(As part of our continued efforts to bring you the most comprehensive local election coverage around, we invited each of the candidates vying for the Democratic Party nomination in the 16th, 17th and 18th Middlesex Districts to submit their “closing statement” as the campaign winds down. Below is the statement submitted, in its entirety, by the candidate)

Lorena Betts (16th Middlesex District)

Change happens when people come together, when someone creates the space for them to be heard, when relationships become coalitions, and when those coalitions become powerful enough to move institutions.

That is the work I have been doing for years. It is the work I will bring to Beacon Hill.

Before I ever ran for office, I worked inside the State House as a legislative aide. I filed legislation, worked with advocates for funding, and, most importantly, helped constituents navigate government and get results. I worked with state agencies to resolve issues involving unemployment, healthcare, housing, and other essential services. When people came to our office because they were stuck, I worked to find the right person, make the calls, follow up and help move their case forward. I used the tools of government to deliver for the people who need help.

That experience matters because I am going to Beacon Hill ready to work.

Knowing how the State House works is only part of the job. The other part is knowing how to build the public support necessary to make change happen.

I co-founded the Peacemakers Network to create spaces for people to come together around immigrant justice, human rights, and policy advocacy. I helped revitalize my local Democratic Town Committee to strengthen civic engagement. I helped build Chelmsford Connected, bringing people together across communities to defend democracy and make sure grassroots voices have a place in our political process.

I have organized around immigrant rights, workers’ rights, reproductive freedom, constitutional rights, and democracy. I have brought people together with educators, legal experts, advocates, and community leaders so people can understand the issues affecting their lives and have the tools to take action.

I know how to take an issue that matters to the community, bring the right people into the room, build a coalition, and turn that coalition into action. That is exactly how I will approach the legislature.

My support from labor organizations, including 1199 SEIU, UAW Region 9A, SEIU 32BJ, and the Working Families Party (Full list: https://lorenabetts.com/endorsements), reflects the kind of coalition I intend to bring with me to Beacon Hill: working people and the organizations fighting every day for their rights. Together we will fight for labor laws to be strengthened and enforced.

My support from reproductive rights advocates reflects my commitment to protecting reproductive freedom and ensuring that Massachusetts remains a place where people can make their own healthcare decisions without government interference.

And my commitment to transparency means I will not ask constituents to simply trust their government. I will work to make government more open, accountable, and responsive to the people it serves.

I will push for greater transparency in how public money is spent and for stronger oversight of state government. I will work with organizations such as Act on Mass, the leading organization on transparency and accountability, which has endorsed our campaign. I will make sure constituents can get answers from my office, and I will bring their concerns directly into the legislative process through town halls, community conversations, and accessible constituent services.

I will also bring that accountability to the way the Commonwealth invests in our communities.

If Massachusetts requires communities to create more housing, the state needs to help pay for the infrastructure that makes that growth possible. Roads, water and sewer systems, schools, transportation, and other essential infrastructure cannot be treated as an afterthought.

I will fight to make sure state mandates come with the resources communities need to meet them.

Massachusetts should not continue putting more pressure on families who are struggling to afford housing, energy, healthcare, and groceries. Since working families are already stretched too thin, I will fight for a tax system that ensures large corporations contribute their fair share.

That will enable investing in the things that make our communities stronger: affordable housing, accessible healthcare, strong public schools, clean energy that actually lowers costs, reliable transportation, modern infrastructure, and good-paying jobs.

I will bring the people who have been left out of the political process. I will bring the experience I gained working inside the State House. I will bring the organizing experience I have built in our communities. I will bring strong relationships with labor and advocates. And I will bring the determination to turn all of that into results.

On September 1st, I am asking for your vote.

Your Voice Matters.

www.lorenabetts.com
FB: @LorenaBettsforStateRep
IG: @LorenaBettsforStateRep