City Councilwoman Raquel Castaneda-Lopez of of Detroit City Council from the 6th District

 

1/05/2021

City Councilwoman Raquel Castaneda-Lopez

c/o Office of City Councilwoman Raquel Castaneda-Lopez

City of Detroit

2 Woodward Avenue, Suite 1340

Detroit, MI  48226

Dear City Councilwoman Castaneda-Lopez,

My name is Matt Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I have a strong interest in learning history including social justice. In these subjects, I like to learn the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution, and many others. City Councilwoman Castaneda-Lopez, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work as Member of Detroit City Council from the 6th District to be very inspiring to me.

In 2013, I was amazed on how you made history on becoming the first Latina woman to be elected to the Detroit City Council. In your current role as Member of Detroit City Council from the 6th District, I truly appreciate on how you are a strong supporter of Civil Rights by advocating for people with disabilities’ rights, supporting funds for women including minorities businesses to help them compete in the economy, and working with members of the Detroit City Council along with Mayor Mike Duggan to expand on laws to combat against hate-crime in order to protect minorities including people who are different. On the economy, I liked on how you support an expansion of jobs-training programs to help train youth including workers to develop or improve on their work-skills to help prepare for the work force and advocate for the need to raise the minimum wage to help assist minimum wage workers afford to live.  supporting funds for renewable energy resources to help reduce addiction to oil with gas, encouraging businesses including industries to use energy efficient products to help reduce high energy cost while reduce pollution, and pushing for funds to help maintain parks including water resources to make them safe for people to use is common sense to help protect the environment. On criminal justice reform, I like on how you push for drug treatment programs to help drug-users get the care they need to reduce drug abuse and heavily support along with advocate for funds to improve DNA testing including forensic science to solve evidence along with cases efficiently while reduce sending an innocent person to jail.  Your approach to police reform like the need for body cameras on police officers to reduce police misconduct,  support laws to investigate law enforcement who are corrupt or commit police misconduct along with prevent them from having a job in law enforcement, and push for community policing to have law enforcement work with the community to improve relations between them.  Another thing that I like about your work in Detroit City Council is how you push for funds to help restore along with preserve historical sites including attractions to help make learning a better place while improve tourism, work with organizations to help homeless people or people who are low-income get shelter along with food or other supplies, and many others. 

 City Councilwoman Castaneda-Lopez, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advance subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased.  Your commitment to be a strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability. I have visited Detroit, Michigan many times and went to the Detroit Historical Museum to learn about the history of Detroit along with learn how famous people along with Motown have shaped Detroit and the Detroit Institute of Art Museum to see different artist along with their work. Your role as member of Detroit City Council from the 6th District gives me motivation to continue to learn history including social justice.  My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution, and many others. 

I strongly believe that you are making a great difference for society. I’m very proud on how you are working hard to support civil rights, protect the environment, push for criminal justice reform, and many others. You have inspire me to work hard on my disability, learn about your work, visit Detroit to learn about the history along with culture of Detroit, and be motivated to continue to learn history including social justice.  Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great difference, and inspiring me. Please continue to make a great difference for society.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick