Hello Temecula Friends…

I never planned to run for office.

Most of my life has been spent working, stocking shelves, raising a son, building community, and listening to people who feel invisible where decisions are made.

I’m Laurel LaMont. I’ve been a Trader Joe’s crew member since 2008. I’m a single mom. And I founded Upward Community after watching too many people do everything right and still fall behind, not because they lacked effort, but because the system is not built for real life.

Housing should not feel like a lottery.
Parents should not have to choose between full time work and being present for their kids.
Community should not be a buzzword. It should be something you can feel in your body when you walk down your street.

For a long time, I tried to solve these problems outside of politics. And a lot of good work happens there. But eventually, you hit the same wall over and over again. Decisions are being made about working families, without working families in the room.

When I decided to run for City Council, people told me I would need to play the game.

But I have seen what that game costs people, their health, their families, their sense of self. I do not believe leadership should come at the expense of your nervous system or your humanity.

I am not here to perform politics.
I am here to practice presence.

My personal story is shaped by both resilience and loss. I lost my brother to addiction and homelessness, my father to suicide, and my mother to choices that left lasting scars. These experiences shaped who I am and why I care so deeply about building a more compassionate and connected community, one where no one falls through the cracks.