Thank You, Chelsea
To the Editor
Dear Chelsea, It has and continues to be one of the many honors of my life to serve you as a City Councilor At-Large. For those that have witnessed my time in elected office, you’ve seen my commitment to this city. Whether it’s standing up to developers or state agencies, there is no limit to how far I’ll go to ensure Chelsea residents are respected and well-represented. At the height of the pandemic, when I looked out my window and saw families waiting hours for a box of food, I was pushed into a call to action.
For hungry and housing-insecure families to exist in the richest country in the world tells me that our priorities at a state and federal level are upside down. Fueled by my passion for justice, I chose to run and challenge our current State Representative for the seat he held. In the past three months while on the campaign trail, we’ve spoken, we’ve built, and we’ve come to know each other differently than we had in previous elections.
As someone who promotes civic engagement, I was extremely proud to see how many more people came out to vote. Though I wasn’t able to secure a seat at the State House, I am so proud of the massive number of people in our community that went to the voting polls to make sure their voice was heard. Last Tuesday’s elections brought more people in Chelsea out to vote in a State Rep race than any other race in the past 12 years. While at the polls we saw the pride from folks as they cast their vote for the first time for a local candidate. We also saw a huge number of young people come out in record numbers to vote.
Due to COVID-19, our campaign made a decision not to go door-to-door to meet with voters. Though, we recognize the difficulty in reaching potential voters without this form of contact, it was a decision I made to ensure the public safety of all. As much as it would be my honor to represent my hometown at the State House, it would hold less value if it meant risking the health of my supporters or any of our residents. Nonetheless, Chelsea sent a message loud and clear about the leadership we want and the representation we deserve.
I was proud to have received the most votes in our municipal elections in November 2019 and do not take the votes of confidence in my leadership from this past November and Primary Day lightly. Thank you everyone who came out and donated time, treasure, or talent to my campaign for State Rep.
We started a movement that transcended beyond our city lines and that cannot be contained by the results of an election. In these uncertain times, it’s important we stay in touch to continue to build on our shared values. If you’d like to stay connected, please sign up for my newsletter at www.VoteDamali.org to remain abreast of local initiatives and continue to grow this movement.
Damali Vidot