►
Description
Meet a remarkable woman and leader who has overcome every obstacle imaginable. Former Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans shares her story about growing up, how she got into politics, and how young women in Chandler and beyond can pave their paths to success.
A
A
Er,
this
is
council
member
Christine
Ellis
welcome
to
Breaking
barrier.
This
is
a
show
that
I
have
just
started
here
in
Chandler,
where
we
bring
people
that
are
really
breaking
ceiling
and
getting
things
done
into
their
spheres
of
influence
and
I
have
such
person
with
me
today,
which
is
the
mayor.
A
former
mayor
of
Flagstaff
Coral
events,
Miss
Evans,
oh,
my
God
I
am
so
in
love
with
who
you
are
what
you
stand
for,
and
the
things
that
you
have
accomplished.
A
I
do
have
a
lot
of
questions,
so
we
are
going
to
go
through
with
this
thing
today
and
hopefully
we
can
get
through
it
without
crying
right.
Okay,
let's
get
it
done.
Tell
us
a
little
bit
about
you
growing
up
in
Flagstaff,
because
I
know
that's
where
you're
from
prior
to
that.
Maybe
you
can
tell
us
a
little
bit
about
yourself
before.
B
B
A
B
A
B
Was
right
after
Top
Gun
had
come
out,
I
came
running
into
the
house,
and
I
was
like
Mom
I'm
gonna
be
a
test
pilot,
that's
what
I
want
to
be,
and
my
mom
started
laughing
and
I
was
like
whoa
wait
a
minute.
You
know
my
every
single
time.
I'd
ever
told
my
mom
I
want
to
be
something
she
was
totally
supportive,
but
then
she
started
laughing,
and
so
it
kind
of
took
me
back,
but
then
further
conversations
with
my
mom.
A
B
Her
story
that
she
told
me
was
horrific
and
so
at
that
time
I
felt
that
I
wanted
to
make
sure
that
no
one
else
had
to
go
through
something
like
that,
and
my
mom
said
that
she
was
born
on
the
south
side
of
the
tracks,
segregated
neighborhood,
1938,
she's,
a
black
female
and
she
didn't
have
a
whole
lot
of
choices,
and
so
she
ended
up
becoming
a
school
teacher
and
there's
nothing
wrong
with
becoming
a
school
teacher.
But
that's
not
what
my
mom
went
to
be.
B
A
B
You
know
I
think
one
of
my
biggest
obstacles
were
probably
not
necessarily
understanding
the
political
atmosphere.
A
B
Know
what
was
politically
correct
and
incorrect
those
types
of
things,
maybe
I'm
not
coming
from
a
political
background
so
having
to
learn
like
learn
the
road
as
you
walk
it
see.
A
For
me,
I
grew
up
around
it
and
I
didn't
want
to
have
anything
to
do
with
it,
because
my
grandfather
held
every
position
he
could
think
of
in
politics
and
then
my
dad
after
having
lived
here
in
the
state
for
so
many
years,
went
back
to
Haiti
and
became
a
senator
and
a
constant
member.
So
I
stayed
away
from
it,
but
I
could
see
that
being
one
of
the
reason
why
it
would
have
been
hard
to
kind
of
launch
yourself
with
that.
So
at
this
time
I
would
like
to
find
out.
B
A
A
A
B
A
B
I
would
say
a
few
aha
moments
that
I
had
it.
You
know
you
go
and
you
visit
the
elementary
schools.
Yes
and
you
talk
to
the
kiddos
and
they're
so
excited
about
who
you
are
and
what
you're
doing
and
what
was
your
path
and
they're
like
well,
I
didn't
even
know
this
position
existed
and
you're.
Like
I
didn't
even
know
this
position
existed.
Yes
until
I
ended
up
getting.
A
B
A
B
I
understand
the
value
of
having
a
community
that
has
that
type
of
support.
Yes
and
then
to
be
able
to
grow
up
to
be
mayor
and
protect
it.
When
it's
on
when
it's
under
threat.
A
A
Think
that's
important
yeah
I
could
see
that
happen
in
your
interview
that
we
had,
we
share
something
together.
We
have
a
few
firsts
that
we
share,
and
so
I
heard
you
talk
about
that
in
in
your
way
of
explaining
it
was.
That
was
a
great
aha
moment
because
someone
came
in
and
you
felt
that
it's
either
the
next
time
that
there
is
a
situation
like
that
you
either
were
going
to
be
on
her
side
or
you
were
going
to
be
sitting
in
that
chair
to
make
the
decision
to
help
her.
