Bernie 2020
March 2, 2020

NEWS: Grasstop Support for Sanders in Bay State Grows as Grassroots Team Knocks More than 111,000 Doors Over Weekend

BOSTON — Before Bay Staters cast their votes in Tuesday’s primary, fourteen additional leaders across Massachusetts announced their support for Sen. Sanders. The announcement comes at the close of a massive Get Out the Vote weekend of action in Massachusetts, during which field organizers and volunteers knocked more than 111,600 doors.

“Bernie’s people-powered movement in Massachusetts is in full force, from the grassroots to the grasstops,” said Northeast Director Shannon Jackson. “We are proud to have the support of so many local leaders and elected officials in Massachusetts, as well as thousands of active volunteers doing all they can to get out the vote for tomorrow’s primary.”

The Bay State leaders announcing their endorsement of Sen. Sanders today include:
State Representative Peter Capano -- Lynn, MA (11th Essex District)
Council Vice President Jason M. LaForest -- North Adams, MA
Councilor Victor G. Dávila -- Springfield, MA  (Ward 6)
Councilor J.T. Scott -- Somerville, MA (Ward 2)
Councilor Tony Palomba -- Watertown, MA (At-Large)
Selectman & Democratic State Committee Member-Elect Dylan S. Clark -- Barre, MA
Former Councilor Tito Jackson -- Boston, MA (District 7)
Former Selectman James Whalen -- Wales, MA
Former School Committee Member Maria Carrasco -- Lynn, MA
Chair of the Mendon Democratic Town Committee Tom Merolli -- Mendon, MA 
Environmental Leader Craig S. Altemose -- Somerville, MA
Community Activist & Former Wall Street Regulator Ihssane Leckey -- Brookline, MA
Community Activist Mohammed Missouri -- Salem, MA
President of North American Indian Center of Boston Jean-Luc Pierite -- Jamaica Plain, MA
 

State Representative Peter Capano -- Lynn, MA (11th Essex District)

State Representative Peter Capano serves the 11th Essex District, which includes West Lynn and Nahant. Prior to being elected as a State Representative, he served as Lynn Ward 6 City Councilor for 13 years and was President of IUE CWA Local 201 representing GE and four other locations. He also served on the Lynn Water & Sewer Commission from 2014-2018 and was a Vice President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO from 2014 to 2018. Capano is a delegate to the North Shore Labor Council, a founder of Stop the Violence Lynn, and on the Advisory Board of the Lynn Community Enrichment Program.

"I am endorsing Senator Bernie Sanders for President because he gives me hope that we can restore the American Dream for working people and build an economy that works for everyone, not just for the wealthy and well-connected. For far too long, working families have faced out-of-control medical and prescription drugs costs. People are working two and three jobs while still struggling to make ends meet. Bernie Sanders is the only candidate that has put forth plans that will solve these issues and address the challenges facing working people today. He has brought together a diverse coalition of people of different ages, races, faiths, and ethnic backgrounds. This is the kind of movement we need to restore equity, fairness, and justice to everyday people across the country."
 

Council Vice President Jason M. LaForest -- North Adams, MA

Jason M. LaForest is a father, nurse, environmental advocate, and public servant. He is the North Adams Council Vice President, Vice President of the Massachusetts Municipal Councillors Association, Chair of the North Adams Democratic City Committee, and Executive Director of Hoosic River Revival. He continues to work per diem as a nurse on a weekly basis and is active in many local civic organizations.

“Senator Sanders continues to fight for the democratic American values that are important to me and that will provide an equitable economy for my children and their children to come. As a father, nurse, environmental advocate, and public servant, I know President Sanders will make the American Dream the standard for all Americans, like providing access to healthcare, free public college and making sure that wealthy individuals and corporations pay their fair share.”
 

Councilor Victor G. Dávila -- Springfield, MA  (Ward 6)

Councilor Victor Dávila is a small business owner, a certified Paramedic and President of the Forest Park Civic Association. Dávila migrated from Puerto Rico. He is married to his wife, Sonia, and they have two dogs.

"Bernie Sanders is my guy. He will fight for you and me, and he will fight for the average person -- for those left out in an increasingly difficult system. Real wages in the U.S. have not increased in decades, we work more hours and yet have trouble making ends meet. Senator Sanders will increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and give us a fighting chance. The U.S. has the best health care technology in the world, yet, sadly not the best health care access. By implementing Medicare for All, we will have quality, accessible healthcare for all."
 

Councilor J.T. Scott -- Somerville, MA (Ward 2)

Councilor J.T. Scott first ran in 2017 to unseat a 15 year incumbent. As an activist, Scott fought for LGBTQI rights in the Commonwealth, fair wages and benefits for employees, the public right to healthcare, racial and economic justice and was proud to participate in Occupy Boston. As an elected official, Scott has dramatically increased civilian oversight of the police department, advanced housing justice by helping create the Somerville Community Land Trust and funding the creation of an Office of Housing Stability in the city. He has also authored and passed legislation creating equity in the legal adult-use marijuana industry, protecting tenant's rights, and expanding environmental protections.

