As part of WUTC’s coverage of the November 8 elections, we are speaking to most of the major candidates on the Hamilton County ballot. This is our interview with Melody Shekari, the Democratic candidate for Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District.
Michael Edward Miller: Melody Shekari, thank you for speaking with us today.
Melody Shekari: Thank you for having me.
Miller: So first of all let's just hear a little bit about yourself. Tell us who you are, where you are from, a little bit about your education.
Shekari: Sure! So I am from Chattanooga. I was born in Texas but moved here when I was 4 years old. And I have been raised in this community and went to elementary and high school here. After I graduated I got a scholarship to go to school in Boston. So I went to a very small business school called Bentley University and got a bachelors in economics. And then went to the University of Washington, in Seattle, to get a master’s in public administration and the University of Southern California to get a law degree. And now I am back.
Miller: What brought you back?
Shekari: I had a fellowship from the University of Southern California Law School that I could use for law and policy. And I got in touch with someone that was in local government here and they had a spot for me in the mayor's office, so I worked there.
Miller: What do you want to accomplish most of all? What would maybe be your number one priority if you were elected?
Shekari: If elected office I think we...we need to get the Lock situation in a better place.
Miller: The Chickamauga Lock?
Shekari: The Chickamauga Lock. So I think we really need to look into a comprehensive infrastructure bill. Make sure that we are securing long term funding to get that Lock working again. Because at the moment the costs just keep going up and up and up every...every year that we delay.
Miller: Why do you feel the voters should chose you? What are your qualifications for this?
Shekari: I think voters are ready for a fresh new perspective. I obviously have the educational background to be able to understand policy. I have the right mindset and the right, you know, I am looking for the best ideas. I don't care which party says them. I don't care where they come from. But the best ideas that are going to...to come to the best outcomes for people, right? So I want to improve the quality of life for people here in our district. And with that kind of, you know, open willing to work with others kind of mindset, I think we can get a lot done. And fix the system that we have right now. And that's what I bring.
Miller: That's interesting because we are in very partisan times right now. It seems like we have been that way for several years and not all politicians’ value that anymore. Some politicians deliberately value not working across the aisle. And sticking to, very strictly to whatever their ideas were getting into office. So tell me a little about that- a little about working together, what you would be willing to do in order to get legislation passed.
Shekari: I mean, I think building relationships. Making sure that we are not saying that we just don't want to work with someone because of where they come from and what their party is. What is interesting is like you said, I think some politicians are really trying to build political capitol on being partisan. But the only folks that really care about that are the people within the party leadership. People here and in Chattanooga, in this district, I mean they are pretty moderate. They are just looking for things to get done. And it's time for the voters to hold, you know, political leaders accountable for that and say "Hey we are not looking for a congress that does nothing. Or a- someone who sits in a chair and accepts payment in local office. When we send somebody we are paying tax dollars for them to go up there. You need to start-get back to work. You need to actually improve things for us."
Miller: What do you feel your best qualities are?
Shekari: Oh, that's a good question. I think my best qualities are my ability to build networks, and very quickly in some cases. And also my, kind of my, negotiating skills. My ability to build consensus. I am someone that's often seen as easy to work with and, you know- obviously it's good to be smart enough to do a job and smart enough to read. But beyond that, to actually get things done you've really got to work relationships. You've got to figure out how to message things in a way, to bring people to the table. And I have that in spades, so.
Miller: And you said building networks specifically. Could you tell me an example of that?
Shekari: Sure! When I moved back to Chattanooga I knew very few people. I did grow up here but a lot of my friends had moved. Some of them were doing other things, they weren't in the field that I was in. And I managed to build networks and get to where I am right now- which is basically two years after I came back to Chattanooga, then went back to Southern California, and came back again. You know, I am now running for Congress. And that has taken a lot of, you know, building connections, building networks, getting support in a very short amount of time.
Miller: You mentioned the Lock, what are some of the other big challenges you think are facing this district? Some of the big issues that need to be addressed?
