By Himaja Nagireddy, June 29, 2021
Hi Everyone!!! We did it!! At 8:45pm we received the news that we won the election 60.5% to 38.5% with a vote margin of 429 votes and turnout was 1950!
This is incredible news to deliver, and this is incredible news to hear. Every single one of us went above and beyond to contribute to this campaign, because we believed, and continue to believe, in the need for positive change in this town. We are all here because we recognize that our town government continues to prioritize and center the voices of some over others. We all see the potential for a new future in Acton, one that is inclusive, safe, and welcome to everyone. That is why we are here. And that is why this moment means so much to us.
This moment is symbolic. This moment shows us that there is always light, and there is always hope. And this is only the beginning. We have so much we need to do to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and policy in our town. We need to get working, right now, on the water issues that have affected every single resident living here. We have ways to go to ensure more transparency in our planning practices. There is so much that needs to be done, and I am here to work hard to see it gets done. I am committed. And I am here to listen and learn along the way from each and every one of you.
I feel so much love and warmth from your support. It uplifts me. And I hope you take with you, tonight, a similar feeling. Here’s to continuing to do the good work.
Before I end, I want to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to my incredible campaign team. Linda Piano, Monica Scalpato Burke, and Ben Stern, thank you for being the best campaign managers I could have ever hoped for. Clare Seaton, Stella Ko, Debra O’Connell Brunelle, and Vivian Tseng, thank you so much for being my wordsmiths, my social media gurus, and for your words of affirmation when I needed them the most. Russell Hart, my trusty treasurer, thank you for being there for me, through thick and thin, and for your honesty and genuinely throughout this learning process together. Margot Law, our queen of signs, I cannot thank you enough for your tireless efforts in helping people support our campaign. To Alissa Nicol, Lakshmi Kaja, David D. Martin, Miriam Lezak, Ann, Deepika, David Edward. and Arianna, thank you for putting together meet and greets as a way for us to receive the feedback we needed to inform our platform priorities. To mom, dad, my sister and brother, thank you for being willing to take this journey with me. And I want to close with a humongous thank you to everyone here. Your support has meant more than I can say. Throughout this campaign, I have been vocal about not feeling like I truly belonged in the community growing up in Acton. Today, I have never felt more loved and welcomed. And that is the greatest blessing of all.
Thank you.