Short bio!

If I had to sum it up in one sentence, I would say that I’m among the most unlikely politicians you will ever meet.

For starters, I live off disability benefits in a supportive housing complex due to multiple invisible disabilities, including chronic pain, after spending five years homeless. I’m extremely introverted and reserved by nature, so I avoid loud places teeming with people. I struggle with public speaking due to a malformed jaw and I’m hardly photogenic due to multiple craniofacial malformations. I’m a proud college dropout and I’ve been refractory to authority since I was a child. Moreover, I’m so alienated by politics that I’ve never cast a vote in my entire life.

Don’t get the wrong idea: I’m not telling you not to vote for me, quite the contrary. If you’re tired of entitled career politicians buying their seats with their pedigree, if you seek a self-made candidate who’s overcome adversity and stands out as bold and authentic, look no further! Because what you see is what you get.

What do people say about me? I’m known for my incisive opinions and snarky sense of humour. I have a reputation for being nice and quiet—until people step on my toes. And whatever I do in life, I fake it ’till I make it.

So here’s my resume. I became a professional software developer without a degree after teaching myself computer programming as a teenager—which in the profession is a badge of honour. I had to quit this line of work altogether after a few years because I couldn’t handle 50-70 hour shifts every week due to my poor constitution, otherwise I’d still be earning a comfortable living writing software.

Hence started my downward spiral which eventually led to homelessness. It took five years to get back on my feet but I’m among the rare few who emerged stronger because of it. I volunteered for Our Place Society for about three years to help fellow unhoused residents of this city, and I learned to navigate the system all on my own because it wasn’t forthcoming in offering the help I needed.

Nowadays I’m a community advocate and activist embracing any good cause. I hang out with groups as disparate as the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club, the Victoria Tenants Union, and Elbows Up Victoria. To be honest, I do it in part because it’s healthy for a chronic pain patient to remain active, even a disabled one; it keeps the mind off the pain. And hey, why not do some good around while I’m at it.

Another hobby of mine is to self-teach how to navigate the legal system. I’ve become confident enough to take the City of Victoria and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner to the BC Supreme Court all on my own. I’ve also helped a few unhoused residents of this city engage in legal recourse against the municipality, including with human rights complaints which are my speciality.

Oh, you wonder whether I have any real hobbies? Good question. When I’m not rocking the boat, I like reading on a multitude of topics, like medicine to self-medicate, mathematics for computer programming, or strategy games like chess, go, and mahjong. I’m also into writing; I even wrote a spicy book on activism and the law. I teach myself foreign languages, like Japanese because I’m into manga, anime, J-pop, and JRPGs like Final Fantasy. By the way, did I tell you that I like teaching myself stuff? Just saying.

So why municipal politics? Because as a community advocate I’m tired of begging the powers that be to dig a well; I mean to compel them to do it from within. As the saying goes: If you can’t beat them, join them. And why not? My favourite computer game in the old days was SimCity 2000. Granted, I wasn’t dreaming of becoming a politician when I was a kid, but then neither was I dreaming of becoming a legal advocate, a radical activist, or a volunteer for the homeless. I intend to fake it ’till I make it once more, and don’t expect business as usual once I sit on the council!

See my platform, which includes a detailed plan to relieve the pressure on Pandora Avenue.