A healthy democratic body depends on breathing fresh air. I am writing this letter in support of the new currents vying to fill the lungs of Oberlin City Council. I write in support of the candidacies of Jessa New, OC ’01; Joe Waltzer, OC ’98; and Libni López. These three candidates for Oberlin City Council represent what Oberlin needs: new voices who speak to where our society is headed while supporting the necessary merging of Oberlin’s commercial and social spheres. Jessa New, co-founder of Slow Train Cafe and The Local Coffee & Tea, and Joe Waltzer, founder of the Black River Cafe, are in the finest tradition of Oberlin’s citizen entrepreneurs. They own businesses with the intention of serving the City — not just to make money. Both are alumni of Oberlin College and have imbibed the ethos of service that defines the town and College’s legacies. They provide more than food and drink by creating spaces for community. Libni López brings a vision of what this town has always strived to be, open to change and embracing the best that all of our citizens have to offer. Every election is a chance to extend the best of Oberlin into the future for later generations to enjoy. I endorse these candidates because I firmly believe they are the launching pad for that mission.