My name is Maria Ramirez, and I am running for Worthington City Council. I am the daughter of Colombian parents who immigrated to the US because of a deep love of learning and a desire to further their education in the United States. I am considered a first generation American because I was born in Columbus, but because my family returned to Colombia when I was just a baby and I spent my early childhood there, my experience is also that of an immigrant. 

At age seven my family boarded a plane, with only our suitcases, to start a new life in the United States. I watched my parents work to make their dreams a reality, with my father earning a Doctorate and becoming a researcher and professor at The Ohio State University and my mother earning a Master’s Degree at OSU and working as a social worker. Simultaneously, they helped my younger sister and I navigate the challenges of  a new culture and learning a new language. I learned about hard work, courage, and determination as my family created a new life in the United States.

I followed in my parent's footsteps and studied at the Ohio State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Architecture. I also earned a Master of Architecture degree and a Master of Arts in Urban Planning degree both from UCLA. I developed a passion for the intersection between placemaking and strengthening communities. I have worked in the non-profit sector, working with communities on streetscape, economic development projects, and public art projects, the for-profit sector in school facilities planning and architecture, and have taught architectural design at Ohio State. I currently work as the Public Art Coordinator for Greater Columbus Arts Council, where my work has focused on the development and implementation of a new public art plan for the City of Columbus and Franklin County. 

Since 2020 I have served on the Worthington Community Relations Commission (CRC). Because I am passionate about protecting the dignity and rights of all people, I was excited to join the CRC because of its advocacy for the Worthington Non-discrimination ordinance. This ordinance expanded the categories of persons protected from discrimination to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. During my time on the CRC, we have worked to expand the Non-discrimination ordinance to include protection against Source of Income Discrimination in housing, which prevents landlords from discriminating against tenants whose source of income includes disability benefits, housing benefits, or other forms of income. 

In 2023-24, I served as Co-Chair for the Vision Implementation team for the Vision: Worthington is a Diverse and Equitable Community. I am proud of the work our team completed to propose tangible steps to begin to implement the vision for Worthington defined by our community, and our top recommendation was the expansion of housing types in Worthington. 

Currently, I am serving on the Comprehensive Plan Community Committee. I am excited to join a group of community volunteers that will assist in defining a vision of land use for Worthington, and which will help work on engaging the broader Worthington Community in the process.  I feel lucky to be in a place with so many people willing to give their time and expertise for the good of our community

Outside of my professional life, I am an avid gardener (with a special interest in native plant gardening), hiker, and advocate for a strong democracy and I have volunteered on voter registration, education, and advocacy since 2017. I deeply care about protecting our democracy, and our voting rights.  I was elected and served as the Central Committee and Executive Committee representative for Worthington Ward 2 in the Franklin County Democratic Party from 2020-2024.

I will use my knowledge and experience to build on Worthington’s strengths and help make real the visions expressed by our community through the Worthington Visioning process.  I will provide leadership that is collaborative, responsive, and accountable to the Worthington community.