Perhaps you may have met Anthony, our Senior Community Representative, at a community event, a town hall, or a Coffee with Campillo. You might have corresponded with him over email or on the phone; but did you know that Anthony grew up all around the world?  

 

Over the next couple months, I’ll be posting interviews with my staff members so you can get to know the faces behind the hard work our office does. I started with Anthony, whose smile and can-do attitude are well known throughout District 7.  

 

Below are some lightly edited excerpts of the conversation. To watch the full video conversation with Anthony, click here! 

Q: Where are you from originally? 
A: I grew up in southeast San Diego, specifically in the Skyline and Lomita communities. My father was in the Navy, so my sister and I were Navy brats, living up and down the West Coast and throughout the Pacific Rim. We spent time in Guam, Hawaii, Japan, Samoa, and the Philippines for five years before returning to the Skyline and Lomita community in 1988, where we’ve been ever since. 

  

Q: What inspired you to work in politics and public service? 
A: I’ve always wanted to help people and give back to the communities I’ve lived in. I saw things I wanted to change and be a part of. After my time at SDSU, I moved to Mission Valley/Grantville, where I lived for 12 years. I became engaged in the neighborhood and saw opportunities to make a difference. That’s when I reached out to Councilmember Campillo to join his team. 

  

Q: You have a background in customer service and retail work. Can you share more about that? 
A: After graduating from SDSU in 2008—during a tough job market—I fell back on what I knew, which was grocery store work. I worked at several stores, including Trader Joe’s, and also took a second job at the Old Globe Theatre. Those experiences taught me valuable customer service skills. During that time, I also became more interested in political campaigns, which eventually led me to where I am today. 

Community Event Alert! 

 

Don’t forget—the Linda Vista Multicultural Fair is this month! The fair takes place on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 10:00am to 5:00pm on the 6900 block of Linda Vista Road. This year’s theme is Food from the Heart. To help highlight the event and get folks excited, I recorded a brief video to answer a few questions about my favorite foods in San Diego. You can watch that video here. 

There’s even more reason for excitement in Linda Vista. Last month, the Parks and Recreation Department hosted a meeting in the Linda Vista community to gather community feedback on a potential off-leash dog park. Parks and Recreation is now seeking more input through a survey which you can find here. The survey closes today, Tuesday, April 1. Please consider sharing your thoughts! 

 

Off-leash dog parks are a great way to support the socialization, exercise, and joy of our furry family members. I look forward to seeing how this project progresses and appreciate the Linda Vista community for offering your feedback. If you don't have an opportunity to fill the survey out by the end of today, but would still like to provide feedback, please do not hesitate to reach out to my Linda Vista Community Representative, Miles Noel (mnoel@sandiego.gov).

Nadia and I were excited to show our support to the San Diego Football Club at their first home match in the organization’s history! It was an incredibly exciting moment for San Diego and our broader region. As Chair of the City's Economic and Intergovernmental Relations Committee—and a huge futbol fan—I'm thrilled that we have yet another professional sports team generating economic growth, creating jobs, and adding to the rich culture we are already so proud of. 

 

I wish SDFC the best of luck this season and look forward to attending many more games.  

Last month, I invited the Patrick Henry High School Women’s Soccer Team and their families to City Hall to celebrate their incredible season and recognize them in this month’s Local Luminary! The Lady Patriots truly showed up to compete this year. Thanks to their coaches’ guidance and their own hard work, PHHS Women’s Soccer claimed the Division 1 CIF Championship title and the SoCal Regional Championship title, which is as far as a Division 1 team can go in the postseason.  

 

Congratulations to the Patrick Henry Women’s Soccer team! It was a pleasure to meet you, your coaches, and your families. Your dedication and determination do not go unnoticed. I look forward to attending a game next year and hearing about all of your future success. 

Last month, the San Diego City Council unanimously approved a project to transform the old Serra Mesa Library into 59 new affordable homes, with half prioritized for veterans, thanks to a partnership between the City of San Diego and Community HousingWorks. 

 

Not only will these homes be affordable, but they will also provide critical support services for veterans experiencing or being at risk of homelessness, by ensuring they get the stability and care they deserve. This project is part of the City's broader effort to make housing more accessible for all San Diegans. 

 

I’d like to thank all the community members who offered input on this project and to Community HousingWorks for carefully considering and speaking to community concerns.

Clare, a Serra Mesa resident, reached out to my team shortly after I took office in hopes that we could install V-Calm signs on Greyling Drive. Since then, my staff and I have worked diligently and persistently to communicate with the Transportation Department on this issue.   

 

The sign was recently installed, which is a big win for pedestrian, cyclist, and driver safety in the neighborhood. Constituent service is what this job is all about and I’m glad to have supported the completion of this project. Thank you to the City crews involved in getting this done and to Clare for the kind words! 

Last month, in celebration of Women’s History Month, City Council and the Mayor recognized nine women for their outstanding contributions to their local communities and the broader San Diego region. 

 

District 7’s honoree, Haydee Ramirez, is the Director of Programs at the Armed Services YMCA San Diego, a dedicated mother and wife, and a regional champion of trustworthy, quality childcare. With over 15 years of non-profit experience, Haydee has transformed programming in San Diego, participated in the capital campaign to build the Armed Services YMCA San Diego’s new Center for Military Excellence, and has led a national effort to improve childcare to enrich and better military families’ lives. 

 

Thank you, Haydee, for your unwavering commitment to bringing up our next generation in a caring and enriching environment. Thank you to Haydee’s family, as well, for joining us in celebration of her accomplishments. 

Whether you’re a hobby photographer or a professional, a student or a senior, an avid outdoorsman or someone who loves a leisurely walk along the paved Mission Gorge Road, the 32nd annual Mission Trails Regional Park Photo Contest is for you! 

 

Contestants of all ages can submit one photo online by the end of today, April 1, 2025. Scoring will be done by a panel of judges, and the selected winning photos will be on display at the Visitor Center from May 22-July 7, with an opening reception and awards ceremony. More details and the link to submit your photo can be found here. 

Have you seen my new weekly video series, City Council in 60 Seconds, yet?  

 

One of my goals as your City Councilmember is to make what we do on the dais more digestible and understandable. I also aim to communicate my position on issues and provide you an opportunity to leave your thoughts in the comments. That is why I recently introduced City Council in 60 Seconds, which I currently share on Instagram Reels, Nextdoor and Tik Tok. 

 

Many District 7 items came to City Council last month, making it all the more important for me to present a summary of those items and my votes. Click here to view the most recent one in which I discuss approved loans for affordable housing developments, water pipeline work in Morena, and a contract related to checking in and out library books. 

I also shared another How Do I (HDI) video this month. I covered brush abatement per the suggestion of some District 7 residents on social media. You can watch that video here.

 

Brush abatement requests are...not too complex, as it turns out! For all brush abatement requests, even if the brush is on your neighbor’s property, a business property, in open space, or along the highway, using the Get It Done app, and sending your report number to our office’s Community Representative is the best practice. Get It Done uses geotagging to identify the responsible entity for brush management. If the issue is on your property, our Community Representative can put you in touch with the Fire Department to schedule an advisory appointment.

Last month, the San Diego City Council unanimously passed my Live Event Worker Safety Ordinance. The Ordinance makes San Diego the first city in California to codify regulations for live-event worker trainings. Now, live-event workers at every major City-owned event venue is required to be properly trained for their job duties, many of which can be dangerous. 

 

Everyone deserves a safe workplace and I’m proud to have written and adopted legislation that prevents workplace accidents, requires OSHA and industry-certified training, and protects workers at City-owned parks and facilities.