Remembering Matt Garcia

Ten years ago, I woke up and turned on my laptop and went to the Daily Republic website and was devastated to learn of the shooting of Fairfield City Councilman Matt Garcia. I immediately called my brother Tony who answered and knew why I was calling. We shared our shock and horror. But mainly we just cried together on the phone.

Later when Matt had been removed from life support and passed away I told Tony that it felt like hope itself had died. He told me, “Matt has inspired too many people to let hope die. But hope took a beating today.”

It seemed like some horrible cosmic joke. Twenty-one year old Matt Garcia, elected to the Fairfield City Council on a platform of supporting youth and curbing violence is murdered on the streets of Fairfield. What's worse, his killer mistook him for someone else. It was a pointless act of evil in which a worthless example of a human being took the life of a priceless one.

In 2007 Matt invited me to lunch at Joe's Buffet to discuss his candidacy and I reluctantly agreed to meet him. I say reluctantly because two years prior, a city councilman who I'd endorsed spectacularly flamed out in a drug scandal that rocked the city. The falling out between us was painful and I wasn't eager to roll the dice on another endorsement. I'd had enough of local politicians. 

Secondly, Matt was only 21 years old. I'd seen other young candidates in the past garner little to no support playing political candidate.

For those who didn't know him I would describe meeting Matt Garcia for the first time like meeting a celebrity. From the moment we shook hands I could tell there was something about this kid. Some people have “it” and he had it. We sat down and he outlined what he wanted to do for the city. He radiated enthusiasm and passion.

During our two hour lunch we were interrupted many times by people saying hello to him. The visitors ran the gamut from fawning teenage girls to elderly patrons. How does this guy know everyone? I sat thinking to myself.

I pressed him on economic development, public safety and youth activities and he had ideas for everything. Above all else, he just loved Fairfield. He told me that eventually he would be mayor of Fairfield and that no one could sell Fairfield to investors and potential new residents like he could. He told me he planned to have a family and raise his kids here. And he never wanted to leave, hauntingly telling me that he would die in Fairfield.

After the lunch I called my brother Tony to tell him that this kid was the real deal. I'd been reluctant and skeptical but he'd sold me. I believed in Matt Garcia. Garcia went on to win his city council race in a stunning upset and at 21, become one of the youngest elected politicians in the country.

Matt knew that I wasn't fond of another councilman, John Mraz, so what did he do? He arranged for us to meet. Matt was all about bridging gaps and bringing people together for the greater good. 

Then came that fateful evening less than a year later.

Right after Matt died I went on a cruise and I took a Matt Garcia button I'd received at his memorial service on the cruise with me. Every time I was stopped by someone and asked about the button I would give them a synopsis of Matt's life. I spread the story of hope, anti-violence and community to everyone I could on that vacation.

When I came back from vacation I was dining in a restaurant in Sacramento when the older Hispanic waiter noticed the Matt Garcia button I was wearing. He put his hand to his heart. He told me that he'd followed Matt's career and Matt being elected was a point of pride for him as a Hispanic. It touched me deeply that this stranger, who wasn't a resident of Fairfield, had been inspired by Matt and had been following him from afar. It made me wonder just how many people out there Garcia had inspired. Matt would've loved that.

Matt's dream of youth engagement and ending a culture of violence lives on through the tireless work of his mother Teresa Courtemanche, stepfather Raymond Courtemanche, the Matt Garcia Foundation and the Matt Garcia Career and College Academy in Fairfield. But it also lives on through the countless people touched and inspired by Matt's story.

After the last lunch my brother and I had with Matt at the Blue Frog in Fairfield, we stood around talking after Matt had left. We were talking about how the sky was the limit with this guy. We both envisioned him going on to higher office and doing great things. I've no doubt that if Matt Garcia were alive today he would be mayor of Fairfield. Or maybe he would've finished serving as mayor and moved onto assemblyman, state senator or congressman.

I'm not a politician. I'm not one to give speeches or walk into a room, light it up and hold it in the palm of my hand like Matt could. I seek to touch people and inspire through the written word. That's my avenue, my way to keep the dream alive. Others do it by running for office, going back to school, volunteering, tutoring, mentoring, coaching, counseling and a hundred other ways to serve their community.

Invest in young people. Fight to keep our streets safe. Bring our communities together. That's how we keep the dream alive.

The Matt Garcia Foundation