Endorsements

Below are the amazing community members and organizations that support Ami. If you would like to endorse Ami click the link below!

Smiling woman with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing a green cardigan and patterned blouse, sitting indoors in front of a blurred background with pictures and a window.
A metallic sign with the words 'future forum' inside a circular outline.
A metallic sign with the words 'future forum' inside a circular outline.

Organizations

Logo featuring a handshake with labels 'AFL' and 'CIO' over a background of a river, mountains, and sky, surrounded by text 'Monterey Bay Central Labor Council' and 'The Union of the Unions'.
Diagram showing the Earth with an arrow pointing to it, labeled 'The Climate Alliance'.
Sierra Club Endorsed badge with a circular green border, a black tree silhouette in the center, and the text 'Sierra Club Endorsed' around the border.
Campaign poster with text 'Get the Flock Out' and subtitle 'The campaign to get Flock cameras out of Santa Cruz County'.

Why the Community Supports Ami

“My endorsement for Santa Cruz mayor? Ami Chen Mills. … I’ve known Ami for years. She is a smart, effective progressive who recognizes the important issues facing this city and how to address them.”

— Stephen Zunes, Westside Resident, USF Professor of Middle Eastern Studies

“Getting involved in politics is the only way to make our democracy work. That's one reason I'm thrilled that my longtime friend Ami Chen Mills-Naim has thrown her hat into the ring to become the next mayor of Santa Cruz!

I first met Ami when we both worked as reporters at the same newspaper decades ago. We don't agree on everything (although we agree on the big things). What I do know for certain, though, is that she'd be one of the best mayors in the whole country if she wins.

She operates on a whole other level, if you know what I mean. I've already contributed as much as I can to her campaign and want to encourage all my friends to do something, anything, to help, even $10. We all need to have each other's backs. Especially now. Please help us elect Ami Chen Mills for Mayor of Santa Cruz.”

— Hal Plotkin, Former Senior Advisor, Education Department, Obama Administration

“I’ve known Ami for 30 years. She started in Santa Cruz as a reporter and waitress at my cafe … I have watched her take her place in local politics. She has tremendous integrity, intelligence and is a great listener and communicator. Let’s make Ami mayor of Santa Cruz!”

— Paul Cocking, owner, Gabriella Cafe, downtown Santa Cruz

Community Members

Aaron Bartlett

Adam Bolaños-Scow, former Pajaro Valley School Board Trustee, educator, Committee for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture

Alene Smith

Alison Buchter, Environmental Activist

Amanda Harris, Indivisible Santa Cruz leadership team, Democratic Central Committee, District 5, alternate

Annika Mancini

Antonina Beyea

Art Burgesd

August Materazzi

Barb Hwong

Barbara Riverwoman, Friends of the River

Barnaby Lee

Batya Kagan, Shamati Dialogue Project, Committee for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture

Carol Hewitt

Caroline Lykins

Celeste Guitierez, Democratic Central Committee, District 4

Celina Malabey

Chris Campton

Christine (Crystal) Hawley

Christine Barrington, KSQD host, producer and volunteer

Clio Maya-Johnson

Colleen Marie Hughes

Cynthia Adams

Dave Tannaci

Dawn Whisnant

Diana Dugan

Dorah Rosen

Doris Correll

Elizabeth Lykins, Health Practitioner

Ella Kueeme

Ellen Fitzgerald Murtha

Ellie Aucoin-Unruhe

Emmanuel Nevarez, Chair, Latino Affairs Commission, Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz resident

Ethan Brandt

Eva Brunner

Franco Picarella

Fred Geiger

Gabriel Barraza, Pajaro Valley for Ethnic Studies and Justice

Gabriela Maldonado, Resiliency Educator

Gavin Roth

Grant Wilson

Jack McCourt

Jane Shtalenkova

Jane Weed-Pomerantz, former Mayor, Santa Cruz

Javi Guerrero

JC Cockrell

Jeanine Cowan

Jeffrey Smedberg

Jenny Evans

Jim Mulherin

Jo McGinty

Joy Schendledecker, Democratic Central Committee, District 3, alternate

Joe Jordan, Community Volunteer

Joel Isaacson

John Hall, Our Downtown Our Future

Karen Card

Ken Foster

Keresha Durham

Kris Neustadter

Laura Zucker

Linda W Lisa Ekström

Lorene Stewart

LucienKubo, AAPI Santa Cruz County

LyndaMarin, Lead, Citizens Climate Lobby Santa Cruz

Makena Macambridge

Marc Brown

Maren Hurn

Mary Reynolds

Mary Flodin

Meg Sandow

Melanie Correll

Michael Levy, Shamati Dialogue Project, Co-Counseling, Santa Cruz, Nonviolent Communication facilitator, musician

Michelle Minugh

Mitchell Wexler

Monica Larenas

Nancy Carleton

Nancy Glock-Grueneich

Nancy Kahumoku

Pam Neimeth

Patricia Walters

Patti Jo McCarron

Paul Cocking, Owner, Gabriella Cafe

Paul Franklin

Peter Gelblum

Peter Kline

Rachel O'Malley

Ray Newkirk

Rev. Steve Palmisano,former climate action director, city of Watsonville, current Santa Cruz resident, Santa Cruz Zen Center

Rick Longinotti, Sustainable Transportation Activist

Ron Silva

Sandy Brown, former city council member, Santa Cruz

Sarah Bowers Sarah Lee

Sarah Young, Shamati Dialogue Project

Sean Dougherty, Democratic Candidate for Congress, D-19

Shelly D'Amour

Shizue Shitarma, AAPI Santa Cruz County

Stephen Bare

Stephen Zunes, Professor of Politics and Middle East Studies, University of San Francisco, Santa Cruz resident

Tabitha Hart, Professor

Tad Davis

Tamar Ragir

Tane Tachyon

Tangie Solow

Thomas Witz

Tim Fitzmaurice

Timothy Kensit

Tony Russomanno, Executive Committee member, Santa Cruz County Democratic Party

Victor Kimura, AAPI Santa Cruz County

Victoria Nobles, Santa Cruz County Democratic Party, District 1 alternate

Wendy King

Winona Suyenobu