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locally and regionally,” he said. “When those services don’t
exist, we want to help create them.”
Abel has already started hosting Senior Scam Stopper
seminars for the community, designed to share information
from the state about how to protect our senior citizens from
fraud and the like—an issue that he noticed was a problem
quite a bit during his time on the legislature and performing
constituent services.
On the opposite end of the population, he’s also got our
local youth in mind; and having a young voice such as his
own is a great way to keep them actively in the greater
conversation. “We need to do more to be able to engage
the young population; to let them know that their lives and
experiences matter, and we’re doing that in many different
ways.”
For example, via the San Pablo and WCCUSD Youth
Commission, which he helped create back in high school,
Abel has hosted groups of students to come to Sacramento
and meet with state-elected representatives to advocate for
themselves, and for what changes and improvements they’d
like to see in their communities.
“We want to get young people interested and involved,” he
said. “We’re encouraging them and empowering them to
be able to use their voices and their experiences to change,
challenge, and inform public policy.”
Support is critical if this is ever to be a possibility. Abel
remembers how hard it was when he was a teenager. “As a
young person myself, when I started getting involved at the
age of 14, people thought it was ‘cute’ that I would show
up to meetings,” he lamented. “But my voice needed to be
respected just like anybody else’s, because I’m a part of this
community too.”
You may often find yourself wondering how you can make a
difference in this world, especially when watching the news
or reading the local paper. One way to make a change is to
run for office, as Abel has done. Another way, is to support
your local community and help people like Abel make the
most of their jobs.
Younger residents especially—if you or someone you know
would make a great future community advocate or leader,
forward this story to them or get them in touch with Abel
directly.
“If there’s a way that I can help, or navigate you to the help
you need, let me know,” he stated. He even offers you his
email address: abelp@sanpablo.ca.gov. “I genuinely do want
to help! So help me help you. If I can’t help you, I’ll find
somebody that can.”
