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Why am I running for Cary Town Council?

I have built my life around service and advocacy. As a public school teacher in District B, I have embraced the diversity of our community having taught children whose families came from 12 countries and speak 12 different languages. What I've found is that diversity is part of what makes Cary great, and we are all more alike than different. With diversity in race and ethnicity, language, culture, socioeconomic status, and family make up, it makes sense that the needs of individuals and families are also diverse. We must prioritize meeting ALL of those needs.

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In addition to teaching, for the last eight years, I have served in various roles in the PTAs of Briarcliff Elementary and East Cary Middle where my children are attending. These roles have included being advocacy and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) chairs. My advocacy work has taken me to the NC General Assembly, to Wake County Commission meetings, and to Wake Board of Education meetings. The more I advocate, the more I see the need to invest in local policy. As I've thought about what educators and students and their families need, I've realized that those same needs are shared by the broader community needs. Now, I focus my attention on the Town of Cary and how we can make it an even better place for ALL to live, work, and play. 

Together we can make Cary more . . .

  • Affordable housing must be a priority.

  • As a teacher who works and lives in District B, I notice that there are few teachers at my school that live in Cary. Teachers and other essential workers should be able to afford to live where they work.

  • Children who grow up in Cary should be able to afford to live here as adults.

  • People who have called Cary home throughout their lives should be able to afford to age in place.

Picture of Michelle Craig with a hard hat and safety glasses volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.
Cary Arts Center lit up in rainbow colors for Pride.
  • ​When I say equitable, I mean fair policies and practices for ALL including valuing diversity and inclusion.

  • Equitable policies should be found in ALL of our work (including affordable housing and sustainability initiatives mentioned here).

  • We need to celebrate the diversity of our town and make sure our policies support diversity.

  • Policies that do not support diversity and inclusion are not equitable.

We must

  • Support safe and expanded access to sidewalks, greenways, and safe, separated bike lanes.

  • Improve public transportation. 

  • Make public buildings greener (including energy efficiency, solar panels, etc.). 

  • Increase tree canopy.

  • Expand environmental programs.

Michelle Craig riding Go Cary to Spring Daze.

Affordable

Equitable

Sustainable

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