B
It
felt
daunting
right,
it
felt
like
this
is
going
to
be
a
heavy
load.
Yes,
but
it
also
felt
like
something
that
was
necessary
to
do
right.
It
felt
like
this
is
something
that
has
to
be
done,
and
it
was
one
of
those.
If
not
me,
then
who
come
on
right.
A
A
And
you've
served
well,
you
know
we
can
look
back
on
all
those
terms
that
you
served
where
your
city
was
or
your
your
whole
area,
where
you
served
in
where
they
were
where
they
are
now
and
where
I
think
that
you
had
the
vision
for
them
to
be
in
the
future
right
now,
you're,
not
on
Console
anymore,
I
am
not.
So
what
is
the
life?
It's
like?
Are
you
enjoying
every
minute
of
it?
What
are
you
doing?
Post
cancel
So.
B
Currently,
I
work
in
a
leadership
position
for
a
member
of
the
congression,
the
Arizona
Congressional
Delegation
yeah.
A
B
And
I
cover,
you
know
the
top
five
counties.
I
work
with
the
team
I
think
it's
very
important
for
me
to
say:
I
work
with
a
team,
none
of
us
work
in
isolation
and
we
work
on
behalf
of
the
communities.
Yes,
you
know
and
I
absolutely
love.
It
I
tell
people
it's
a
little
like
being
mayor,
but
for
an
expanded
area,
without
necessarily
all
the
responsibility
yes
and
making
connections
connecting
people
with
resources.
Absolutely
love.
It
yeah.
B
A
A
Are
the
resource
person
you
are
in
to
go
between
and
and
I
think
the
voice,
your
voice
being
higher
now
going
all
the
way
to
Washington
DC
to
the
service
that
you
are
rendering
your
community
right?
Now,
it's
more
power,
it's
powerful
I
I
love
it.
What
is
your
most
important
accomplishment?
Would
you
say
if
you
I
know
you
have
many,
but
if
you
had
to
pick
one
or
two
right
now,
I'll
share
them
with
the
people
of
Chandler.
So.
B
I
would
say
my
absolute
most
important
accomplishment
is
my
daughter
Destiny.
Oh
a
lot
of
people.
Don't
know
that
I
have
a
daughter,
I,
do
I'm
very
proud
of
her
I'm,
very
proud
of
the
young
lady
that
she's
grown
up
to
be
that's.
A
A
B
A
Daughter,
I'm
so
happy
that
you
were
able
to
raise
another
woman
that
is
thinking
about
making
other
people's
lives
better
and
I.
Think
every
single
day
when
we
can
look
into
the
eyes
of
our
children
and
realize
that
they
becoming
better
and
better
people
yeah
then
we
can
ever
be,
and
that
should
be
a
proud
moment
for
all
of
us
I'm,
so
grateful
that
you
mentioned
her
I
I
didn't
know
you
had
a
daughter,
so
here
we
are
so
I'm.
Knowing
now,
how
old
is
she
now?
My.
B
Daughter
is
almost
30.
wow
yeah.
She
works
for
the
Coconino
County
Sheriff's,
Department,
okay,
wonderful,
so
yeah.
B
B
Know
it
took
a
village
to
help
my
mom,
who
was
a
single
parent
at
the
time
with
two
kids.
You
know,
move
us
forward
a
lot
of
strength
with
my
grandparents.
They
mean
the
world
omit
the
world
to
me.
A
A
B
A
A
Nope,
because
of
their
voices
and
that
they
them
pushing
you
and
things
like
that,
we
are
two
black
women
sitting
here.
There
are
so
many
that
are
watching
us
from
all
the
Spectrum
and
when
I
said
women
of
color
women
or
Caucasian
women,
they
all
are
gleaning
into
what
we're
doing
where
we
are
right
now
aspiring
to
be
where
we
are
all
would
love
for
us
to
in
one
way
or
not
be
part
of
their
lives
in
in
some
shape
or
form.
A
A
B
Don't
need
to
have
every
degree
perfectly
in
order.
You
don't
need
to
have
you
know
everything
in
your
life
perfectly
in.
B
Need
to
just
do
it,
you
can
make
the
Road
by
walking
what
you
need
is
somewhere
down
that
road.
Everything
that
you
need.
You
know
you
got
to
step
out
in
faith.
