Adrian Bruff is a community activist and organizer. He is running to be elected Councillor for Ward O-day’min. He is an alumni of MacEwan University. He works as a social worker and disability advocate within our communities.  A homeowner and resident of Oliver, he is passionate about community growth and development. He is a champion for small businesses and entrepreneurship at City Hall. He does this  by ensuring fiscal responsibility while investing in initiatives that support local development. He addresses safety concerns in our neighbourhoods by empowering social service initiatives to implement community oriented solutions. He plans to fix  roads, bridges, parks & alleys while advocating for diverse transportation and community revitalisation.

This interview was published in Ladies Corner Magazine December 2020.

Who is Adrian Bruff?

I am a community activist and organizer here in the city of Edmonton. A McEwan Alumni who works as a     Social Worker and Disability Advocate within our communities. I am involved in the disability field, housing our homeless and working to reintegrate adults back into our community that have been involved in the Criminal Justice System. I am a homeowner, resident of Oliver and I volunteer on various community boards. I am a progressive and have spent my entire adult life fighting for working families in our community.

I organize many community initiatives like my annual Back to School Supply Drive, which to date has provided over 1200 backpacks for low income families in our community, so they have the supplies they need to send their children to school or my annual Family Day Dinner, which provides meals for community members with no family in the city. I am a community leader in the Black community and a recipient of the NBCC, Afro-Canadian Award and Diversity Award for my long-standing dedication and advocacy work for visible minorities.

 

 

Why politics? What does a councillor do?

 

Politics was never in my career plan, however, over my years of community organizing and leadership, along with my career working with our most vulnerable community members in neighbourhoods like Boyle Street, McCauley, Queen’s Mary Park, Central McDougall, Oliver, Downtown and many others. Community leaders, stakeholders, business owners and residents, asked me to consider running for City Council in the next municipal election. After much conversations with family and friends, I decided I was going to step up and serve my community and run to become a councillor.

City Councillor’s roles and responsibilities are to advocate for the interest of their constituency and address any concerns they have, to consider the welfare and interests of the City as a whole and, participate generally in developing and evaluating the policies and programs of the City. A Councillor is also a representative of the City, who attends community events, functions and ceremonies on behalf of the City of Edmonton.

 

Do you think people of colour should prioritize voting and volunteering?

I am pleased over the years to see how engaging our community Black and Indigenous people of colour (BIPOC) has become with politics and governance. With the goal of getting 100% voter participation in our community a reality, there’s still more work to do. That is why I am actively looking into starting our own “BIPOC Voters Registrations,” so we can have more control over our electoral fortunes. Regarding volunteering, many BIPOC have reached out to volunteer and donate, but we can always use a few more. If you would like to volunteer for an exciting campaign for City Council in 2021, reach out at voluteer@adrianbruff.ca, we would love to have you. 

 

Why must we engage politically? Why does it matter?

This is a common question many people ask when they see me, and my answer is always YES, I know with our current political climate, covid-19 and our economy, many people are feeling hopeless and disengaged. By reminding them about the roles of governments and the importance of having elected officials that are going to advocate for their interests, people tend to give politics another look.

 

Having an elected official on council that is going to have the interests of working-class families and the working-poor is important when our city starts to build back better post covid-19. It matters because having an advocate on council who will support small businesses and entrepreneurs, advocate for affordable homes, address social issues such as homelessness, maintain our infrastructures, provide more programs for our seniors, protect our heritage sites, diversify our economy and provide tax reliefs for residents are important initiatives for our city to focus on with our recovery plan. These are initiatives I am passionate about and I have a plan for.

How do you campaign during covid-19?

Covid-19 has presented a unique challenge to our campaign. I am blessed to have a diverse group of people working on our campaign, (Diverse in terms of gender, race, age groups and socio-economics status.) This diversity has given us an edge when it comes to campaigning. Campaigning during covid-19 means more online content and advertising, zoom meetings and having a well organized get out the vote (GOTV) strategy, which all cost money.

 

So, if you can donate $5- $10 or $100 please go to adrianbruff.ca and donate.

What are the main concerns of your constituents, what are people telling you?

Firstly, I want to say thank you to the many residents in my riding for the outpouring of support, it means a lot. There are a few concerns residents in Ward O-day’min (OH-DEY-MIN) have been sharing with me on the doors. Here are the top five concerns they have; addressing social issues (homeless, crime and safety), the economy, fiscal responsibility, diversity and representation and our infrastructure. I have a plan for these concerns and a vision for our city.

What is your plan to solve them?

I am fortunate enough to have firsthand experiences addressing some of the concerns of my constituents. Whether it’s my two-part plan to end homelessness or my plan on how we maintain our parks, roads, back allies and LRT.

Go to adrianbruff.ca or send us an email at info@adrianbruff.ca to learn more.

 

How can the community support you?

I am running a grassroots campaign focused on everyday Edmontonians, with a vision that is aligned with Jane Jacobs – “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” You can support by VOTING.Bring your friends, family, co-workers, neighbours and everyone that you can think of to vote.

 

Sign up to volunteer for a shift, we have something for everyone. You can donate by going to adrianbruff.ca or help host an event or donation drive and you can invite me to your community events.

 

What books have you read that inspires you? What are you reading now?

I enjoy reading, I try to read at least fifteen books per year, mostly historical, political and  fictional. When I was a teenager, I read Michael Manley’s (former PM of Jamaica) “The politics of Change,” which transformed my political beliefs. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Dreams from My Father, Barack Obama are also a few of my favorites.