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Perryman:
Your campaign has indicated that you got a late start
getting your signs out.
Harper: I said that some people get panicky because they see signs out. I’ve
been working on my campaign and concentrating, getting
things together, organizing for a while. We’ve been meeting.
I started meeting one week after I stepped away from the
council appointment at the time because I didn’t have that
sixth vote. It just wasn’t there, and I was not going to
stand there and let them haggle and just say mean things
about me. I just was not going to let that happen anymore.
So, like I said then, I would instead take it to the voters
and let them make the decision.
Perryman:
So you decided to let “the people” make the decision rather
than have your fate in the hands of 11 council members?
Harper: Yes.
Perryman:
Do you think that strategy will provide a better outcome?
Harper: I think so. Remarkably, people have said that they were proud of me
when I said that ‘I will do it the old-fashioned way.’ I had
prayed and thought about it. And I just couldn’t see that
other vote needed to give me a majority. And I wasn’t going
to harp on it because it just was not going to be there. So
why not take it to the voters, for the people, by the
people? And I made my decision and stuck to it.
And I’m out there with the
people. I’ve been walking getting signatures. I’ve been
going door-to-door. I’ve been going into areas that I know
people. Some I don’t know. It’s been very well received
because I want to be the voice for the people. I’ve been
out there and they’re telling me what they want. It’s not a
whole lot. They just want to be recognized. And what I mean
by recognized, they want their streets maintained, the
garbage picked up, they want houses torn down. And I want
to be the voice for the people because what I want to do is
be the go-between with the city and the county.
I need to be the person that
knows where to go and how to respond to these people. This
is what [Mayor] Paula Hicks-Hudson did. She responded to
people. You can’t do it all at one time, but you can do it.
I’m retired. I have the time. And it’s not going to be
just a job for me. I have insurance. I have money coming
in, my retirement. So I want to do this. I’ve been a
people person. I was out in the streets for the voters’
rights bill just last year. I walked door-to-door getting
signatures, turning them in. I’ve been out there for Obama
door-to-door. I’m familiar with the people.
Perryman:
By the time the election is held, the budget is expected to
be complete. So do you think the real needs of the people of
your district will be represented in a budget in which you
will not have any input?
Harper: Well, let me just say this. At this point, our (District 4) hands and
lives are in the fate of our current councilperson. And I
recently heard him say at the Junction Avenue block watch
meeting that although he’s only been in the seat a short
time, he hears the pleas of the people and is aware of the
problems that they’ve had. So I’ve got to believe what he
said.
Perryman:
Well, speaking of your competition. Are you aware of the
others besides Scott Ramsey who are running, such as Ruth
Ashford and Alfonso Narvaez?
Harper: There is competition out there, and we’re all capable of representing
District 4. But what I will say is this. Knowledge counts.
I’m the one that’s coming in there with knowledge. I’m the
one that’s born and raised in District 4. I’m the one that
went to the high school and grade school there in District
4. I was there when we were talking about saving Wilson
Park. I was there from the beginning to the end. I was
there when they said it couldn’t be done. I was right there
with Paula, now current Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson. I was
there when we were working with the unions. I was there. I
didn’t see any of the other candidates.
And then that was the
community out there working on saving Wilson Park and its
pool. And my point, I think that that work put Mayor Paula
Hicks-Hudson on the map. We came to her. We talked to her
about it, and she took it and ran with it and put us in
front of people. So I say to the other candidates that are
running right now, ‘Where were you when we were trying to
get Wilson Park in there? When we were talking about the
pool, where were you?’ All of a sudden I see people now, and
they’re interested. I’m a precinct person. I’ve been on the
ballot. I’ve been side by side with the people working to
make this district better.
Perryman:
Please tell me where you stand now given the experience that
you went through which led you to withdraw your name from
consideration from the appointment by city council? Where
are you from a morale standpoint and an energy standpoint?
That had to be very discouraging.
Harper: It was discouraging, but you know what? You lift your head up, and
you have heartfelt problems, and life isn’t promised to you.
I just kept on moving. All that did was make me stronger.
This is not the first time I’ve been hit hard by something.
Perryman:
Has your attitude toward the Lucas County Democratic Party
changed?
