MEETING MARGARET You don’t really know politics until you’ve met a politician. Margaret Abe-Koga defies all stereotypes, predispositions, and assumptions. Just try and stop her. BY R AY U Y E DA Margaret Abe-Koga never stops smiling, and to her credit, she has a great smile. One of those smiles that epitomizes the expression “from ear to ear.” Margaret Abe-Koga is wearing peep-toe 1-inch red leather flats that show off her blue sparkly painted toes and a polka dotted delicate blouse that pairs perfectly with her well-tailored slacks that make her look like she stepped out of a Target ad. Margaret Abe-Koga is second-generation full Japanese and is not your typical politician. wIn her time Margaret has served on numerous committees, commissions, and boards for the City of Mountain View and for the County of Santa Clara. She is a mom, a campaign manager, a leader, and a mentor. She is a woman of color and a Harvard graduate. Throughout her life she’s experienced instances of loss, discrimination, triumph and praise. Throughout the process of getting to know Margaret,
it became clear that this was a woman unlike any other. A woman dedicated to knowing the members of the community whom she strives to represent. Her political career began just like any other aspiring public servant’s: in Elementary school. It also started like many others, with a loss. “My first race was in the 3rd grade. I ran for
class treasurer against my best friend at the time. She won, but I kept trying.” However, the similarities with most of the country’s politicians end there. Many of the sound bytes these days consist of political gaffes, accidental slip-ups demeaning one person or another, or what would seem like an attitude of complete unaware1