Luke Diaz was first elected as a Verona alder in 2013 and was first elected Mayor of Verona in 2018. He is a former Epic employee of 11 years. Luke lives in Verona with his wife Cheryl and son Tristan, and works in Middleton as a Technical Writer and Quality Assurance Specialist. Luke thinks that being a parent is the most difficult and most rewarding thing he’s ever done.
Luke and Tristan from 2017. Tristan is much taller now.
A Story About Opportunity
My dad came from Monterrey, Mexico to America as child because his family believed that America is the land of opportunity (if you’re wondering about my last name). Growing up, my dad left high school early to do factory work, sometimes double shifts. When I was growing up, my dad wanted me to have opportunities that he didn’t have. When I was looking at colleges, I thought about taking a year off after high school, which my dad urged my not to do because a lot of times when people take a year off, they end up not going to college at all.
That attitude always stuck with me. As an elected official it’s critical that we do our part to make sure that America stays the land of opportunity and if there are groups of people for whom that hasn’t been true, we need to fix that to extend opportunity to everyone.
Some of the most pro-American people I’ve ever talked to are immigrants, this includes my dad. It’s the responsibility of elected officials to make sure America lives up to this ideal – for everyone.
*Also, if you back far enough on my mom’s side of the family, it’s German/Austrian – if you were wondering
Hobbies
Reading; Video Games; Listening to Music; Hiking; Cooking; Native Plant Landscaping
Favorite Books
Lord of the Rings trilogy; Dresden Files series; Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett; The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey; A Canticle for Leibowitz; The Art of Legislative Politics; The Three Body Problem trilogy; 1984; A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold; Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch; Black Company Chronicles series by Glen Cook; The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi; Raven Tower by Ann Leckie
Favorite Video Games
Baldur’s Gate 3; Bastion; Bioshock Infinite; Chrono Trigger; Earthbound; Final Fantasy 6; Final Fantasy 7 Remake; Final Fantasy Tactics; Half Life 2; Inside; The Last of Us; Limbo; Mass Effect series; Okami; Pokemon Go; Portal 1 and 2; Road 96; Secret of Mana; Shadow of the Colossus; Subnautica; This War of Mine; Triangle Strategy; Witcher series (yes, even the first one);
Favorite Movies
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind; Hot Fuzz; Shaun of the Dead, Sorry to Bother You
Favorite Music
Bob Marley and the Wailers; Brother Ali; Chromeo; Darren Korb; Faun; Flogging Molly; Inna; Jethro Tull; The Longest Johns, Natty Nation; Nujabes; Lana Del Rey; Percival Schuttenbach; Run the Jewels; Robin Schulz; La Santa Cecilia; The Seatbelts; Sofi Tukker
Favorite Quotes
Aldo Leopold said a lot of insightful things, but this is the truest thing he ever said:
“The rabbit, despite his omnivorous appetite, is an epicure in some respects. He always prefers a hand-planted pine, maple, apple, or wahoo to a wild one.” From A Sand County Almanac
“If you can’t be clever, then at least you can be thorough.” Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch
“We’re all each other’s people. Just like we’re all our brothers keepers. We forget it sometimes. When everything’s going to pieces, people can forget. But in the end? We’re all in it together.” The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi
“You don’t need help, Warden. You are the help.” From Cold Days by Jim Butcher