Yes,
you
got
to
have
faith
the
size
of
a
mustard
seed.
You
just
gotta
start
the
journey
and
you
would
be
amazed
at
all
of
the
the
things
that
you
need
are
going
to
be
there
alongside
the
road.
The
person.
A
A
A
I
will
say,
and
I
I
aspire
to
be.
Also,
like
you
being
a
woman,
the
first
black
woman
to
be
a
mayor
in
in
the
whole
of
Arizona.
Here
in
Chandler.
You
know
we
made
the
history
having
the
first
man
black
man
to
be
mayor,
and
children
never
had
a
women
mayor
before,
and
so
there
was
room
there
was
Room
to
Grow.
A
There
was
room
for
people
to
come
and
put
their
hands
together
and
push
things
forward
so
that
one
day
too,
we
can
have
this
discussion
as
former
mayors
and
as
with
other
people
that
are
talking
about
things
like
that
in
the
in
the
future
and
explaining.
If
there
was
something
that
you
would
like
to
share
with
people,
maybe
about
yourself
that
really
truly
kept
you.
You
know
with
your
eyes
on
the
prize
like
stay
focused
on
what
you
wanted
once
everybody
said.
A
B
When
I
decided
to
run
for
Council
I
had
my
my
campaign
manager
and
we
kind
of
went
and
we
kind
of
went
out
when
I
started
to
run
for
mayor,
we
went
out,
we
kind
of
started.
Dropping
hints
that
I
was
going
to
maybe
run
for
mayor
to
clear
the
field
right
yeah
then
one
day,
I
woke
up
and
I
had
a
huge
lump
in
my
left.
Breast
wow
and
I
already
knew
what
it
was.
I
knew
it
was
cancer,
because
I
had
cancer
when
I
was
29
years
old.
Oh.
A
B
So
I
called
my
brother
who's
a
doctor
and
talked
to
him,
and
we
were
trying
to
get
me
in
for
a
mammogram.
It
was
Fourth
of
July
weekend.
It
wasn't
going
to
happen
so
that
Monday
I
got
in
and
sure
enough.
I
had
cancer
again
so
I
had
a
meeting
scheduled
with
my
campaign
manager
and
Patrice
horsman
who's.
The
current
chair
of
Coconino
County
Board.
A
B
Supervisors
and
Patrice
is
an
attorney
yeah
and
she's.
Very
you
know,
she's
very
formidable.
Yeah
I
mean
she's
one
of
those
people
that
she's
just
a
woman
that
you
look
up
to
yeah,
and
so
we
went
to
the
lunch
and
she
was
already
there
and
she
had
given
me
a
list
of
people
to
call
so
I
could
get
their
support.
B
Told
you
to
make
yes
so
my
campaign
manager
Catherine
was
like
you
need
to
tell
Patrice
so
I
told
her.
I
was
like
you
know:
Patrice
I
have
breast
cancer
and
before
I
could
finish
what
I
was
going
to
say,
which
was
I'm
not
going
to
run
yeah,
she
stopped
stirring
her
iced
tea.
She
looked
at
me.
She
goes
really.
B
She
goes
when
I
had
breast
cancer.
That's
the
year
I
made
partner
in
my
firm
come
on.
When
are
you
going
to
make
the
phone
calls?
I
asked
you
to
make
that's
right
back
to
it:
okay,
yeah
right
back
to
what
it
is.
She
told
me
to
do
so.
Needless
to
say,
while
I
was
sitting
there
processing
that
she
pulled
out
a
checkbook
she's
like
what's
the
name
of
your
campaign,
again
wrote
me
a
campaign
donation
put
it
on
the
table
and
said
I
expect
you
to
make
those
calls.
B
Is
and
then
signaled
the
a
waiter
to
come
over
and
we
ordered
lunch
after
lunch.
I
went
and
made
the
cost.
I
also
talked
to
my
oncologist
and
made
my
appointment,
and
so
when
we
went
to
my
oncology
appointment,
we
went
as
a
team.
So
my
two
best
friends,
my
campaign
manager,
walked
into
the
office
and
my
oncologist
was
like
first
of
all,
why
are
you
here?
I
saw
you
before
and
second
of
all,
who
are
all
these
people
and
she's
like
I
thought
you're
running
for
mayor
I'm,
like
I,
am
running
for
mayor.
B
B
And
so
what
propelled
me
forward
was
I
got
to
get
through
this
right.
This
is
not
about
me.
