Manhattan Beach City Council Candidate Responds To Resident Email

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — EDITOR'S NOTE: At least one Manhattan Beach resident is circulating an email that notes that Manhattan Beach City Council candidates Phoebe Lyons and Grettel Fournell are members of Anti-Racist Movements [ARMs] "an organization that recently demonstrated with Black Lives Matter in front of City Hall where they essentially said Manhattan Beach is racist and, to atone for that racism, we must defund our police department and use those funds for low income housing for people of color," according to the email.

Manhattan Beach City Council candidate Phoebe Lyons responds below in a Letter to the Editor.

Dear Neighbors,

It has come to my attention that there is an email circulating in our community that mischaracterizes my values and goals for this City. I would like to take the time here to respond.

As I have stated, one of my goals for our City is to increase transparency and improve communication. This value also applies to my campaign. I will always be clear about what I stand for. I encourage you to attend one of my upcoming Virtual Chats to get information on my campaign directly from the source.

Listening to residents’ diverse perspectives is one of the most important jobs of a City Council member. As a candidate, I am working to hear varied thoughts and opinions. I am a member of a number of groups on Facebook that give me an opportunity to hear from and learn from residents of Manhattan Beach, including the Manhattan Beach Residents Forum, the MBUSD Community Panel for Equity, and Anti-Racist Movements Around the South Bay (ARMs). My membership in any group does not mean that I support or agree with all of their positions. It means that I'm listening to every resident I can. I continue to have meaningful conversations with residents one-on-one and in groups to hear what matters most to them and how we can improve upon this City that we love so much.

Before I decided to run for City Council, I joined the ARMs Facebook group because I believe that having conversations about equity and race is important and will make our community better. The concept of anti-racism is to be actively in favor of racial equality and, as a community, it is something we should all be working towards. We should not shy away from tough discussions about race and equity. The ARMs group is just one place where these dialogues are actively taking place in an open and constructive manner.

The email that’s been circulating has tried to argue that I’m wrong to listen to members of our community and to work towards equity for all of us. I could not disagree more. The email argues that I am not a good choice to be a City Council member. Rather, I think my willingness to engage in these discussions makes me a better candidate and will make me a better Council member. We must not dismiss new ideas. We must be willing to have discussions about complex topics with those who may disagree with us.

I entered this race because I love this City where I grew up and I believe in its future. Engaging diverse perspectives in meaningful conversations will move Manhattan Beach forward.

I invite you to learn more about what I really stand for by visiting my website (www.phoebeformb.com), emailing me (campaign@phoebeformb.com), or attending one of my weekly Virtual Chats (next one is Thursday, September 17 at 3 p.m., link to join).

Thank you for supporting a fresh voice for our City leadership. With your support, we can start new and meaningful discussions about the bright future of Manhattan Beach.

Sincerely,
Phoebe Lyons

Phoebe Lyons, City Council Candidate
A Fresh Voice for MB
(310) 848-0499
phoebeformb.com