About
Early Lessons in community
My parents raised me to believe helping others is something we do without expecting anything in return. Being in service to others was not only a catholic value but a cultural one.
In first grade I noticed one of my classmates wasn’t eating lunch so I started sharing mine. I told my mom I needed an extra sandwich and why. She went to the other moms in the PTA and they developed a free lunch program at our school. This is how I learned early that you can solve problems by organizing.
In middle school, the dress code policy said in the warmer months boys were allowed to wear shorts but girls could not because we could wear dresses. I organized classmates who thought the policy was unfair and we started a petition to change the policy. We tried to meet with the principal but she refused. The next day at lunch I talked several of my classmates to stage a sit in. We refused to go to class until the principal met with us. They called my mom into school. I got detention and grounded but I did get my meeting with the principal.
When other classmates were going to camp I was volunteering at the Intercultural Service Center learning office skills and helping translate for folks who needed help filling out immigration forms While my friends were getting up early to take day trips to the lake I was getting up early to drive out to the farms on the outskirts of town to teach English and reading to migrant farmer’s children in a hot one room schoolhouse.
A Helper at Heart
These childhood experiences became the foundation of my values and sparked a lifetime of organizing with, advocating for, and providing care for my community.
As we all do when we enter adulthood, the ways I served my community changed but whenever my family – whether by birth or by choice – needed help I was always there.
As a young adult, seeing the compassion of medical professionals caring for the friends and family I lost during the AIDS crisis inspired me to pursue a career in healthcare. Working in healthcare allowed me to support, educate, and guide patients as they navigated our complicated healthcare system — and I loved being part of that effort, making sure people didn’t fall through the cracks.
But working in healthcare at a time when the industry was becoming more and more corporatized was tough. For years, I fought every day to support patients with compassionate care — while HMO executives were looking for ways to turn a bigger profit off people’s illnesses
In 2015, my mother-in-law was given a life changing diagnosis and needed full time support and care. My husband and I were facing the challenge of working while caring for an aging parent who needed help navigating her diagnosis. I had the experience and skills so I left my job to help her during this final stage of her life.
I was still trying to sort out her belongings and my grief when the 2016 elections occurred. My worst fears were realized in the wee hours of Nov 9th as our country elected someone who said repeatedly that my family and I were murderers, rapists and thieves. I didn’t know if I belonged or if I was welcome in my country anymore.
The Power of Organizing
A few weeks after the 2017 inauguration, I found an online document called the Indivisible project and was reminded of the power that each of us have to influence change in our communities and government. It was a snowy Sunday afternoon when I went to my first Indivisible meeting; I walked into the library community room packed with 100 people, and realized I wasn’t alone. Ten minutes into the meeting I was leading a group around immigration. Within months, I co-founded a local chapter of the Indivisible network in the district. We conducted training sessions to teach others how to get organized and we lobbied local and state level government officials on a wide range of issues.
As my work with Indivisible expanded, I took on additional responsibility as a trainer and eventually worked with national Indivisible staff to develop their course work. At the same time, I deepened my work in Malden leading volunteer efforts with existing organizations like Malden CORE as well as expanding my advocacy statewide through organizing efforts on statewide issues with Progressive Massachusetts, first as a chapter lead and then as President of the statewide organization.
A RECORD OF SERVICE TO OUR NEIGHBORS
When the pandemic hit like most folks I felt uneasy, concerned for myself and my family. My elderly father was alone thousands of miles away and there was little I could do beyond phone calls & video chats to see how he was doing. I wondered about my neighbors who were elderly, alone and needed help. I connected with like-minded neighbors and community members, who wanted to do something. We organized Malden Neighbors Helping Neighbors to make sure no one was forgotten about. Partnering with Mass Senior Action we reached out to our elders offering to pick up groceries, drop off a meal and pick up prescriptions. This let people remain safe in their homes. In less than 2 weeks of operating we were flooded with hundreds of requests for help as well as a flood of volunteers wanting to help.
We made sure that everyone had access to the resources they needed whether it was navigating unemployment benefits or applying to Emergency Rental assistance programs. I used my established relationships in government to take the lead building those connections with both the city and state officials. This was critical to our success. When we couldn’t figure out how to solve a problem, I knew who to call to escalate the urgency in the bureaucratic maze. I also reported to our city council the concerns and needs of our neighbors with candor and concern that only someone seeing the front line issues could address. Our most frequent requests were protecting housing and food insecurity during the pandemic.
When the American Rescue Plan money came to Malden I was invited by the city to represent our community on a subcommittee to help distribute the funds. I am proud that our work created the City of Malden Office of Housing Stability in partnership with a local non profit, Housing Families. In the last year we have helped over 1,800 families continue to call Malden their home.
Ready to Lead
Over the last eight years, I’ve helped pass legislation including the ROE Act that protects and expanded reproductive rights in Massachusetts, advocated for immigrants who were in ICE custody, organized The 2018 Women’s March, mentored youth for the March For Our Lives. and I’ve helped candidates get into elected office both locally and statewide. In 2023 I was proud that my work was acknowledged when I was awarded both the Malden Democrat of the Year and Zonta’s 2023 – Women Making A Difference.
Through the years I’ve built trust and relationships with legislators as well as other statewide issue advocacy organizations. I see the path to real change for our district. We need new voices at the statehouse, we need representation that not only reflects our diverse community but our values. I am taking my lifetime of experience, my commitment to helping others and my understanding of the legislative process to represent the demands/needs of the people of Malden and Medford on Beacon Hill! It’s time for us to move forward and I am ready – so let’s GO!!!
