AS Elections 2016: Rueda drops out of race for Sustainability

On Wednesday, March 30, Darlene Rueda withdrew from the 2016 Associated Students election due to the conflict of running for office and other work in both life and school. Rueda was in the race running for the Director of Sustainability, seeking to replace current director Heather Haro.

About what brought her into the race, Rueda said, "It was a really hard decision for me. Ever since high school when I knew what sustainability was, I decided that whatever I majored in, I wanted to apply the integral and well-rounded principles of Sustainability, such as Education, Economy, Ecology and Society, into my own work. So when I went to SMC and found out about that position, it has and still is one of my main life goals."

However, Rueda spoke of how she had to split her time between school, being a workshop leader in Sustainable Works, being involved in the learning garden, and developing a community project for the Westlake area to offer its residents a better understanding of how their actions impact the environment. She explained that she still has plans for the future at SMC, saying, "I will still reapply next year. I am only sorry for my best friend that helped me with all the paper work."

Rueda leaving the election means that the race for the Director of Sustainability chair is now down to three competitors: Sharon Nat with the Fresh Start slate, Azib Abderezak with the New Wave slate, and Anthony Hengsathorn with the Unity slate.

The first ballots that can be cast for the AS elections begin Monday, April 4.