I wholeheartedly support Lindsi Sekula for mayor of Easthampton. I have lived in Easthampton both as a renter and homeowner for many years. The transformation of our city has been remarkable, but not without challenges, similar to other growing and changing communities. Our once-empty streets are busy.
Lindsi Sekula was a single mother to two children and lived in subsidized housing. She knows firsthand how it feels to not have enough of what someone needs to raise their children comfortably and has battled the systems in place that were meant to keep her stuck there. She knows what it is like to be discounted, falsely characterized, and looked at as lesser than she is. And yet, she has persisted. To me, the journeys of Lindsi Sekula and of Easthampton are strikingly parallel and are models of grit and resilience.
Her campaign has been a snapshot representation of this journey. I have spent time with her in several settings, including at the LGBTQIA Chamber of Commerce gathering and have come to understand her deep grasp of what Easthampton requires to remain on this trajectory, while still attending to the fears and needs of all residents. She holds the role of mayor and the people of Easthampton in the highest esteem.
For years, Lindsi has worked tirelessly in the shadows of others. Her work has never been that of ceremony. It has been tending to the inner mechanisms of a growing community and doing what she promises to do. Now is her time (and ours!). Please give her your vote on Nov. 4. She has earned it.
Alice Barber
Easthampton