Kimesha “Sunshine” Alvarado wants to be the Selma City Council representative from Ward 5.

She said she is running for the position because of the future.

Alvarado met Friday with The Selma Times-Journal Editorial Board to talk about her candidacy.

Ward 5 consists of homeowners and people who live in apartments.

“The ward has great homeowners, who really take care of their property,” Alvarado said.

But the elderly have said they don’t feel safe walking the streets — a public safety issue; a lack of a place other than a community center at an apartment complex for people to meet and lots of issues with young people have the candidate concerned.

“One of the greatest challenges,” Alvarado said, “is to bring the community together.”

She said she sees her role as a member of the city council as helping get the job done.

“My role is to build a working relationship with other council members to do that,” she said.

On other issues, the Selma native said the top priority for the city council should be to unify. “We have to include everyone,” she said.

Other high-priority items include better communication with other local governments; helping keep the youth active in constructive activities; work closely on programs for the elderly to see they run properly and to work on the city’s basic infrastructure.