Councilmember Eve Marie Little of Newark, California, is known for her independent spirit and her “get-it-done” attitude. Recently, she was the only Newark councilmember to vote “No” on a development project near the Bay that advocates—including Save The Bay—had warned posed future flood risks. Save The Bay staff sat down with her to talk about how she’ll continue to bring leadership to the city’s shoreline.
What is your personal relationship to the Bay?
Councilmember Little: I am originally from Texas — born and raised in the Permian Basin, which is surrounded by sand, tumbleweeds, and oil. I never saw a mountain until I was a teenager, so I am incredibly appreciative of the nature we have here. I think many Bay Area residents probably take for granted the beauty that they’re surrounded by. It is a blessing to live within 10 minutes of a national park, a refuge, and two regional parks — my dog Riley is lucky to get what I call “VIP access” to Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge and Coyote Hills. I’m also a bike rider and I get an incredible type of peace riding along the Alameda Creek Trails and the Shoreline Trails.
How does being a teacher and a Boy Scouts of America troop leader intersect with your appreciation for the shoreline?
Councilmember Little: For six years, I’ve run “Camp GOAT,” the Cub Scout Day Camp at Ardenwood Farms and you know, Scouting gets kids away from electronics and teaches them to take care of nature and be in the outdoors at locations like this. Kids are so digitally connected, but I don’t want them missing the incredible world around them – we need to connect them at a young age to the environment and show them that getting dirty in the mud is okay. I’ve always been a big fan of the outdoor code of conduct, “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints.”
How do you think about sea level rise, and how does that shape your work as a Councilmember?
Councilmember Little: I’m an advocate for planning ahead because I’ve personally experienced flooding during a hurricane in Texas. When Mother Nature makes a decision of where she’s going to flood, she’s going to flood. If an area is already “spongy” and floods now, putting a few inches of dirt down is not really going to fix a difficult situation. So we need to respect what nature has already claimed as hers, and we need to be guardians of the Bay to ensure it sticks around for future generations. Also, I feel communicating with the community and being transparent with the public about some of the difficulties of these decisions is also so important.
I also love that East Bay Regional Parks District exists. Their trails provide work-life balance and sanity for people. During the pandemic when people were told to stay inside, park admission skyrocketed because people were yearning for nature. In addition to the facilities that the East Bay Regional Parks District offers, I appreciate how the Parks District lowers barriers to entry.
They host fishing events at the Hayward shoreline where you don’t need a license or equipment, and my son actually caught (and released!) a leopard shark at one of their $25 classes. That’s a memory neither of us will forget. These affordable programs provide equality and equity so that everyone can enjoy the outdoors.
As a councilmember, I’m all about sharing the peace and tranquility that the outdoors brings me when I’m stressed, so I’m planning a “Discover Don Edwards Day” in early 2027 with the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society.
There will be a lot of components to the event including junior ranger opportunities, 1-mile scavenger hunts, exhibition tables and the 18-mile “Mountains to the Shore” leisure bike marathon ride from Niles all the way to Don Edwards through the amazing biking trails we have in the area.
What makes you a champion for the shoreline?
I was never meant to see myself as a politician, but rather as a mom who is a mover and a shaker and gets things done and I am a firm believer of the Texas code of “Git ‘er done.” When I saw the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge struggling with recent budget and staffing cuts last year, I reached out to local organizations to organize a coastal cleanup on April 15. And I do stuff like this because I don’t want to be an elected official who solely focuses on policies but rather someone out there who is super active and approachable who wants to get things done in our community. I really have the personality that if I see a problem I don’t like, I’m gonna fix it!
I also want to set up more outdoor and nature-focused events because I know that younger people need to see the absolute beauty of the area around us and be given an opportunity to protect it. So many Bay Area kids have absolutely no idea the amazing and incredible nature paradise we live in and have taken for granted the gift we have living in this beautiful and fragile ecosystem. And if they can’t appreciate the blessing that they have gotten, well, they’re welcome to go back to my desert hometown of Midland, Texas to open their eyes to how truly lucky they’ve got it here in the Bay!
