About Victoria Catherine Wright
I was born in Southern California on September 16, 1964 to Catherine Marie Wright and Victor O. Wright. I am the only child, which, of course, means that I was somewhat overindulged.
This fact made it harder on everyone when it became clear that I am a rebel.
My father, who met, dated and married my mom in Los Angeles, was a war veteran, so he was able to apply for a GI home loan. Victor Wright wanted a safe place for his family, so when he heard about a new Southern Californian suburb called Santa Susana, he brought my mom out for a look.
The only way in and out was a road through a mountain pass but my parents fell in love with what is now Simi Valley when they saw the community.
My earliest memories are of my parents talking about politics. Back then, a major issue was a merger of Simi Valley with Santa Susana and, in 1969, the towns became Simi Valley.
I grew up studying local government in school (I was the only student to know every council member's name), which my mother encouraged because she was campaigning for city council. She lost a few times, which taught me about how to lose with grace, perseverance and dignity.
My mom, Cathie Wright, would run and run again until she won, which she did.
Eventually, I watched her career as she sought to introduce local youth activities and foster business growth in Simi Valley. I saw her go from serving on city council to serving as mayor of Simi Valley. I was still a kid when Cathie Wright was elected to the California Assembly. I was with her, too, when she finished her career in the legislature as a state senator.
Seeing my mom serve the city, region and state with dedication, distinction and honor gave me an example of working hard to get things right. My mother sought and won the Republican Party's nomination for lieutenant governor, a race she lost to Democrat Gray Davis, who was later recalled as the state's governor.
My mom's race for lieutenant governor taught me the toll politics takes on a person and the recall reminded me that ultimately the elected official is accountable to the consent of the governed, which in a republic, which is also a democracy, means the individual voter.
As the child of a prominent politician, I rebelled. I made certain mistakes. It would take years to appreciate my mother's work. I watched her work. I made amends. Slowly, I started to learn.
I decided that I wanted to graduate from high school early, which I did in 1981. I went to work for a family-owned grocery business called Vons, working as a box girl, bagging groceries and pushing shopping carts until I was promoted to a job in health and beauty. After that, I earned a promotion to cashier. I became a scan coordinator and was put in charge of pricing, signage, weights and measurements, and making sure that advertised items matched the advertising.
I was being trained for management when I had an accident that changed my life.
I worked for Vons for 21 years. I learned a lot while watching people shop, browse, buy, clip coupons, use government food programs and struggle to pay for food, groceries and items to feed the family, make them feel good and pursue happiness. Grocery work is hard and I learned about a range of human behavior in food, business and trade. I am proud of my grocery work.
After a brief marriage in 1996, I give birth to my first and only child, my beautiful daughter Marissa. After she was born, my husband left me. We divorced the following year.
In the meantime, the accident left me disabled with a back injury, Lupus and kidney disease.
But going on disability at least enabled me to raise my daughter and help take care of my aging mom, who died in 2012. By then, I had enrolled in studies for a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice, which I obtained. So, I think I've worked hard, lived a full life as a wife, daughter, mother, adult student and entry-level worker who rose to management. I overcame my past as the troubled child of a politician, so I better appreciate my mother's work and statesmanship.
Facing hardship and many of the same problems faced by the individual in today's middle class, I want to apply what I've learned to city government in Simi Valley. I pledge to work hard to restore the bright confidence of Simi Valley's early days.
I know I have a lot to learn. But the Simi Valley voter should know that no one is more committed than me to protecting Simi Valley's place as a shining city on a hill, whether that means being a rebel against the status quo, working with others or refusing to compromise on principle. I have experience and a grasp of local history. I know what it's like to be in pain.
I want to earn your vote for Simi Valley City Council, get to work and protect your right to life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness.