Dear Editor,

In today’s volatile — and frankly ugly — political environment, I continue to turn to people that embrace reason and civility. These individuals reject senseless bickering and work to find holistic, thoughtful solutions to serious problems. One of those people is my friend and current Mayor of Turlock, Gary Soiseth.

I first met Gary as his student at Stanislaus State. It did not take much time to realize how culturally competent, intelligent and passionate he was. As an educator, he used his professional experiences abroad to explain the complexities of foreign policy. Alongside explaining the challenges facing the world, Mayor Soiseth always made an effort to pair those problems with pragmatic solutions. More importantly, as a friend human being, he has always embraced cultural awareness.

Mayor Soiseth is someone who understands the power and efficacy of Turlock’s’ growing diversity. Be it at Sikh Gurdwara or Turlock’s Assyrian festivals, it never took an upcoming election or political expediency for him to attend. This is at the core of who he is — thoughtful solutions and an earnest appreciation for every member of our community. I urge you to vote Soiseth this coming election.