Progressives recognize that combating social inequality requires public policies explicitly addressing institutionalized racism. We are Latinxs with many combined years of activism in affordable housing, education, immigration, environmentalism, health care, and racial justice. Proud of our Black and Indigenous roots, we work to fight racism, homophobia, and other ills in our own culture and to amplify the voices of marginalized people—including women of color, who have proven to be our country’s most progressive voters. It’s imperative that we support candidates who won’t compromise on the moral principles grounding our activism and platform, including:
- Criminal justice reform: JP’s current State Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez opposes independent review boards for police shootings. We need a representative who will advocate for these boards, which curb police misconduct, hold police accountable for racially biased violence against brown and black people, and prevent future injustices. This is especially critical because while we are the majority in Boston, two-thirds of our police department—and more than 80% of its superior officers—are white. We must put the power of community into community policing.
Additionally, Rep. Sánchez is against eliminating mandatory minimums, despite no evidence that they reduce drug crimes or improve public safety and studies showing extreme racial bias in their implementation. In MA, Latinxs and Blacks (not mutually exclusive categories) are 25% of the population, but 75% of people serving mandatory minimum drug sentences and 40% of people incarcerated on drug offenses. Sánchez was the only member of the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus who didn’t sign its letter to eliminate the three strikes bill.
- Immigrant protections: As House Ways and Means Chair and the most powerful Latino in our legislature, Rep. Sánchez didn’t exercise his leadership to pass basic protections for undocumented immigrants, which means that local police can and do act as immigration agents. ICE is deporting people from—and separating families in—Massachusetts. It’s unacceptable that we cannot count on our representative to be a voice for some of the most powerless, hardworking people in our community.
- Environmental protections: Rep. Sánchez opposes charging companies a carbon emissions fee, which would reduce the effects of carbon dioxide pollution on our environment and health. We need such policies to reduce the pollution causing disproportionately high asthma rates among low-income Latinx and Black children and fueling the climate change ravaging Puerto Rico and the Latin American countries where many of us have roots and family.
Rep. Sanchez’s opponent, Nika Elugardo, champions these policies and is an experienced advocate for underserved communities. She’s a leader of integrity, unafraid to challenge anyone—including members of her own party—to push our state to lead on progressive values. Our rights are under assault daily; we need a representative who will convert our community’s progressive ideals into actions. This is not the time to play to the center or accept politics as usual. Nika is the revolutionary candidate equal to the times we live in—vote for her on September 4!
¡El cambio es necesario!
Betsaida Gutiérrez. Puerto Rican
Norma Rey-Alicea. Paraguayan-Colombian
Rosalba Solis. Mexicana
Kendra Rosalie Hicks. Dominican
Carlos Rios. Nicaraguan-American
María Christina Blanco. Bolivian-American
Martha Rodríguez. Venezuelan
Edwin Rey Melenciano. Dominican
Liza Cagua-Koo. Colombian