A college student and retail worker plans to kick off her campaign for mayor at 3 p.m. Saturday at Shades of Afrika, 1001 E. Fourth St.
Stevie Merino, who attends Cerritos College, is Mayor Bob Foster's only challenger in the April 13 election. Foster is a retired Southern California Edison executive seeking a second term.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation is running Merino's campaign. Her campaign manager has told the Press-Telegram that the candidacy is serious and not to be taken by voters as a college project.
Merino, 21, helped lead last year's protests against the California State University system fee hikes. She previously attended Cal State Long Beach.
Her stated platform includes a mix of local and national issues, some within the purview of City Hall, some not. The candidate wants a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, free public colleges, free healthcare and a tax on the wealthy.
She also pledges to address what she considers racism among police, making Long Beach a "sanctuary city" for immigrants and raising "taxes on oil companies and big corporations" who do business here.
