Portrait of an activist

Love of family and the earth spurs Susana Reyes.

Any member who's said, 'I don't have time for volunteer work,' should meet Susana Reyes.

photo courtesy Susana Reyes The work of Susana Reyes (left) and Angeles Chapter volunteers helped elect L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (right).

Reyes is a single mother of four, a top administrator at L.A. Department of Water and Power, and chair of the L.A. County Political Committee. 'If I wasn't busy, I'd go crazy,' said Reyes. Lucky for the Angeles Chapter.

Reyes, 50, came to environmentalism through her job as program manager for L.A.'s City Facilities Recycling Program in 1992. 'I started out not knowing much, just cans and bottles,' said the native of the Philippines, but once exposed to the wider environmental issues, she was hooked.

Her job also familiarized her with the Sierra Club. She recalled looking at the Schedule of Activities and realizing, 'Oh, my God, I could be a member!' She sent in her fee, and checked her interest box: political committee. Her exposure through her job to the way government worked had sharpened her interested in politics.

The Pol Comm members, such as Emil Lawton, Alan Aronson, and Joan Jones Holtz, did a good job of mentoring her, said Reyes, but she also had to be a self-starter. 'The Sierra Club is an organization that has rules, policies, and guidelines galore,' said Reyes. 'Nobody teaches you that. You make a mistake, then you get a call, then you go, oh, where do I find that?'

The more seasoned Pol Comm members sent her to the National Sierra Club political training in Maryland ('boot camp,' she said), and to Lobby Day in Sacramento. Sierra Club California, the lobbying entity of the Club, sponsors Lobby Day every year to show members first hand how the Club tries to get environmental bills passed. Reyes loved it. 'Even if you're not a member of a political committee, you should attend Lobby Day.'

In 2003, the Pol Comm nominated her to serve as chair. 'I think she was a little reluctant,' said former chair Lawton, one of those who nominated her. 'But she's come through and done marvelous. I think it's been a very good choice.'

Her first big project was running the voter education campaign for the 2004 presidential election, in which the Club endorsed John Kerry. She organized members to communicate with other members, do phone banking, and walk precincts in nearby swing states.

She also, with the help of other volunteers, made endorsements for the local races. The process is complicated and laborious, but extremely important. A Sierra Club endorsement is coveted by candidates. 'The Political Committee is looking for more volunteers to help with endorsements,' noted Reyes.

Many of those endorsed candidates won, but Kerry, of course, lost, despite her and many thousands of volunteers' assiduous efforts. Reyes thinks if Kerry had spoken up on environmental issues more, his campaign would have been more effective. 'It would have motivated more of our members to volunteer and to convince some of their family members about the environment.'

Her next major campaign, the L.A. mayoral race, was more successful. Again she organized phone banking, precinct walking, and member-to-member communication in support of Antonio Villaraigosa, whom the Club endorsed. She is pleased by the environmental steps the mayor has already taken, and cautiously optimistic for the future-she's all too aware of the influences electeds are subject to. 'It's politics,' she said wearily.

Many Chapter volunteers she works with get frustrated with the occasional 'turncoat' politicians who accept the Club's endorsement and support, then make decisions to please developers or polluting businesses that gave them financial support. 'I get frustrated too,' said Reyes, but she maintains hope for positive change through the political system.

She sees a great opportunity for environmentalists to partner with labor and with low-income communities. 'The environment and jobs are compatible,' she said. 'If there's contaminated sites that need clean up, there's jobs. Cleaner technologies, you create jobs. That's the way it should be presented.'

Paying more attention to environmental justice issues such as parks, getting lead out of paint, pesticides, and air quality, will also strengthen the movement, she said. 'It's also an advantage for the political side of it. Once these people are educated about the environment, you can educate them about politics, and how their voice can be heard as a voter.'

So how does Reyes balance the demands of family, career, and volunteer work? 'Having four kids helps me become organized.' Being a mother to four daughters also inspires Reyes to achieve. 'I want to be a good model for them. I want them not be content to be a housewife or be lackadaisical about their job or their life as women.'

Reyes, friendly and no-nonsense, has this to say about members who have yet to get active in conservation work. 'Some of our members probably just want to go hiking, which is not bad. That is what John Muir wanted. It's more like, when it comes time for them to step up, then they should step up.'

To get involved with the L.A. County Political Committee, contact Reyes at 818-242-8589. For the Orange County Political Committee, contact Gail Prothero at 949-347-1255.