My Journey from Belarus to Santa Monica

My journey to Santa Monica began when I was six years old. It was the fall of the Soviet Union and as Jews who faced discrimination and oppression in Belarus, my parents believed we had no choice but to flee to America. We arrived with only a few hundred dollars and moved into a cramped apartment with relatives.  

As immigrants, my parents could only get low-wage jobs and they struggled to keep a roof over our heads. My first bed in America was a cot my parents found discarded on the street. We bought our food with what I thought was Monopoly money. Today, I know that “money” was food stamps. The government assistance and non profit resources we received —along with finding a rent-controlled apartment — allowed  us to eventually achieve a better life. I understand first-hand the importance of those safety nets and what it is like to fear losing them. 

The lived experiences I had as a child shaped my life forever. But the expertise I gained through my career as a Financial Analyst and Senior Due Diligence Analyst, and during my 12 years of community service in Santa Monica is what prepared me to serve on the City Council today. 

I moved to Santa Monica right after college to be part of a forward-thinking community. I am a Pico neighborhood renter, and have served as President of the League of Women Voters of Santa Monica, as a Board Member of the Human Relations Council of the Santa Monica Bay Area, and as an Advisory Board Member of Climate Action Santa Monica. I was one of two resident appointees to the City Council’s 2019 Audit Subcommittee. This work has taught me how to analyze and shape policy, resolve neighborhood issues, and make our city more fiscally responsible and transparent. It has given me the skills to tackle the challenges facing our city.

On a more global level, I serve on the Board of the International Women’s Resource Center (IWRC), and was recently selected to serve on the Rising Leaders Council of the Institute for Portfolio Alternatives (IPA) for 2022-2024. 

I know Santa Monica can and must do a better job to help all our families to thrive, to protect our residential neighborhoods, and nurture our local businesses.

Working together, we can make Santa Monica more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable – for all generations.