Chico News and Review Best of Chico, Best Activist and Best City Official Nominee Addison Winslow
Addison Winslow has forged a path of community organization and activism rooted in a deep commitment to Chico's well-being. With a robust political engagement spanning nearly a decade, last year Winslow segued his keen knowledge of smart growth, equitable resource allocation and humane recovery efforts into a smart, savvy, and ultimately successful campaign for the City Council. Winslow’s supporters viewed securing the District 4 seat as politically advantageous; the only check against the imbalance of views represented at the dais. Many in Winslow’s shoes might ultimately feel overwhelmed at the tremendous uphill battle in being among the youngest and most politically progressive councilmembers in Chico’s history–but for Winslow, organizing against the odds is part of his legacy.
“I was always proud to come from Chico, because I thought that Chico was a really awesome city,” Winslow said. “Once I was engaged in activism in other communities, I began to see the issues in Chico as being directly at the frontlines. I came home to Chico after the Camp Fire, and really saw the need for more organizing and politicizing around tenants rights.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Winslow emerged as a pivotal figure in fostering mutual aid networks throughout Chico; he featured prominently in Naomi Klein’s somber write-up of the city at the two-year anniversary of the Camp Fire for The Intercept, “A Climate Dystopia in Northern California.”
In concert with other local progressives, he spearheaded efforts to connect residents with essential resources, including disseminating the most up-to-date information available. The grassroots response grew from coordinating food donations to crowdsourcing hands-on involvement, an effort that ultimately galvanized community spirit while Winslow, ever the self-motivated scholar, looked to gain a better understanding of the present through the past.
“When we were delivering food and medicine to our neighbors, they would pay us for what we brought and we would always make sure to include avocados with a recipe for avocado toast,” Winslow explains. “In a lot of socialist organizing, people will talk about Bread and Roses–the idea that not only do people deserve to have their basic needs met, but also to have something extra as well.”
Beyond mutual aid, Winslow, the lone progressive currently occupying the dais, also maintains a commitment to policies which promote environmentalism. His prolific Internet presence outlines green sensibilities pre-date his ascension to the top level of Chico politics. Winslow’s long resume of volunteerism through organizations such as the Butte Environmental Council helped firm up his belief about Chico’s pathway forward, as well as a keen comprehension of collaboration.
“I was never trying to broadly appeal to the public,” the City Council member, who is also nominated for Best City Official, said. “I’ve been influenced by others in this incredible network of knowledge. We come in with strong opinions and radical critiques, as well as our analysis. Being able to talk to people, especially in one on one settings, is really important to keep that exchange of information flowing.”
On the record, he has pushed his colleagues for timely plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions connected with public transportation proposals, lobbied hard to protect Chico’s abundance of parks, trails, and waterways, and championed initiatives to enhance sustainability practices.
“Making our neighborhoods safe and comfortable enough to have less reliance on cars is a good start towards creating a more environmentally sustainable place to live,” Winslow said.
However, Winslow's advocacy around housing is perhaps the most distinguishing aspect of his work. While the pathos around housing is a familiar refrain for many progressive, Winslow’s framework is rooted pragmatic policy–a position marked by both compassion and strategic action shaped by an already extensive base of knowledge.
Winslow augments his viewpoints with a willingness to learn from others, which he attributes to an “eclectic” background in education.
“I graduated from Fairview at 16,” he said. “And I didn’t go to college. It’s not as straightforward as my learning was self-directed. I knew how to read and how to research, and I also knew how to connect with others when I thought I could learn from them, like Steven Breedlove and Meleiza Figueroa, who taught me a lot during my early years with DSA.”
Recent coverage of Winslow has acknowledged the political upstart has even managed to find some common ground with Councilor Tom Van Overbeek. Representing District 6, the conservative Van Overbeek and Winslow stood in solidarity in the wish to create more bike paths around Chico, and are in the process of forming a committee to address city growth. Yet even with these victories, Winslow will always represent an ideological foil to those on the right.
Speaking on the subject of rent stabilization, Winslow said, “It’s just about whose interests you’re more aligned with—the landlords of these big mobile home parks, or the people that live in them.”
In fact, Winslow has been vocal about concerns regarding large-scale developments like the recently-defeated Valley's Edge, arguing in favor of affordable housing accessibility through a lens of “compact urban growth,” defined by a mixture of housing, including single-family homes, affordable apartments and housing options between the two.
“I think Addison is great,” fellow nominee and Chicoan Charles Withuhn explains. “He is exactly what this city needs in a leader. He understands the value of working with people to accomplish a goal. I consider him a godsend.”
As a nominee for Best Activist, Addison Winslow exemplifies the transformative power of dedicated civic engagement. His ability to unite diverse communities, drive policy change, and inspire collective action underscores his effectiveness as a leader committed to enhancing the well-being of Chico residents. Winslow's vision for a more equitable, compassionate, and sustainable community continues to inspire hope and progress, setting a standard for activism and leadership in Chico's vibrant civic landscape.
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