Solange Ardiles: For our future, for fairness, for you
Edited by Vivien Yii
Thirty years ago, Solange Ardiles migrated from Chile to Australia with her family. Growing up in and around Dandenong, this is still where home is for Solange to this day. Representing her roots, her community and her people, Solange is a candidate for Cleeland Ward in the City of Greater Dandenong’s upcoming October local council elections.
Solange is passionate about working with people and helping those in need. With a professional background in social science and business, she wants to give back to the community that she grew up in by applying her skills and experience to deliver greater access, fairness, and progress to the City of Greater Dandenong. In her downtime between working on numerous social impact projects and committees, she loves to watch telenovelas, enjoy delicious food, chat with friends and play with her animals.
Like many who enter politics, Solange would like to make an impact and make the world a better place. She plans to address the issues that stop people from feeling united as a community and she wants to help local businesses get back on their feet. Solange wants her community to discuss respect and the need to embrace cultural richness and diversity in the City of Greater Dandenong.
“Our society is living through one of the most challenging moments in recent history, and I want to be part of supporting everyone in their recovery. I am committed to helping and want to work with my community to build the path forward together.”
What inspired you to run in the City of Greater Dandenong?
I was lucky to migrate to this area as a child and grew up with an appreciation for the wonderful multicultural surroundings that our city has to offer. Now, my first home is here. So, when presented with an opportunity to represent my roots, my community, my people, it was too good to pass up.
Dandenong is so diverse and full of opportunity, but it also sees a lot of hardship. I believe my skills and experience are needed to add value and a new perspective within council. I am passionate about improving our community spaces, as well as the opportunities and services available to our community.
I am running to work with my community, charities and all three levels of government to help our city recover from years of hardship and now, the impacts of COVID-19.
What are the key causes and impact areas you are championing?
Our society is living through one of the most challenging moments in recent history, and I want to be part of supporting my community in their recovery. I am committed to helping and want to work with my community to build the path forward together.
The City of Greater Dandenong is rich in culture but also experiences many challenges regarding access to jobs, education, skills, housing, and services. This area has some of the worst rates of crime and domestic abuse in Victoria, so I plan to champion changes across safety through community spaces and programs; CALD inclusion through our council websites and services; and supporting businesses and harbouring innovation in our city.
If elected, I also wish to challenge some of the processes that foster bias in what is supposed to be an impartial and democratic election system. This experience has shown me that these systems are too easily manipulated. When I was first exposed to the concept of running mates and preferences, I did not fully understand it. Now I do, and I want to champion greater transparency in our elections.
What is your message to other young people who may have thought about running?
What are you waiting for?
It sounds so cliché, but we are the future. We have grown up through so much social and technological change, and it is important to share our lived experiences of resilience and adaptability to support our society as a whole.
Politics dishearten so many people, so, it's been wonderful to see more young people rise to the challenge of representing their communities. Many, like me, have a genuine interest in giving back and helping, rather than pursuing a political agenda that doesn’t clearly align to or benefit the community.
In 2016, my council area saw 30% of the population fail to submit votes. If anything, I hope to make an impact as a young person by encouraging education and inclusion in the voting and campaign processes. These are rights and privileges that those before us have sacrificed and fought for.
By running in these elections, I would like everyone to feel that they have the ability to have a say and be represented by people who will understand and strongly advocate for their needs within council chambers.
Solange Ardiles is running as an independent candidate for Cleeland Ward in the City of Greater Dandenong's upcoming October council elections. You can follow and support her campaign at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Solange4Cleeland/
Website: https://linktr.ee/vote4solange
Instagram: @solangeardiles.official
mycause: https://www.mycause.com.au/page/235363/solange-ardiles-for-cleeland-ward
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/solangeardiles/
