Adaptation, Collaboration, Accountability: Leading the Way with Carmen

By Daryl K. Jones

Carmen Llanes Pulido was a candidate for mayor of Austin. The race was a close one, so close that it ended with a runoff between Carmen and the incumbent, Mayor Kirk Watson. Obviously, Carmen did not win but she was the only candidate with enough votes against the incumbent to warrant a runoff. While she was preparing for her candidacy I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Ms. Pulido. The following are my notes on our interview, followed by a brief Q/A session with the mayoral candidate.

“I am an active listener. I connect dots and weave networks. I know how to align common interests, including across differing opinions and diverse groups. I know the difference between being objective as an organizer or appointed official (commissioner and election judge) and being subjective as a leader where I speak from direct experience. I don’t believe I have all the answers, but I have an incredible network of vast experts who can adaptively address our key issues if given the agency, authority, and resources.”

From community organizer to Mayoral Candidate, Carmen Llanes Pulido is a woman of the people. Carmen has dedicated herself to the improvement of the quality of life of underserved communities, and believes that everyone should be afforded an equal opportunity to succeed in Austin.

Candidate Llanes Pulido is the Executive Director of GAVA (Go Austin/Vamos Austin), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure Austinites have access to nutritious food, active living, and neighborhood stability regardless of race, income, ethnicity, primary language, or immigration status. “GAVA is a community organizing nonprofit breaking down barriers to healthy living in North and Southeast Austin” explains Carmen. “We team up with those who live, learn, work, and worship in three particular areas of ‘Austin’s Eastern Crescent’ to improve infrastructure, green spaces, healthy food options, childcare environments, and more.” Today GAVA focuses on the “social determinants of health” and the stability of our neighborhoods. They also have active projects related to economic mobility, anti-displacement policies, and affordable housing, so that communities can stay in the neighborhoods they have worked so hard to improve.

As an avid community organizer, Carmen is uniquely positioned to understand the needs of the people she will subsequently represent if elected mayor. In fact, the inspiration to announce her candidacy came from being asked by over 100 people across the city to step up for this challenge. “It’s not something I take lightly”, Carmen admits. “When I saw people from different backgrounds; young, old, new to Austin, seasoned in our politics, conservative, progressive, and everything in between, all telling me they believed I could do this and take us in a direction toward better governance, I had to oblige.”

One factor that differentiates Carmen from her colleagues is the fact that she is the only candidate originally from Austin. She attended our public schools and had the opportunity to observe many of the policies carried out by two of our other mayoral candidates during her adult life. She has been a community organizer all over Austin for two decades, (which is just about the time Kirk Watson left his seat as Mayor to become a state senator). “I have been working with city champions across various departments and neighborhoods advocating for adequate services. I bring an intricate inside-to-outside view that could accelerate our problem-solving at the city.”

-What are the issues that you wish to address if elected Mayor?

We are facing unprecedented shockwaves, from the extreme weather events stressing our infrastructure to the changing values of land and real estate keeping 70% of Austin stressed about housing costs. We have an unprecedented opportunity to leverage federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to improve our infrastructure and housing options without going broke as a city.
I also know that with the multi-national interests in Austin, we can capture more of the value being invested and extracted from our city. As mayor, I’d draw attention to the importance of protecting and preserving Austin’s culture of creativity. That includes the long time artists and creatives who made this city beautiful and entertaining (including my own parents!), as well as the diverse new and traveling artists who come through our city. We need to make sure that the immense value that creativity brings to the city’s vibe is recognized and artists can make a living and thrive in Austin.

-Why should constituents vote for yourself, as opposed to the incumbent Kirk Watson?

It’s time to turn the page and embrace a more curious, adaptive, and equitable path for Austin’s growth and leadership. People are tired of being sold out, of watching big contracts and construction projects approved that make a few people rich but leave the taxpayers with the bill and unanswered questions. We’re tired of moneyed deals for policing and homelessness that don’t address the issues and leave advocates and taxpayers frustrated. We’re ready to shake things up, using lessons learned from the past but with a more future-forward plan for our city.

-How do you plan to work with those who may oppose your agenda or the things you wish to accomplish?

I know there is a lot we can agree upon, even if we have some policy differences. I think inviting people in and having a conversation is the most important part.

-There is currently a budding movement in the state of Texas that is pushing for what is being referred to as “Texit”. These are individuals who support Texas independence (approximately 33% of Texans support secession, according to recent polling). What are your thoughts on this movement?

I think it’s unrealistic, frankly, with all of the challenges our state faces. We are going to have to rely on intelligence and collaboration. We are already feeling the strain of extreme weather, increasingly deregulated and privatized utilities, and 20 million new inhabitants over a couple of decades. Much of our state will be uninhabitable in the next 20 years without serious investments in climate resilience and infrastructure. I can’t fathom an independent Texas in this decade. As it is, we’ll be tasked with shoring up our statewide resources and leveraging federal investments to keep up with the challenges of the future.

-I understand that one of the hobbies that you enjoy is playing guitar, of which you have several. What (or who) influenced your love of music?

I was born to musicians. My mother was an active dancer and performing percussionist throughout her pregnancy with me, and my dad played instruments around me from the time I was born (guitar but also flute, pan pipes, and piano).

-What is something about you that may surprise our readers?

I’m a polyglot, and sing a lot of old Brazilian pop songs to keep up with my Portuguese. It’s a hobby and a way to switch my brain completely off of politics.