A former Citrus College student is running for Pomona City Council, district Two on Nov. 6.
Jacqueline Elizalde-Macias has been a public servant for many years. She worked at San Bernardino County Human Services and Social Services.
“I’m around public service all day, every day,” Elizalde said. “So, whether I am a volunteer or doing it through employment, I love it. I love serving my community.”
Elizalde said she was elected to the Pomona Library Board of Trustees when she started school at Citrus, when she was 28 years old.
She served on the Pomona Library Board of Trustee for seven years. She currently is Pomona’s Cultural Arts Commissioner.
She said her experiences at Citrus helped her become the woman she is today.
“Citrus College has built me, has motivated me, especially the good feedback I got from Citrus and all the help and support,” Elizalde said. “All of that comes into place when you decide to take a step into a career or running for office.”
Elizalde said she particularly enjoyed Club Rush.
“When they had those events where all the booths come out and all the clubs and organizations, I’d always make my way in going to each and every one of them and meeting folks,” Elizalde said.
She listed campus leaders Paul Swatzel and Sarah Bosler as people who inspired her career in public service.
“He was the voice for the students, and he continues to fight and make sure that justice is served,” Elizalde said, referring to Swatzel. “He inspired me.”
Elizalde, who was a student worker at Hayden Memorial Library also praised her former boss, Public Service librarian Sarah Bosler.
“She’s always been one of my supporters behind me, and also very motivating,” Elizalde said
“I started my services when I started Citrus. Here in the city of Pomona it was back in 2010 I was appointed to serve the library board of trustees”
Elizalde enrolled at Citrus in fall of 2010 and she began working at the Pomona library the same year.
She said public safety, homelessness and street repairs are the top three issues she wants to address in Pomona.
“The district that I’m running for has been neglected for many years and so I have to prioritize,” Elizalde said. “I know that, I mean I would love to take care of everything, but you have to prioritize.”
Elizalde graduated from Citrus in June 2013 with a degree in business administration. She said she wanted to hold public office since her earliest days as an undergrad.
“It’s something that’s been at the back of my mind for some time now,” Elizalde said.
