Why I'm Voting for Councilor Kendra Lara (and movie on Saturday)
Matt Shuman
Dear fans of Wenham Street Cinema,
While we are screening Drop Dead Gorgeous this Saturday, September 12th, I'm writing today to invite you to join me in voting for Councilor Kendra Lara on Tuesday, September 12th. 🗳
I’m supporting Councilor Lara because, despite her recent car accident, I know her to be a powerfully effective advocate for all residents of district six. Please read the letter below (that I wrote with some friends) for an explanation of why I’m voting for her and feel free to forward this email to other district six voters. If you prefer a visual version, I made one for Instagram that you can see here.
Lastly, I recognize this is a complex issue, so I just want to reiterate my respect for others who see this race differently.
In the spirit of democratic dialog and neighborliness 🙂
Matt
Why we are Voting for Councilor Lara
Dear friends, neighbors, and fellow district six residents,
As you likely know, the primary election for our city council representative is on Tuesday, September 12th. We’re writing to share with you why we are supporting Councilor Kendra Lara and ask you to join us in doing so.
Obviously, there has been a lot in the news about Councilor Lara’s car crash and the fact that she did not have a valid driver’s license. We understand and share the concerns around this. We also appreciate her apology and the steps she’s taken to acquire a valid license moving forward, a process she had begun prior to the crash.
Despite her mistakes, we still strongly believe she is much better positioned to represent the interests of our district than either of her opponents.
We are supporting Councilor Lara’s reelection to city council for six reasons:
Councilor Lara’s priorities are our priorities: affordable housing, climate justice, youth development, smart and multimodal transit, standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, and improving our schools. These priorities are consistently reflected in Councilor Lara’s advocacy and voting record.
Councilor Lara centers those who are most impacted. For far too long in Boston, decisions have been made by those with power and privilege, instead of asking and following those who are most impacted by those decisions. Councilor Lara is working to create a more inclusive and equitable city. When residents of her district speak up for what they need, she is a fierce advocate for them.
Councilor Lara has a sophisticated analysis of our city’s current challenges and strengths, how change is made at the municipal level, how power works in city government, and why she wants to be a city councilor.
Councilor Lara is a product of district six. She is deeply enmeshed in the organizations, institutions, and fabric of our community. Her life and perspectives have been shaped by, amongst other influences, Spontaneous Celebrations, Hyde Square Task Force, English High School, City Life/Vida Urbana, and Beantown Society.
Councilor Lara’s lived experience gives her a perspective that powerfully informs her work on the council, her priorities, and her vision for the city. The loss of her perspective on the council would damage Boston's ability to meet challenges head on.
Councilor Lara’s accomplishments show that she is an effective, passionate, smart, powerful, and principled advocate for all members of our district. During her tenure, Councilor Lara has secured $94 million in new investments, including $22 million for a new state-of-the art library in Egleston Square and $6 million for funding youth jobs, a 63% increase*.
Furthermore, she has collaborated with the administration to strengthen the inclusionary development policy to increase affordable housing requirements for new developments, changed policy so that all city departments include an option for a chosen name for trans citizens, and increased funding in the Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement for critical policy work.
Lastly, when the Orange Line was out of service last year, she hit the ground flyering. Councilor Lara spread the word about alternatives and compiled clear resources for residents in her Orange Line Guide which was celebrated by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Senator Ed Markey.
Councilor Lara understands that D6 residents might have questions for her and she wants to answer them. If you’re considering voting for Councilor Lara but want to connect with her first, please reach out to her at ken...@abiggerwe.com or sign up to talk with her in person here.
Lastly, here are some resources and information you might find helpful:
If you’re already on #TeamKendra, you can sign up to knock on doors here, donate here, and get a yard sign here.
If you’re still on the fence and want to read more, check out her campaign website which explains her background and values, this Boston Globe op-ed supporting her candidacy, and her office’s 2022 Year in Review.
The deadline to register to vote in the primary is this Saturday, September 2.
You can find your polling place here to vote in-person on election day, Tuesday, 9/12, or sign up to vote by mail here (deadline is Tuesday, September 5th). Also, you can register in person at City Hall or online here.
Thank you for your consideration and please feel free to reach out to any one of us or Councilor Lara if you’d like to discuss this important decision for our district and our city.
