Commission application number 35 submitted by Emily Adams on 06/06/2020

First Name Emily
Last Name Adams
Voter Unique Identification number 1213044425
Ethnicity White
Gender Female
Age 25-34
Education Level Post-Graduate Degree
Major Pursued Education
Submitted Address
City Austin
State TX
Zip 78748
What is your occupation? English Teacher
Verified Address
City Austin
State TX
Zip 78748
Do you have a spouse or domestic partner? Yes
Spouse/Domestic Partner First Name Nikita
Spouse/Domestic Partner Last Name Puzanenko
Are you applying to be the student member of the commission? No
Have you been continuously registered to vote in the City of Austin for the last five years? Yes
Have you voted in 3 of the last 5 City of Austin general elections (or corresponding runoff if applicable)? Yes
Been appointed to a state or city office? No
Been elected to a state or city office? No
Been a candidate for a state or city office? No
Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a political party? No
Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of the campaign committee of a candidate for elective state, county, or city office? No
Been a registered state or local lobbyist? No
A paid employee of the City of Austin? No
A person performing paid services under a professional services contract with the City of Austin? No
A person performing paid services under a professional or personal services contract to the City Council of the City of Austin or to any individual member of the City Council of the City of Austin? No
A controlling person of a person performing paid services under a professional or personal services contract to any member of the City Council of the City of Austin? No
How did you hear about redistricting/Applicant Review Panel? Web advertisement
Contribute or bundle one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more in aggregate to candidates for City of Austin elective office? No
Disclaimer Agreement Checked
Please describe your relevant analytical skills. As an English language arts teacher I analyze texts and data on a daily basis. In order to teach students to read critically, I have to be meticulous myself in examining the nuance of language. Much of the work I do in preparing lessons requires me to analyze the text itself as well as the potential issues students might have in understanding the lessons. I also analyze testing/grading data to discover where my weaknesses are in my teaching. Each unit requires me to reflect on the student's scores and how I can change what I do in order to best assist the students in raising them. This is a problem solving process that is ever evolving.
Please describe your ability to be impartial. As a school teacher, I have to be impartial. I get kids in my classroom whose opinions are all over the spectrum. Their lives are filled with a myriad of challenges that I may not understand or have experienced. It's my job to concentrate on the work of building their skills and giving them fair, authentic feedback, regardless whether I agree with their opinions or ideas. This is especially relevant when we teach argument and research. Kids often write about topics that are charged, and even if I do not agree with their thesis, I grade their writing fairly because that is my job.
Disclaimer Signature Emily Adams
Please describe your appreciation for the City of Austin's diverse demographics and geography. My favorite thing about Austin, and why I moved here in the first place, is how green it is for a major city. There is opportunity to experience natural beauty, while also enjoying the amenities of city life: bars, restaurants, live music. I worked as a substitute in AISD while I was completing my master's and I got to see how diverse Austin truly is. I loved hearing Spanish in the halls and watching kids from different backgrounds working and playing together. That's the Austin I hope to serve on this council.
Please provide your employment history. 2017-current: English Teacher at Westlake High School. WHS has given me some perspective on the inequalities facing the city, while also allowing me to hone my analytical and leadership skills. 2015-2017: Substitute teacher at AISD (and student taught at Covington Middle School) This experience is when I began to understand Austin as the place it actually is, not just the SXSW/ACL picture of it. 2012-2017: Server/bartender at Shady Grove, St. Philip, Hightower, Royal Fig Catering Shady taught me what Texas was about. As my first introduction to Austin (I had just moved here), I got to know and understand the restaurant industry. I also met many musicians and artists who were waiting tables to achieve their creative goals. From Shady, I moved on to other, fancier, restaurants that were indicative of the changes in Austin. Overall, I think my journey from newcomer server, to substitute teacher, to full time teacher and home owner positions me in a place to understand how to nurture the growth of the city while still preserving the things and people that make Austin, Austin.
Please provide any other information you wish to be considered during the selection of the most qualified applicants for the Commission. A diverse selection.
District District 5
Does this application qualify? Yes