I’ve known Laurie Loisel for a long time and am so excited that she is running to represent Ward 3 on the City Council.
Laurie has always carried deeply for people. She has fought for people’s rights whether in protest (marches, writing letters … ), or with direct support (housing and caring for an undocumented immigrant while president at the UU, delivering meals to those who need them, volunteering at MANNA). The list is long. I’ve only scratched the surface.
Her intelligence is deep and her curiosity vast. She listens fully to all sides of an issue before deciding where she lands and is not afraid to ask hard questions though she will do so with respect and care.
It is almost (but not quite) amusing when people try to paint her as someone who grew up privileged. This is untrue. Laurie grew up in rural Maine in a family that frequently struggled to make ends meet. She put herself through college while working as a nanny. In Northampton she worked for 29 years at the Daily Hampshire Gazette then 10 years at the DA’s office. She has known more than her fair share of hardship. Yet, she stays connected to what is most important to her and the city of Northampton is high on that list.
As a reporter and editor at the Gazette, Laurie covered all the beats and as a result knows how the city of Northampton operates. She has attended countless City Council meetings and asked countless questions about how and why things work the way they do. She is, by her own admission, a local politic geek!
We are fortunate that when she could dial it down after a well-earned retirement, her first impulse is to be of service to the city she loves. She’s a well-known, valued and respected member of our community who will always listen with care, evaluate with intelligence, and communicate with respect. These are qualities I value in a city councilor and I hope you’ll join me in voting for Laurie Loisel as our next Ward 3 city councilor.
Dora Lewis
Northampton