This
is
about
the
lady
who
came
to
the
diocese
yes
and
was
crying
because
no
one
understood
what
she
was
saying.
This
is
about.
You
know
the
fact
that
potholes
don't
have
parties
and
what
are
we
going
to
do
next?
Yes,
now
this
is
about
the
future,
and
so
that's
how
I
got
through
that
I
know
it's
a
long
answer.
A
B
A
B
A
A
B
Oh,
no,
you
know
it
was
definitely
not
given.
I
will
tell
you
that
I
had
help
I
had
support
and
I
had
to
work
for
it.
Yes,
you
know
it
was
definitely
not
given,
but
it
was
a
joy.
Yes
right,
it
was
a
passion,
I,
absolutely
100
love,
my
community,
yeah
and
I
loved
being
in
the
role
to
love.
My
community
and
I
say
love
in
understanding
that
love
means
the
ability
to
tell
people
hey.
This
is
great.
This
is
not
so
great
we're
doing
good.
We
need
to
work.
A
My
tagline
was
even
for
the
love
of
Chandler
and
it
still
is
for
the
love
of
Chandler,
because,
like
you
said,
you
had
to
find
it
into
you
into
your
heart
to
love
your
community.
The
way
they
love
you.
A
The
Love
of
Chandler-
and
we
do
have
a
tagline
here-
also
a
Chandler,
a
hashtag
love
Chandler,
but
that's
all
of
us
who
love
Chandler,
but
for
me
everything
that
I
was
doing
everything
I'm
doing
now
and
everything
I
will
be
doing
in
the
future.
It
will
always
be
for
the
love
of
Chandler
I.
Bring
no
agendas
to
the
table.
I
could
see
that
in
you
was
it
hard
when
people
was
in
your
ears
saying
whether
or
not
you're
not
gonna,
accomplish
it.
It's
not
gonna
happen,
and
things
like
that.
So.
B
A
B
You
need
the
people
who
are
like
you
got
this.
You
can
do
this,
but,
quite
frankly
it's
been
the
naysayers.
Yes,
that
actually
give
you
that
little
bit
extra
push
to
do
what
it
is
that
you
need
to
do.
They
also
help
keep
things
balanced
every
once
in
a
while
they're
going
to
tell
you
the
truth.
Yes,
you
might
not
like
how
they
told
you
yeah.
You
might
not
like
what
they're
saying,
but
within
the
package
when
you
get
rid
of
like
some
of
the
fluff
is
a
kernel
of
Truth
and
you're.
B
B
A
A
A
If
there
is
one
thing
that
you
would
love
to
leave
the
city
with
as
far
because
being
a
mayor
right,
it's
your
vision,
it's
the
whole
city
as
a
whole.
We
are
a
city
right
now.
That
is
a
really
Innovative
City.
We
are
doing
great
things.
Chandler
is
one
of
the
best
cities
in
the
world
to
live
in
right
now.
What
would
you
tell
the
people
of
Chandler
as
a
as
a
former
mayor,
so.
B
You
know
libraries
and
Parks
and
Recreation
programs
I.
Think
it's
important
for
us
to
remember.
Remember
that
our
future
is
in
the
people
that
we
are
raising
to
become
our
future
yeah
and
that's
our
kiddos
right.
That's
right
anything
that
we
can
do
to
make
sure
that
they
have
the
opportunity
to
go
be
above
and
beyond.
Who
we
are
yes,
is
where
we
should
have
our.
A
Focus,
that's
right!
Oh
my!
This
is
amazing
world
of
wisdom
right.
This
is
where
we
are
right
now
at
the
end
of
this
talk,
I
am
so
elated
and
honored
to
have
you
here
with
me
today
and
to
the
people
of
Chandler.
That
is
watching
right
now.
It
is
important
that
you
realize
it's
going
to
take
that,
or
it's
going
to
take
all
that.
A
Yes,
it
does
take
all
that
for
you
to
rise
up
at
that
level
of
service
selflessly
without
even
thinking
about
what's
next,
but
put
yourself
into
that
gap
for
that
city
that
you
want
to
serve
put
yourself
into
that
gap
for
the
people
that
look
up
to
you
to
see
what
you're
gonna
do
with
that
about
that
pothole
to
see
what
you're
going
to
do
about
that
water
that
is
so
necessary
now
for
us.
So
I
am
grateful
that
you
have
taken
the
time
to
watch
us
stay
tuned
for
the
next
show
that's
coming
in.