After falling short in her first bid for Tucson City Council in 2021, Miranda Schubert is back on the ballot, this time with more experience, a stronger ground game and a campaign focused on housing, safety and community resilience.

“I think it’s really important if you want to change the system to understand how it works first, and I think that I needed to do more homework,” Schubert told Tucson Spotlight.

Schubert is one of four candidates vying for the open Ward 6 seat. In 2021, she won about 28% of the primary vote in her run against longtime Ward 6 Councilmember Steve Kozachik.

She said she wasn’t prepared for how strongly some people would react when she decided to run against Kozachik.

“I was critical, but I think that that’s necessary, especially in politics,” she said.

In the wake of the loss, she said she has dedicated the last five years to becoming a better candidate.

“I totally thought I knew way more than I actually had,” she said. “I can definitely see that now. But I definitely had my heart in the right place.”

Schubert has lived in Tucson for 14 years, working full time as an operations manager, on-air DJ, producer and youth broadcasting camp counselor for KXCI Community Radio. She said she became interested in local politics as a way to find community.

“I’ve always been interested in community and not feeling alone about the way that things should be,” she said, adding that it wasn’t until the pandemic that she felt a spark to serve.

Schubert started listening in on city council meetings and thought, “Why can’t I run?”

“I was home a lot more,” she said. “I wanted to see leadership that was truly open minded to different perspectives.”

Schubert’s campaign revolves around five priorities: housing justice, safe streets, community resilience, community engagement and community safety.

She serves on the city’s Board of Adjustment and is a member of the Tucson Alliance for Housing Justice. She founded Tucson for Everyone, a local transit and housing advocacy organization, and started the first Yes In My Backyard Action chapter in the state.

Schubert thinks housing is a basic human right. As a city council member, she says she’ll support tenant protections and community land trusts, advocate for policies that create a diverse set of housing options, push for zoning reforms and pursue other actions to address generational poverty and homelessness.

“It definitely starts with looking at what housing we’re allowing to be built and allowing more housing of different types to be built,” she said, adding that she thinks elected officials need to prioritize renters in the housing conversation and understand the financial impacts some tenants face. “It’s very important to have folks in elected office who understand that.”

Schubert is pro-union and a member of United Campus Workers of Arizona-CWA Local 7065. She said she’s passionate about fighting for working families and students.

It all ties back to community safety, she said. Regarding the failed Proposition 414, Schubert believes fair compensation and addressing staffing issues are important — but just one part of a larger solution.

“It’s like a balancing act,” she said.

Schubert said she thinks there are always opportunities to restore, repair and connect with resources that deal with mental health and treatment centers.

“I think (the city should go) back to the drawing board for the sales tax,” she said. “I’d be excited to knock on doors for a sales tax that really funds affordable housing and services. I think that’s what the community wants.”

Transit is another issue near to Schubert’s heart, with her serving on the Complete Streets Coordinating Council and helping form the Transit for All Coalition.

She has been endorsed by multiple coalitions, unions and elected officials such as state Sen. Priya Sundareshan, Ward 1 Councilmember Lane Santa Cruz, Arizona Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and others.

Schubert worked as an academic advisor for 15 years before moving into her position at KXCI, saying that her work with younger generations has helped her connect with younger voters.

“We should be engaging with people who have the most stake, who are going to live with this the longest,” she said.

In addition to work and volunteering, she’s also a proud member of the Tucson Roller Derby, just wrapping up her ninth season with the group.

“That’s been a really special place for community building and just getting a better understanding of my queer identity and how to make connections with other people and how to carve out a space in sports that feels healthy and supportive,” she said.

Schubert said it’s important to take action not only to protect Tucsonans, but also the environment they call home.

“I think any time there’s a death on our streets, like 99.9% of the time it’s preventable,” she said.

Her campaign website highlights priorities like overseeing the city’s One Water plan, mitigating extreme heat, reducing noise and pollution from traffic and aviation, curbing urban sprawl, and expanding the use of renewable energy in Tucson.

“I think community resilience has to do with investing in ways to make our community able to sort of withstand and meet our changing climate reality,” she said.

Schubert said one thing she’s doing differently this time than in her last run is knocking on doors and talking to people.

“You hit the pavement,” she said.

Schubert has handed out dozens of fliers and yard signs all over Ward 6, saying she thinks communication is key. She said inviting conversations and providing real-world examples makes this campaign feel more impactful.

“I think that’s proven quite effective in this campaign,” she said. “I’ve been really amazed at the diversity of different people I talk to, and I’m always able to find a way through the conversation.”

Schubert said she speaks with passion about her priorities because she sees these issues in the community every day.

“We need leaders who are really connected with the communities that are agitating, and we could save a lot of time and energy if we had people who are already allies in those seats,” she said.

Arilynn Hyatt is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at arilynndhyatt@arizona.edu.

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