Shekari: I think we really need to get a handle on the workforce development situation. And we've got jobs that are available, we have people without jobs, but we can't seem to match them and get the skills training that's needed in some of those areas. And that includes getting some people at the table that traditionally haven't been asked. Like some of the unions, and some of the work groups. Groups that are doing really good work but aren't really included in the discussion about how to...how to improve or our current situation. Obviously health care is very important for the district. We have thousands that are, you know, struggling with health care. Anywhere from being on the affordable care act, to being-you know- a senior citizen with increasing Medicare costs and prescription costs. I mean this is something that not only affects those that are having to pay for it, but it affects their families that have to support, you know, elderly relatives when they can't afford to buy groceries because they have to pay for their prescription.
Miller: Speaking of health care, with the affordable care act, Tennessee refused the Medicaid expansion. Which basically means we left a lot of federal dollars on the table that people could be using to purchase insurance. And then Haslam had his version of it called Insure Tennessee which also didn't really get anywhere legislatively. Now our Tennessee House speaker Beth Harwell has a task force that's beginning to look into this. What are your thoughts on all that, on Insure Tennessee, on the Medicaid expansion?
Shekari: I think we left federal money on the table that would have helped thousands of Tennessean's and I...I have a hard time when politicians are saying "Well we don't think this is the best way." Because, you know, they are all getting health insurance. And they are getting a salary that helps take care of their families. What about people in the gap? And doing what they've done which is really- even if we do, let's say next year we get Insure Tennessee. You know, we do exactly the way it was. Um, we've...in those last 3 years how many people have died because they couldn't get access to health care. They couldn't afford to get insurance. I mean that- I want to stop seeing healthcare as a political issue and start seeing it as a human issue. How does this actually impact people? And we know, you don't have health- you can't get a job, it's hard to keep your job, you can't afford to pay for other things. You know, the highest- one the highest causes of bankruptcy is medical bills and debt. So that's something, we've got to address it now, not two or three years from now. And how many task forces do you need before you know it's going to help people?
Miller: If you are just tuning in this is Michael Edward Miller, I am here with Jacqui Helbert and we are speaking with Melody Shekari, she is running for congress. And Jacqui you have some questions as well.
Jacqui Helbert: Yes, we are wanting to ask are you pro-choice or pro-life and why?
Shekari: I am pro-choice, mostly because I think we need to leave government out of some of the health care decisions that we have. And make sure that women are getting access to information and the resources that they need. The one statistic that really scares me is that once we stopped funding clinics that, did a lot of other things, but included abortions at those clinics. The Google searches for do it yourself home remedies went up. And that endangers women's health. I mean that is just a huge issues. And so I can't justify people putting their lives on the line because they don't even feel like they have a place to go to get information. And to get resources. And so that, yeah- that's pretty much why I go pro-choice.
Helbert If you are voted into office, what is the first thing you would want to focus on?
Shekari: That's a good question. I think going back to the Lock and about comprehensive infrastructure. One of the worst things I have heard in this cycle- and this isn't scientific, but, someone said "there is a good chance a bridge is going to collapse before you get to Election Day." And I said, "That's scary". And there have been studies that have come out on how vulnerable our bridges are. We know how vulnerable our water systems are, I mean look at Flint. That affects our kids. And so I want to- we need to make sure that we are investing in our future and that infrastructure is a big part of that. It also helps with workforce development when people are getting these jobs to help update our system.
Helbert: What do you think sets you apart from the other candidates?
Shekari: I think I am coming from the right background. You know, one of the things we talked about was my parents. I mean they are pretty middle of the road people. You know? Hard workers. They keep their head down. I mean, they voted on both parties, they are...they are just good people. And they are just normal people- they just want to live life and governments kind of helping give them a better quality of life. That was how I was raised. So it wasn't party politics, die before you say that you are XY or Z. And I think someone going into office with that kind of mindset is really going to serve the people. And all of the people, whether they voted for them or not in the district should be represented. And that's what makes me the best candidate for this office.
Miller: We've got a couple of minutes left. Is there anything you want to say, any closing statements?
Shekari: No, I just hope that voters get out. I hope that the register and get out to vote and understand that they have the power to change. Change our politics and change the system because government is change and it's time for some fresh new perspectives in congress.
Miller: Melody Shekari, thank you for speaking with us today.
Shekari: Thank you.