Cindy Strebig never dreamed of running for office. But when the Lakewood resident and community activist learned that her representative on city council had decided not to run for reelection, she jumped at the opportunity.
“The idea of – you hear it often – if not me, then who? That’s where I was,” she said.
Running for Ward 3, Cindy hopes to pick up where her predecessor, John Litton, leaves off as a progressive voice on Lakewood City Council, just inches west of the Cleveland border. If elected, she will be the council’s only out LGBTQ+ member.
The Buckeye Flame sat down with Cindy to discuss her political vision and why LGBTQ+ representation in local government is so important.
Why run now?
I’m definitely one of those activists running for office. I’m very active with the League of Women Voters and GRR (GrassRoots Resistance). I’m on the board of the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats and the board of the Lakewood YMCA. I’ve also always been active with the Democratic party — but I never thought I’d run for city council.
When John Litton, our current city councilmember, decided not to run again, he approached me about doing it.
I talked it over with my wife, Kate, and we thought, well, if I don’t run, who will? Granted, Lakewood is very progressive when it comes to the queer community. But at the same time, could somebody who is not as progressive start to change things or take things in a different direction than what we’re used to here?
That’s what drove me to run.
This being your first campaign, what are you finding is the best thing a candidate can do to reach voters?
It’s simple but important: just keep listening to people.
People will tell you exactly what they need. I’ve been doing a lot of canvassing. I’m about two-thirds of the way through the ward at this point, and it’s interesting to meet people from each of the different neighborhoods and hear what their concerns are.
For instance, speeding is a major concern among Lakewood residents. People are driving way too fast on our 25 mile-per-hour residential streets, and we definitely need to get a better handle on that.
What are some of your other policy priorities?
Housing is a major concern of mine. The mayor and city council just did an extensive research project to address the needs of housing for underrepresented communities in Lakewood, and I think it’s a great plan with some great recommendations for improving the city’s housing. If you haven’t looked at that yet, more information is available on the Lakewood webpage.
I want to make sure the plan stays in place and the recommendations are carried out, but I also want to continue to look at other options and get creative with our housing solutions.
If elected, you’ll be Lakewood City Council’s only current out member. What does that mean to you?
It means a lot. It means another person who brings visibility to our community. For those in the LGBTQ+ community who can’t be seen and for those who don’t have a voice, here I am. We know that having a queer perspective at the decision-making table makes all the difference. When decisions are being made about us without us, it doesn’t work. 🔥
IGNITE ACTION
- Check your voter registration here. (Do it now. Not registered? Register.)
- Learn more about Cindy Strebig by visiting her pages on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram OR visiting her website.
Know an LGBTQ+ Ohio story we should cover? TELL US!
Submit a story!
