks who you see are doing the work, hitting them up on Facebook, and letting them know you want to support them. Because what can be so hard in Stockton and the Central Valley is that we constantly have to find our own tools and our own teachers when we're looking to make a change. It's important to look for mentors, finding somebody that's willing to invest in your growth, whether that be your emotional maturity or academic skill, or anything else. To really make changes in the community, you have to build your support system, because there are a lot of things you will need to navigate, like relationship building and professionalism. So, put your foot in the door, pick a team, and build long term relationships with people. It's not about being right or being perfect or being the better professional, it's about the work. As long as you have that support, you'll be in a good place.
You're an innovator in your field and the world is rapidly changing around us. How are you adapting and what support can Third City Coalition members offer?
Because the pandemic hit right after the California primaries, I had to pivot my entire campaign plan. Our team has a whiteboard in our office and we went in thinking, let's just figure this out -- no idea is a bad idea. We were able to come together and think through how to make something that is people-centered online. The world is really changing, so pivoting and just constantly thinking outside of the box is extra important. As for the support that Third City can offer, I think this Changemaker Spotlight is a really good way to show all the ways people can make an impact. There is so much work that goes on behind the scenes, and I think the more that you can really dig and find those people and highlight them, it really helps people reimagine what they do.