Office Hours With City Councilwoman Mariam Shah

Learn how Councilwoman Shah prepared to run for office, how she interacts with her constituents, and her favorite part about being an elected official.

Elected in 2014, City Councilwoman Mariam Shah serves the City of Grover Beach, California as member of county-wide committees including Air Pollution Control District (Vice-Chair), Homeless Services Oversight Council (Vice-Chair), South County Task Force on Homelessness, and the Visit SLO CAL Advisory Board. She also served as Mayor Pro-Tem from 2016 to 2017.

Mariam Shah has been involved in politics since a young age, often volunteering for campaigns with her parents and putting stamps on envelopes. She attended law school and practiced corporate law for seven years before she moved to Grover Beach, California. Her inspiration for becoming more active in her new town came from Hillary Clinton, who said the best way to get involved was in local boards and commissions, and from a vacancy in the city council.

While interviewing for the vacancy, she was asked, “Will you attend the city council meetings?” and she answered “yes.” Her male opponent answered “I’ll try.” He got the job. However, Mariam didn’t stop there. She applied to be on a planning commission, but another door closed in her face after they chose someone over her.

However, saying “no” isn’t Mariam’s way. She went on to serve her community on a different sub-county committee and realized that doors closing were her motivation to keep pursuing her political passions.

After being asked to run for office by a former mayor of Grover Beach and the current fire chief, she ran for city council unopposed and was successfully elected.

“Sometimes it takes somebody asking you to do it…don’t let fear hold you back because you CAN do it.”