Meet Ginny Mayer
Growing up I was taught compassion by parents who believed that you should react to suffering and injustice experienced by others the same way you’d react if it were happening to a close friend or family member. They also instilled a strong belief in the importance of education, and I went on to achieve a BA from UC Berkeley, and a Masters and Ph.D. from Harvard University. I’ve worked in many different fields - as a US government China analyst, in the aerospace industry as a quality manager, and I even had a brief stint in the entertainment business. I started teaching history, political science, sociology and philosophy two decades ago in university programs for working adults, and have held various faculty leadership roles, including serving as program chair at various times. My husband Tom is also active in the adult education field.
Over the years, there have been times when I questioned the idealism instilled by my parents. For example, when the subject of healthcare for all Americans would come up, and nay-sayers would point to 1000 reasons why it wouldn’t work here, I would start to think maybe they were right. But in recent years my idealism has rebounded – I’ve seen what happens when idealists sit back and let cynics take control. The events of the Bush era have brought back the activist spirit and enthusiasm of my youth. I have learned that you can be idealistic and realistic at the same time, and my aim is to fight for all Californians with compassion, knowledge and pragmatism for the goals of universal healthcare; an end to oil dependency and environmental devastation; and quality educational opportunity for all. We can maintain and expand the state’s economic strength and competitiveness while at the same time promoting policies reflecting Democratic values of compassion and concern for the poor and middle class.