Birmingham City Council, District 8

 Celida “Celi” Soto

 Age: 41

Residence: Birmingham (Bush Hills)

Political races: None

Political experience: None

Professional experience: Hunger advocacy coordinator, Alabama Arise, 2019-present; educational liaison, UAB Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center, 2014-19; U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce, 2009; Social Security Administration, 2007-09; child protective service investigator, Division of Youth and Family Services, 2002-07; academic adviser, Harlem Center for Education, 2002

Civic experience: Board of Directors, Dynamite Hill-Smithfield Community Land Trust, 2021-present; co-founder, People’s Budget Birmingham, 2020-present; Board of Directors, SWEET Alabama, 2019-present; volunteer, Be a Blessing Birmingham, 2017-present; volunteer leader, Margins: Helping Black Women, 2019-present

 Education: Bachelor’s degree with sociology and administration of justice, Rutgers University, 2002

 Significant endorsements: Central Alabama Labor Federation (AFL-CIO), Communications Workers of America (CWA) union local, Working Families Party; Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union; Democratic Socialists of America, Birmingham Chapter; Future Generations PAC

 Top contributors: 3rd Avenue Shell Station, $400; Sophie Henderson, $234.10

 Main Issues: Invest in community groups to establish violence-interruption programs; pass an ordinance to establish trained crisis response teams with mental health professionals and social workers; establish a free mental health crisis center in partnership with hospitals in the western area, and pursue grants and discretionary money to fund extended-hour youth programs that are staffed with crisis and de-escalation specialists; ensure that incentives support the black enterprises; fight for residents to be prioritized by pushing any corporation seeking to do business within District 8 to sign an agreement that includes the priorities named by neighborhood associations, community-based nonprofits, unions, and black-owned businesses

 Campaign: celi4change.com