Candidate for
Council Member; City of Long Beach; District 1

Misi Tagaloa is an unexpected candidate in the race for Long Beach City Council's District 1 seat. It's not because he's the Senior Pastor at Second Samoan Congregational UCC or because he's a nearly full-time Realtor with the Rana Organization. It's not even because he's also a part-time instructor at Claremont School of Theology. He's an unexpected contender in this race because he excels in each of these fields to the point that some have asked, "Why more?" and "Why now?"

Misi's answer is simple: Because Long Beach deserves more, now!

The 14-year First District resident says providing a "voice for the voiceless" is a key inspiration for his campaign. "The nontraditional voters in our district need a voice. Many of those who have intentionally stayed away from the electoral process stayed away because they've been told NO for so long. They've been told in so many ways that their voices don't make a difference. They want to be heard."

A former Trust Administrator for Farmers & Merchants Bank with a Master's degree in Business Finance from Long Beach State, Misi will bring to the position a financial savvy critical to Long Beach and the city's residents during these trying economic times. "The survival of our business community depends on our community coming together. Businesses on Pine Avenue, for example, are struggling. Yet, we are surrounded by a community with a purchasing power in excess of $8 billion. Why aren't local businesses able to capture most of this purchasing power? We must provide incentives for people who earn money in Long Beach to also spend it here."

Safe neighborhoods, affordable housing, clean air and water initiatives, increased parking, and universal broadband access are only sampling of the additional issues that Misi pledges to escalate as the First District representative, all toward creating, fostering, and sustaining community.

"Community is a group of people who work well together," Misi says. "They raise their families together; they laugh together; and they cry together. These are folks who enjoy each other's company and accept people for who they are. In our yearning to go places, we've forgotten how to build communities and, as such, we've lost the art of being in community." Recapturing this art is central to Misi's campaign.

More About Misi

Misi was born in Samoa in 1965 and moved to California in 1984. Misi and his wife Mareta have three children: Eneti, Luamata, and Teruah.

Education

Ph.D. - Claremont School of Theology M.A. Theological Studies - Claremont School of Theology M.B.A. - Finance CSULB B.S. Civil Engineering - University of Hawaii at Manoa Affiliations

Tafesilafa'i Festivals - Co-Founder South Coast Interfaith Council - Member Long Beach Interfaith Community Organizing - Member DECRO - Member National Association of Realtors + Member Central Assoc. Southern Calif. Nevada Conference UCC + Past Treasurer National Pacific Islander Community Development Corporation - Chair Second Samoan Community Development Financial Institution - Chair