Beeks has lived in Cambridge since 1973. She has been raising two of her grandsons since the death of one of her daughters in 1991 and received an award for her work for surviving children of an AIDS victim.

Thomas W. Beer, 49, says he doesn't have an agenda.

"If I'm elected to city council, I'll try to treat everybody with respect, listen to all sides of the question, make up my own mind and work with the rest of the city council to make the city better," Beer says.

A life-long Cambridge resident who supports rent control, Beer is not endorsed by any civic groups.

He also says he doesn't have any money to campaign, so he is making his own signs.

Kathy Born, an architect, says running for city council is a natural step in a life of civic involvement.

A resident of Cambridge for 25 years, Born has worked with Cambridge Citizens for Livable Neighborhoods and the Harvard Square Defense Fund. She is now endorsed by the progressive Cambridge Civic Association.

The 47 year-old Avon Hill resident says she would devote her time on the council to environmental, family and neighborhood preservation issues as well as securing housing, food and human rights for her constituents.

Born says rent control "is here to stay" and should be made to "work as well as possible."

Galit Dukach, 24, says local government should be a part-time job.

Dukach, who has lived in Cambridge since 1989, wants to cut the salaries of the city councillors. She is not endorsed by any civic groups and wants to serve on the council simply as a good citizen.

"My husband and I just bought a house here in Cambridge and that was a good opportunity to get involved with the community we're bringing our child into," says Dukach, who has a baby due at the end of January.

The Libertarian candidate wants to begin her campaign to reduce government intervention in the lives of Cantabrigians by phasing out rent control.

Dukach, whose brother is the youngest tenured Harvard professor, is happy with Harvard's role in the community.

Anthony D. Galluccio wants to take care of working people's needs.