The following opinion piece submitted by a DHS senior does not reflect the opinion of the Dublin Shield or its staff. The Shield is committed to publishing a diversity of op-eds and letters to the editor and we’d love to hear more perspectives from students. Email submissions to [email protected].

In unsure times we often look to our leaders for support, guidance, and reassurance that our community will be able to persevere. Local leaders, perhaps, take on some of the heaviest responsibilities in difficult times such as the COVID-19 crisis and its strain on residents, businesses, and our economy. 

The City of Dublin, our home, needs a leader, an innovator, and a passionate community member; someone who loves what Dublin stands for and wants to see it succeed every day and night; someone who truly cares about every single resident. For our city, this person has always been Arun Goel. 

Arun has lived in Dublin for 17 years, studied in the Bay Area to get his bachelors and masters degrees in Civil Engineering, and has served as HOA President for Dublin Ranch Golf Course prior to committing himself to local civil service. We are classmates with his daughters and have seen the impactful decisions he’s made on council and as Vice Mayor to champion Dubliners first and foremost. He truly loves the City of Dublin.

As a civil servant, he is an advocate for those who need our support. As his neighbors and constituents, we have seen him consistently rally and act alongside affordable and senior housing projects, refuse to take funding from developers, and support pertinent social issues such as Black Lives Matter and diversity in our city. As politically active students, we have seen him be an active voice at council meetings, rather than voting with the majority for the sake of simplicity, he speaks up with eloquence and preparation for each issue that pertains to Dublin citizens. 

Truly, Arun equally presents ideas and action. Together, this makes him a solutions candidate. He champions environmentally conscious local change. He supports a pause on bursts of market rate housing to provide affordable housing and senior housing—making Dublin a community to support families and generations, especially in the COVID crisis. 

Grassroots, voter backed campaigns like Arun’s are an inspiration to young people who look to new leaders that champion honesty and progress. As Dublin High students, we have seen Arun mentor student organizations, advise politically active youth, and respond to every single initiative and project that reaches out to him. When I was first creating the Dublin Political Coalition, Arun was the first to respond, offering support, advice, and his time simply because he wanted to help youth political involvement and voter empowerment grow around our city. His actions, not just words, have shown that our voice matters.

And that’s why I, and so many Dublin High school students, support Arun Goel for Dublin Mayor. Dublin is a diverse place, filled with different ages, cultures, and languages. Arun’s campaign champions each and every one of us. He posts fun content for his young supporters on Instagram while fighting for retirement age citizens at City Council meetings. He is a people’s candidate, a community member turned leader that values every inch in the miles that cover this city. Vote for Dublin. Vote for Arun Goel.