LARGO, Fla — Maranda Douglas says she was first exposed to how local politics work while growing up in Greater Ridgecrest, an unincorporated area in Largo, as the community lobbied to bring a sidewalk to their neighborhood through a Penny for Pinellas grant.

“It was just interesting that we didn’t have the resources that every other neighborhood had and we had to really work for those things,” she said. “So that’s how I got started with community service.”

Douglas soon became involved with the Suncoast YMCA, which she says was crucial to her background as far as being “a community servant.” She now wants to translate those skills into a seat on the Clearwater City Council, where she’s running this winter in the District 4 race that voters will decide on March 15.

“I shied away from it for a little while because I didn’t see anyone on council who looked like me,” said Douglas, a 31-year-old African American woman.

She attributes a statement made to her by Senate District 24 candidate Eunic Ortiz as key in boosting her confidence in entering the political arena.

“She made a comment that ‘I’m the leader that I want to see,' and that really resonated with me because as a young advocate … I think it’s important for us to get involved in the future, and really speak up for what we would like to see,” Douglas said.

Douglas has been involved with nonprofits and small businesses even before she graduated from USF-St. Pete College of Business. She later became the executive director for the nonprofit FYI Community Partnership, where she led the creation of more than a dozen storm drain mural projects in Lake Belleview and North Greenwood.

If elected, she said she’d like to serve as a liaison between the community and the council.

“One thing that I’ve heard — and experienced myself — was that the community just doesn’t feel heard by the council,” she said, adding that she also wants to be able to educate the community on “the capacity of the council,” saying that there has been “a bit of miscommunication about that as well.”

With its world-famous beach, Douglas said that she understands why city leaders have traditionally focused on tourism, downtown and the beach. But as an inland resident, she’d like to see more activity and support for small businesses, teachers, and a better transit system.

Her journey to City Hall won’t be easy. Incumbent David Allbritton has name recognition and has raised nearly three times as Douglas has so far ($21,395 to $8,433). Gerry Lee is also in the race.

But Douglas said that if people want to see more youth and people of color on the council, they need to show up on March 15.

“I think you should take a chance, because if you want to see different, you’re going to have to vote differently,” she said, explaining her message to those who are looking for change in local government.

Spectrum Bay News 9 has reached out to both Allbritton and Lee. We hope to present stories about their candidacies for the District 4 seat in the coming weeks.