Sofia Ngieng - campaign letter

 Good afternoon,

My name is Sofia Ngieng and I am excited to announce that I am running to be on your UNA Board of Directors. Having been a resident of Hampton Place neighbourhood, I believe that the UNA has failed in ensuring that they are accurately voicing your opinions along with the opinions of your fellow residents - whether that is on matters of land use, green space expansions, community safety, or engagement and transparency. If elected to the UNA Board of Directors, I hope to bring a fresh slate of ideas and work tirelessly with all UNA residents. My candidacy for the UNA Board of Directors aims at revolutionizing the UNA’s outlook on land use development, safety, communal amenities, and expanding revenues while investing in you, the residents.

UBC is currently renewing its 10-year land use plan, more commonly referred to as “CampusVision 2050”. The plan will have a major impact on how the neighbourhoods are developed over the next few decades and it is essential that the UNA advocates for the needs of its residents. If elected, I will work with UNA residents and push for the following items:

• Creating a direct line of communication with all residents to ensure that your voices are being heard when it comes to CampusVision 2050;

• Maintaining and growing sustainable initiatives such as green spaces and zero-emission vehicle charging stations;

• Advocating for the inclusion of the Skytrain-to-UBC into CampusVision 2050 in acknowledging the transportational improvements, increased employment opportunities, environmental benefits, and Indigenous reconciliatory partnerships that the project brings to UBC and the region.

As a young resident who is working towards my double major in English and Political Science at UBC, I will work towards bettering the relationship that the UNA has with your children, the youth of our community. A couple of ways that I will better this relationship are as follows:

• Actively engaging with newer residents through community events and initiatives to ensure that they understand the importance of the UNA along with the partnerships that it has with stakeholders such as UBC and the UEL.

• Working with the rest of the UNA Board of Directors to create a UNA Youth Leaders’ Council to involve and engage younger residents in directional conversations on sustainability, community engagement, and connectivity within the UNA neighbourhoods. 

Your youth are growing up in these neighbourhoods, they should be involved in these conversations.

Our community must be kept safe - for our children, for our students, and for our parents. We need to be actively liaising with local law enforcement and UBC to lobby the provincial government to provide the UBC campus, in its entirety, with increased enforcement funding and resources. 

The UNA has not made any tangible action on this yet. I believe it is pivotal that the UNA plays a strong role in voicing support for improved road safety on UBC’s Vancouver campus. 

This election, UNA residents and members have a unique opportunity to make our communities more safe, build a tighter community, and shape the way that our communities are going to look over the next few decades. I hope to serve as a fierce advocate for this work and ensure that your voices are being accurately represented on the UNA Board of Directors.

Warmly,

Sofia Ngieng

Candidate | UNA Board of Directors