Dorothy Granger, Bloomington City Council’s District 2 representative, is running again for what could be her third term in office.
Granger, 64, has previously fought for basic infrastructure, such as access to clean water, safe roads and fire safety for her constituents. If re-elected, she said she wants to focus on Bloomington’s future.
“I think sometimes we think, ‘Oh my gosh, we have this huge issue, we have to deal with it now,’” she said. “But we have to think about the ramifications it will have in the future.”
As the development director of Shalom Community Center, Granger said she also feels strongly about having accessible housing for all members of the community.
Granger and her family moved to Bloomington about 16 years ago from Los Angeles, where she was a higher education administrator. She said she saw homelessness every day living in Los Angeles and felt like she had no power to do anything about it.Now, working with Shalom, she does.
Throughout her years in Bloomington, Granger has worked with Girls Inc., Middle Way House, Planned Parenthood and local radio station WFHB, among other jobs. She plans on staying at Shalom for the foreseeable future.
“I’ll be here until I get my school loans paid off or until I turn 99,” she said.
Granger said she is also a strong advocate for women’s rights. She fought for the Equal Rights Amendment, which would have guaranteed legal gender equality for men and women if it had passed.
She was a member of the Democratic Women’s Caucus Steering Committee with Penny Githens, a longtime friend and 2016 Democratic candidate for District 60 of the Indiana House of Representatives. The two have known each for about seven years now, Githens said.
Granger is always ready to adapt to change in the community, Githens said.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen in the next four years,” Githens said. “We want people who listen, who reach out to people, people who care about the future.”
Granger is one of those people, Githens said.
Githens recalled Granger telling her how she has gone into several City Council meetings expecting to vote one way and being swayed by citizens giving testimony on the stand.
“It shows that she’s thoughtful,” Githens said.
Ultimately, Granger said she urges all Bloomington citizens — including students — to get out and vote.
Early voting for the city primary elections started Tuesday. Election day for the primaries is May 7.