Sincerely,
Chris Antonowich, Peter Parley Road, JP
Heather Perez Arroyo, Wachusett Street, JP
Andrea Atkinson, Peter Parley Road, JP
Alex Auriema, Burroughs Street, JP
Chris Barcelos, Forest Hills, JP
Mary Battenfeld, Chestnut Terrence, JP
Sefira Bell-Masterson, Gordon Street, JP
Hendrix Berry, Chestnut Street, JP
María Christina Blanco, Cornwall Street, JP
Stephanie Bode Ward, Holbrook Street, JP
Brenna Boehman, Southbourne Road, JP
Julie Boss, McBride Street, JP
Sarah Dylan Breuer, Keith Street, West Roxbury
Elana Brochin, Hyde Park Ave, JP
Kathy Brown, View South Road, JP
Carla-Lisa Caliga, Burnett Street, JP
Anne Callahan, Revere Street, JP
Amy Cantor, Wenham Street. JP
Roberto Chao, JP
Rebecca Chapman, Burroughs Street, JP
Ava Cheloff, Saint Peter Street, JP
Harneen Chernow, Chestnut Square, JP
Tina Cincotti, Wachusett Street, JP
Josh Raisler Cohn, Saint Rose Street, JP
Ziba Cranmer, Halifax Street, JP
Anna-Maria D'Cruz, Plainfield Street, JP
Nadav David, Hampstead Road, JP
Viktor Detwiler, Walk Hill Street, JP
Adam Driscoll, Green Street, JP
Nathan Eckstrom, Patten Street, JP
Enid Eckstein, Boynton Street, JP
Pat Feeley, Paul Gore Street, JP
Michael Felsen, Saint Rose Street, JP
Eric Fishman, Halifax Street JP
Bruce Fleischer, Bynner Street JP
Lyn Freundlich, Edge Hill Street, JP
Lee Goldstein, Elm Street, JP
Tolle Graham, St. Rose Street, JP
Sam Greenblatt, Arborway, JP
Hope Haff, Pershing Road, JP
Joan Halpert, Maxfield Street, West Roxbury
Peter Hanson, Maxfield Street, West Roxbury
Edward Henry, Anson St, JP
Miles Howard, Eliot Street, JP
Josh Hoxie, Wachusett Street, JP
Beyazmin Jiménez, Washington Street, JP
Louise Johnson, Malcolm Road, JP
Nishtha Jolly, South Huntington Street, JP
Martha Karchere, Park Lane
Deborah Karons, Westchester Road, JP
Anne Kaufman, John A. Andrew Street, JP
Bashier Kayou, Jamaica Street, JP
Kalamu Kieta, JP
Jen Kiok, Saint Rose Street, JP
Mary Ann Kopydlowski, Child Street, JP
Sahra Kuper, Boynton Street, JP
Simona G. Lang, Woodlawn Street, JP
Nancy Lessin, Park Lane, JP
Jess Liborio, St Rose Street, JP
Julia MacMahon, Hyde Park Ave
Krista Magnuson, Wyman Street, JP
Helen Matthews, Brookside Ave, JP
Benji Mauer, Brookside Ave, JP
Grace McCabe, Burr Street, JP
Brian McCaffrey, Spring Park Avenue, JP
My’Kel McMillen, Heath Street, JP
Chris Mesinger, Saint Rose Street, JP
Susan Moir, Chestnut Square, JP
Karry Muzzey, Woodlawn Street, JP
Sarah O’Connor, Cranston Street, JP
Joanna Olivetti, Saint Rose Street, JP
Eliza Parad, Moss Hill Road, JP
Christy Pardew, Saint Rose Street, JP
Luis Prado, Park Lane
Nora Paul-Schultz, Lourdes Ave, JP
Riva Pearson, Rossmore Road, JP
Elise Pechter, Chestnut Ave, JP
Daniela Petuchowski, Weld Hill Street, JP
Purple Reign (Joanne Paul), Amory Avenue
Adam Roberts, Wachusett Street, JP
Nina Robinson, Bolster Street, JP
Bonnie Rovics, Dalrymple Street, JP
Rabbi Margie Klein Ronkin, Pershing Road, JP
Richard Monks, Boynton Street, JP
Alyssa Rubin, Moraine Street, JP
John Salsberg, Pond Street, JP
Ken Sazama, Eastland Road, JP
Joanne Sewell, Washington Street, West Roxbury
Matt Shuman, Wenham Street, JP
Meira Soloff, Weld Hill Street, JP
Danielle Sommer, JP
Alley Stoughton, Custer Street, JP
David Schwartz, Ashcroft Street, JP
Leroy Stoddard, Lamartine Street,, JP
Lisa Thomson, Forest Hills Street, JP
Nellie Ward, Oakdale Street, JP
Eric D. Van De Wark, South Huntington Street, JP
Karen Wheeler, Child Street, JP
Louisa Winchell, Day Street, JP
Danielle West, Ballard Street, JP
Megan Wolf, Maple Place, Jamaica Plain
Ellen Wolpert, Atherton Street
If you’d like to add your name to this letter, please email matt....@gmail.com with your name and the street you live on.
* These numbers are pulled from Councilor Lara’s 2022 Year in Review document.
