Are you willing to lose an election even when the odds are against you?

Well, we all know by now that I was willing to do so. I may have lost my bid for the House seat in the end, but there were many more reasons I chose to run in an already predetermined race (partially due to the gerrymandering of cities like Ogden). I chose to risk a public loss to give voters an option because, in far too many of our local races for the state Legislature, incumbents ran without opposition. I believe this is a disservice to our communities. Having nuanced conversations about what people need and want during the campaign cycle only helps to drive more community-focused results. We also saw numerous candidates cater to only their base rather than showing up in the community and responding to all residents. Yes, I heard some feedback that did not align with my own thoughts during my time knocking doors and making phone calls. When I heard these things, I was able to see the world from another person’s perspective. It may not have changed my overall opinion in the end, but it helped me to see issues our residents face more clearly and understand their perspectives in the context of their lives.

Are you willing to risk your job?

These are times when we are faced with decisions daily regarding how we talk about issues like LGBTQ+ rights, racism, diversity, equity and inclusion, to name a few. I am relatively privileged in my day job, as I work every day to find ways to address health care disparities within the health care system; however, that could change at any time in the current political climate. I realize not everyone has these official responsibilities in their workplace. But there are inevitably injustices that happen to folks on a daily basis in your workplace no matter where you work. What are you doing to stand up against bias, prejudice and injustice in these spaces? Are you having meetings after the meeting where you talk under your breath so no one can hear? Are you posting on social media in your own echo chamber? Or are you speaking up in places where there is a possibility of changing the system for the better for everyone?

Are you willing to find out who your real friends are?

As I decided to run for the House last January, something I had to grapple with was determining which party to file under. Because my values align with the Democratic Party over the other options currently available, this was my route, even though I know that this fact alone hurt my chances of winning. Many times, people who I thought were my friends responded to the news with a shake of the head and a “tsk” and something like, “I only wish you were running as a Republican.” Now, I do have many friends who are registered Republicans who supported me during the campaign, so it was not everyone. But it was surprising to me how some people who I thought were friends began to distance themselves from me. When the opposition party sent out texts and mailers that accused me of “working against Utah women and girls” because I support research-based guidelines from national organizations that include physicians and mental health professionals as well as experts in sports organizations, my real friends showed up and let me know this was happening. They also trusted me rather than taking these false claims at face value.

The time has come for all of us to decide what we are willing to do to stand up for what we believe is right. Otherwise, we will just continue to get the same results time and time again if we are not willing to risk something.

Angela Choberka is a member of the Ogden City Council who recently ran for office in District 9 of the Utah House of Representatives.