Several other local leaders of color say they’ve also experienced the racism in Sonoma County recently described by Santa Rosa Mayor Natalie Rogers. Rohnert Park City Council member Jackie Elward says, when she first ran for office against a longtime incumbent in 2020, she was told she wasn’t smart enough and didn’t have the leadership skills to win. Former Cloverdale Councilwoman Marta Cruz says subtle forms of racial bias were a reason she didn’t run for another term. And, Windsor Mayor Rosa Reynoza says, when visiting a local classroom last month, a student told her she didn’t look like the mayor. Their comments follow what Rogers, the city’s first black mayor, said during a speech last weekend. She described her colleagues in the Santa Rosa City Council undermining her, disrespecting her, and not allowing her to speak until decisions are made.
