As the 2021 election for Salt Lake City Council approaches this fall, candidate Sarah Reale hopes to bring community and authenticity to District 5.
Reale is the director of digital marketing and a political science adjunct professor at Salt Lake Community College.
“I love Salt Lake City,” Reale said. “I care a lot about how we grow but also keeping it the special place that it is.”
Reale wants to grow with purpose and plan for generations to come, rather than just planning for now. Since she decided to run, Reale has walked every street in District 5 — almost 90 miles — so that she could really get familiar with the area. She wanted an eye-level view of any concerns people may have.
“It is possible for someone to represent people in a way that is true representation,” Reale said. “Advocating, communicating, educating the people they represent and really bringing their voice to city council. You don’t see that often and that bothers me.”
Saad Alkashif, an SLCC graduate and a former student of Reale’s, believes that Reale would be a great city council member.
“I totally support Sarah in a lot of stuff,” Alkashif said. “I believe in the things she says. I’d much rather have her in a place of influence.”
Reale said she can benefit the council in her ability to listen and collaborate and by making the right connections. Although she enjoys state politics and state legislatures, Reale has no desire to build a career in politics. Reale said that she prioritizes what the people want over what she wants.
As an instructor, Alkashif said that Reale did a great job of sticking to the facts and not pushing her own political views on her students.
“She cares about people,” Alkashif added. “I wish more politicians cared about people.”
Reale is a Salt Lake native and a member of the LGBTQ community. In her free time, she enjoys going to local breweries, hanging out in the city and being outside biking, skiing, rock climbing or hiking with her two dogs.
“Democracy doesn’t work unless you do,” Reale tells her students. “Voting, being engaged, writing to your representatives; telling them you’re mad or happy, whatever it is. You have to do that. That’s how our democracy works.”
Voting ballots will be mailed out to homes the week of Oct. 11 as the election takes place on Nov. 2. Find more information about Reale’s campaign on her website, and you can follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
