As Maricopa continues to grow, much of our conversation understandably focuses on roads, housing, businesses and infrastructure. Those things matter. But there is another investment that deserves equal attention: our people—especially our young people.

A strong community is built when young people are given opportunities to learn, create, develop confidence and imagine a future for themselves right here at home.

I believe leadership begins long before someone takes a seat on the City Council. It begins by identifying needs, bringing people together and doing the work to create solutions.

Two initiatives I am helping develop for 2027 demonstrate that approach.

An organization I co-founded is developing the Mini-Millionaires Workshop, designed to introduce young people to financial literacy and the mindset surrounding money through fun, creative and age-appropriate activities.

Then there is Maricopa Fashion Week 2027, an initiative bringing together fashion, culture, youth participation, business, education and community awareness.

On the surface, financial literacy and fashion may seem worlds apart. They aren’t. Different Paths, Same Destination One introduces young people to money management, entrepreneurship and wealth-building. The other provides opportunities to develop confidence, creativity, cultural awareness and real-world experience while gaining exposure to industries such as fashion, design, photography, media, marketing and event production.

Both tell our young people something important:

There are opportunities for you. Your ideas have value. And there should be a place for your talents right here in Maricopa.

Maricopa Fashion Week will also serve a deeper community purpose—celebrating Indigenous design, honoring elders and raising awareness surrounding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG/R).

Young people ages 12–25 are being invited to participate as volunteers, with parental consent required for those 17 and younger. Beyond the runway, the event creates opportunities for designers, photographers, videographers, businesses, students, mentors and community organizations.

That is how an event becomes more than an event. We are inviting our community seniors to act as mentors to the youth. Both gain. Our young people gain wisdom from our seasoned elders and seniors are actively doing something that is encouraging and uplifting to all of the community.

It becomes an opportunity to connect people, businesses and organizations around a shared purpose.

Financial Knowledge Is Another Form of Empowerment

The same philosophy is behind the Mini-Millionaires Workshop.

Financial literacy shouldn’t begin when someone is applying for a mortgage or trying to recover from credit-card debt.

Children can begin learning early about saving, budgeting, entrepreneurship, investing and responsible financial decision-making.

When we teach children about money, we are also teaching planning, patience, responsibility and ownership.

Imagine a generation of Maricopa children growing up believing entrepreneurship, homeownership, investing and wealth-building are attainable goals. That strengthens individual children, families and ultimately Maricopa’s economic future. Leadership Means Staying Connected

These projects also represent something fundamental about the way I approach community leadership.

I don’t believe a future City Council member should wait until taking office to start serving the community.

My years of involvement puts me in conversations with small-business owners, parents, young people, educators, women’s organizations, arts and cultural organizations, community advocates and people working in economic development.

Those experiences provide something statistics and reports cannot always capture: what people are actually experiencing.

I hear what small-business owners are struggling with.

I hear what parents want for their children.

I meet talented young people who simply need someone to open a door.

I see organizations doing tremendous work that many residents may never hear about.

And I see opportunities to connect people and organizations that might otherwise never work together.

That is the perspective I would bring to the Maricopa City Council.

City government cannot—and should not—do everything. But good local leadership can bring the right people to the table, remove unnecessary barriers, encourage partnerships and help create an environment where good ideas can become successful community initiatives.

Building More Than a City

Maricopa is growing quickly. The question shouldn’t only be how large we become.

We should also ask:

What kind of community are we becoming?

Growth should create opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses. It should create opportunities for teenagers and young adults. It should support arts, culture and education. It should recognize the experiences and contributions of the many communities that make up Maricopa.

And it should create opportunities for generations to learn from one another.

The Mini-Millionaires Workshop and Maricopa Fashion Week may look very different, but their foundation is remarkably similar:

See a need. Bring people together. Create an opportunity. Build something that leaves the community stronger than you found it.

That philosophy doesn’t apply only to community events. It is also how I believe local government should work.

Roads, infrastructure, public safety and responsible development will help determine how Maricopa grows. But leadership also requires understanding the people behind those policies—and being connected enough to the community to know what they need.

I am not waiting for a City Council title to begin that work. I am doing it now.

And if given the opportunity to serve on the Maricopa City Council, I would bring that same approach to City Hall: listen, collaborate, connect resources, create opportunities and turn good ideas into action.

Because ultimately, Maricopa’s greatest investment isn’t simply in what we build.

It’s in the people we’re building it for.

Chrystal O’Jon
Candidate for Maricopa City Council

This is a letter written to the editor.  You can view other opinions and letters here.