This episode is dedicated to Tony’s dad, Bobby George Manolatos, who passed away October 5. They discuss Tony's dad at the top of the episode.

When Monica Montgomery Steppe was 2 years old she told her family to stop calling her Pumpkin. Her name, she told them, is Monica.

It’s that confidence and belief in herself that has carried Councilmember Montgomery to great heights throughout her young political career.

Never one to back down from her values or beliefs, the San Diego Councilmember and county supervisor candidate joins Dear San Diego to discuss her motivations; her love for music, government and community; and why it’s important for her, and for people like her, to be at the table.

“There are a lot of racial disparities across the board, and we should not stand for those – we should stand against them actively. Daily,” Councilmember Montgomery said on the episode. “My vision for this region is that every single person who wants to achieve, every single person who wants to do well, every single person who wants to feed their kids, every single person who wants to live well in San Diego should have the opportunity to do that, should have the choice to do that. And right now that choice is just not the same for everyone.”

She is expected to win the county supervisor special election on November 7, 2023 to replace Nathan Fletcher. If so, she would leave her job as a San Diego Councilmember representing District 4, which includes the communities of Chollas View, Emerald Hills, Encanto, Lincoln Park, Mountain View, Paradise Hills, and others.

Her constituents need a strong voice at the table. Otherwise, she said, they will be overlooked.

While the challenges Councilmember Montgomery faces as a black woman representing Southeastern San Diego are long, she draws on her hope and her faith while pursuing her goal of ensuring opportunities are available to everyone who wants them.