“A rising tide raises all ships”

Home is where the heart is. And our heart lies in the many diverse neighborhoods of greater Orlando.

In our ‘Meet Your Community’ series, we introduce you to people who help Orlando grow and thrive – and who have found their sanctuary in The City Beautiful.

Name: Asima Azam
Neighborhood: Baldwin Park
Business: Attorney at Divine and Estes
Free time: shuttling kids to and from after-school activities, watching the Voice with the family, early morning runs around Lake Baldwin
Secret talent: Planning and hosting parties. Hosts elaborate Halloween parties with themed family costumes
Advice for newcomers: Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to your neighbors and be part of your community. Go to First Fridays in Baldwin Park.
Community shout-outs: Chris Castro, Director of Sustainability for the City of Orlando, was hired to develop a long-term sustainability plan. Castro promotes environmentally sound policies with a business-minded approach His philosophy is that building sustainable communities is also the most economically sound way forward. He also founded IDEAS For Us, from which Fleet Farming was born.

Baldwin Park is one of those great neighborhoods where you can live, work and play – and where residents frequently gather to socialize and enjoy the many parks and trails. Should you attend a neighborhood pot luck barbecue, chances are you’ll run into Asima Azam, an attorney, a mom and a candidate running in this year’s election for District 3 City Commissioner.

As an attorney, Asima represents neighborhood and condo associations with issues such as code violations and nuisances. This has helped Asima emerge as a community problem solver – a trait that became apparent soon after we sat down to talk to her about her vision for our city.

Helping create safe, sustainable communities people love living in and where small businesses can thrive is what drives her – and what inspired her to run for City Commissioner.

She sees this role as being a local problem solver who is accessible to listen to the needs of residents and business owners alike. Having served on County and City Boards for more than ten years has taught Asima all about balancing individual interests with those of the communities she hopes to serve.

Smart Growth
Orlando is currently one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the US. To accommodate for an increase in population, high density development and traffic, it is imperative to plan long range.
 

“We do not have a choice in whether we grow,” says Asima, “but we do have a choice in how we grow.”

Using new technologies to alleviate congestion, ensuring new developments include shops and restaurants that activate walkways, “greening up” streetscapes, and making roads like Corrine Drive bike and pedestrian friendly are just a few of the initiatives on Asima’s list.

“You cannot just build your way out of congestion. You cannot just add more lanes and create speedways. You must become more efficient in how you use the roads,” says Asima, who has been a member of the Metroplan Citizen Advisory Council, a regional transportation board.

She’s confident she can work constructively with Winter Park’s Emily Bonillo to make Corrine Drive safe for people to walk and bike to community favorites such as Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream, East End Market, and Sushi Lola’s.

Safety
In the past few years there has been a strong uptick in home and car invasions in the District 3 communities. When citizens were told by the police that they were at fault for not locking their doors, people were none too pleased.

While Asima acknowledges there is a citizen component, she fervently advocates for first acknowledging the problem, assessing the problem and then developing strategies, including increased lighting, surveillance cameras in prone areas, and signage reminding people to secure valuables, all aimed at measurably reducing crime.

Economic Development
The City of Orlando offers special grants for small businesses, including Façade Grants and Business Assistance Grants.

“As City Commissioner, it’s important to help business owners be aware of and access resources available to them,” says Asima.

She’s also a big supporter of Main Street Districts, the successful program from which many neighborhoods have already benefitted. She laments the fact that businesses in Baldwin Park have been struggling and would love to see Baldwin Park brand and market itself more prominently as an attractive lake-front village center for all, not just a service center for local residents.

Giving back
Frequently, Asima takes her children to Project Downtown Orlando, which serves meals to individuals housed at the Coalition for the Homeless in Parramore. She teaches her kids not just to pack food and serve the homeless, but to also take an active interest and interact with the people they are serving.

At the Audubon Elementary School, she sits on the Board of the Falcon Fund, which raises money to ensure all students have access to technology and after-school programs, and to send teachers to trainings.

ROTARACT (a Rotary International service, leadership, professional and community service organization for people ages 18–30) gave Asima a scholarship all through law school. Now she gives back as a Rotary member. Her club supports the students of Orange Elementary School with a snack program, school field trips and an after-school reading and mentorship program. Asima was the club’s youngest president in 2008-2009.

In nearly every interview, she is asked whether her ethnicity or faith will be a barrier in her campaign for City Commissioner. But Asima is hopeful.

“Diversity is the lifeblood of this country,” she says. “The city of Orlando has changed dramatically in the past 10 years, and especially since Pulse, this community has really embraced diversity and inclusion. Every culture, faith, and ethnicity adds value. I am proud to live in a city of progressive, forward thinking people who want to raise up their community”.