Harper: Absolutely not. I’m part of the organization and we’re a party that is
divided, but we come together. And I’m working and staying
steadfast. I want to win this election. I’ve got the support
of the Democratic Party. I’m the endorsed candidate, and I
will remain the endorsed candidate.
Perryman:
Now, some have said that you were endorsed by the party for
only the council appointment and not for the election.
Harper: No. No, no, no, no. I’m the endorsed candidate for both the
appointment and for the election of May 5. I don’t know
who’s putting that out there, but that’s what I’m endorsed
for. And no one’s taken that away from me.
Perryman:
Tell me this, what do you say, Yvonne, to those people who
turned out en masse to support you for your appointment and
who have been discouraged by your decision to withdraw? And
can you or how will you regain the momentum that was lost
after you withdrew?
Harper: I don’t think I’ve lost any momentum. In fact, I’ve had people say
to me, ‘it’s better that you get out there and work and let
people know who you are because your work speaks for
itself.’ I have since, gotten so much support, it’s crazy.
I have had people tell me, ‘you did the right thing. Let the
people vote.’ There are still people out there that believe
in the power of voting. Other than you just mentioning it,
no one has come to me and said that they were discouraged.
Perryman:
What support do you have?
Harper: I’ve talked to Labor. I’ve talked to the Democratic Party. I’ve
talked to the chair and Steve Steel, the past chair is
working with me.
Perryman:
How are they supporting you? Is that with tangible support
or just rah – rah, go get ‘em cheerleader type support?
Harper: No, no, no. Letters of support have been sent out in support of me.
And I’ve been working with the ward and precinct chairs. In
spite of what everybody says, it means something to be
endorsed. Everybody wants that but I earned it. I went
through the screening. I went through the proper channels
and followed the protocol.
Perryman:
Who’s providing you with financial backing?
Harper: I’ll let you know when it all comes in. I’ve sent letters out. I’ve
been getting money from different people but I promise to
let you know very soon.
Perryman:
Let’s talk about this. In the last mayoral election, the
late Michael Collins was an underdog and basically got in as
Anita Lopez and Joe McNamara bumped heads and knocked
themselves out. Is there a chance of that happening in
District 4 where you and Ruth Ashford could conceivably
neutralize each other allowing a path to the seat for
someone else?
What I’m getting at, is that
this is a special election. The District 4 election on May 5
is the only one being held citywide. So for a special
election you’re going to get very few people there, and as
we know in a low turnout election, anything can happen,
anything.
Harper: And that’s why I’m out there all the time checking because when Paula
ran, there were three individuals running. Three.
Perryman:
But I don’t think they were three that had the name
recognition that you and Ruth - -
Harper: I have the name recognition on my own.
Perryman:
But both of you have name recognition.
Harper: I have name recognition because I’ve been out there in the community.
Perryman:
The name Ashford has name recognition in District 4 as
well. So what I’m saying, if you guys - -
Harper: But that is Mike Ashford.
Perryman:
Ashford, that’s what they’re going to see when they look - -
“Ashford” is going to be in big letters.
Harper: But that will be okay.
Perryman:
And “Ruth” in little tiny letters. And so Ashford is a name
that is very, very familiar to the voters. So what if you
guys knock each other out? Will you be cannibalizing the -
-
Harper: It’s my job to make people aware of Harper, H-a-r-p-e-r, in big
letters.
Perryman:
Is there a possibility that such two strong candidates could
knock each other out, and somebody goes slipping in,
somebody that may not be as desirable for that seat as we’ve
seen in the past? Did we learn anything from the past?
What did we learn from the Lopez/McNamara debacle?
Harper: Let me just say this. I’m the endorsed candidate. When it was Joe
McNamara and Anita Lopez, we had not endorsed anybody.
That’s the difference. I think that we all have to get out
there, and we have to see. I’m saying to you, it’s the
people that now have the choice.
Perryman:
So, in conclusion, what is the tag line for Yvonne Harper in
your “candidacy reset” for election to the District 4 city
council seat?
Harper: I am still here, bigger, better than ever. And we’re taking it to the
streets! Because it’s the voters who, ultimately, have the
opportunity to pick who they want.
Contact Rev. Donald Perryman, D.Min, at
drdlperryman@centerofhopebaptist.org
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