"Bernie Sanders has shown that he is not only dedicated to fighting for the cause of justice in Congress, but that he is committed to building a movement at every level to address the injustices of wealth inequality. He is more than a candidate -- he is a dedicated partner in a multigenerational, multiracial, working class movement to enshrine both housing and healthcare as human rights. Senator Sanders' policy initiatives on wealth inequality, criminal justice reform, and the Green New Deal are transformational measures that can shape a nation that works for the 99 percent, and I trust him to fight alongside us to create the changes we need. Bernie has been here for us, and I'm here for him."
 

Councilor Tony Palomba -- Watertown, MA (At-Large)
 
Councilor Tony Palomba brings over 35 years of government experience and a lifetime of community service in Watertown. He has served on numerous Council subcommittees including Human Services, Public Works, Public Safety and Medical and Public Outreach. He has championed issues such as affordable housing, citizen participation, transportation, community engagement, and local responses to the climate crisis. His community service includes participation in the Task Force on Substance Use Disorder, Watertown Youth Coalition, Watertown Transportation Task Force and Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice, and the Environment.

"I enthusiastically support Senator Bernie Sanders to be the President of the United States. Throughout his political career, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to equality, justice, and service. I strongly support his plan -- in the spirit of FDR -- for a 21st Century Economic Bill of Rights that guarantees basic necessities of life, including housing, education, and healthcare, regardless of ‘income, race, religion, gender, country of origin, or sexual orientation.’ Most importantly, Bernie has built a campaign around inclusion and engagement. He is determined to broaden the Democratic Party by speaking to the needs and aspirations of the 99 percent and his message of “Not me. Us.’’ inspires so many to participate in the electoral process."
 

Selectman & Democratic State Committee Member-Elect Dylan S. Clark -- Barre, MA

Selectman & Democratic State Committee Member-Elect Dylan S. Clark represents the Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire & Middlesex District and is a Selectman of the town of Barre, MA. He has been a pharmacy technician, farmer, bartender, delivery driver, caretaker, and many other jobs over the years as a struggling member of the working class. He is a lifelong Bay Stater and proud member of SEIU 1199.

“The candidacy of Senator Sanders represents a unique and real opportunity to elect a president whose only special interest is the American people. For my entire life, the leaders of both parties have been aligned with the forces of big business and war-making, at the expense of the public good and the health of the planet. Senator Sanders could not be more different. Our multi-generational, multi-racial, working-class movement is dedicated to expanding and inspiring the electorate, which is how we'll not only end Trump's disastrous presidency, but also challenge the status quo that brought it about.”
 

Former Councilor Tito Jackson -- Boston, MA (District 7)

Former Councilor Tito Jackson served as District 7 Boston City Councilor where he represented Roxbury, Dorchester, South End and Fenway neighborhoods of Boston.  

"I am supporting Bernie Sanders because his vision brings together a diverse coalition of folks to move our whole country forward. We no longer have the false choice to only vote for incremental or marginal change. We have an opportunity to support a candidate who will transform and bring a political revolution to this country. Bernie was arrested for fighting for civil rights and has pushed for these issues his whole life. I believe that the issues Bernie Sanders has stood for throughout his life are more aligned with my morals and values than any other candidate."
 

Former Selectman James Whalen -- Wales, MA

Former Selectman James Whalen has 18 years of experience working in politics. He has worked with Republicans and Democrats, served as Planning and Zoning Commissioner in several municipalities and became a Town Selectman in May of 2016.

“Bernie embodies all that is great about this country. Bernie's consistency to policy goals, genuine desire to serve the public, and desire to see that people are taken care of is also why I got into politics.”
 

Former School Committee Member Maria Carrasco -- Lynn, MA

Former School Committee Member Maria Carrasco is the mother of 3 children  and the grandma of 6, who came to America searching for a better life for her family. She is supporting Bernie because he recognizes that education for all is the key for our children to become competitive in this society.

"As a mother and grandmother, I believe that education is the key for future generations. I support Bernie Sanders because he is fighting for free education for all."
 

Chair of the Mendon Democratic Town Committee Tom Merolli -- Mendon, MA 

Tom Merolli was the Democratic nominee for the Massachusetts State Senate's Worcester Norfolk District. He currently serves on Mendon's Zoning Board of Appeals, and chairs Mendon's Economic Development Committee and Democratic Town Committee.

"In a year when we have many great candidates running for president, Senator Sanders stands above the rest as the candidate who is truly building a movement. He has galvanized people from every corner of our society into a historic grassroots movement to stand up for the simple yet powerful idea that our nation and our world can be a better place. It is in my humble opinion that this positive vision for a better tomorrow is exactly what is needed to beat Donald Trump in November, and why I am proud to lend my support to Senator Sanders during this primary. Please vote on March 3rd for a better future!"
 

Environmental Leader Craig S. Altemose -- Somerville, MA

Craig S. Altemose is the founding Executive Director of 350 Mass Action and Better Future Project (BFP). He has been a prominent leader in the Massachusetts climate movement since leading students at universities across the Commonwealth to help pass the state's foundational climate law in 2008. In the years since, Altemose and his organizations have helped pass bold climate legislation, shut down dirty coal plants, block dangerous new gas pipeline proposals, forge deep and lasting partnerships between the climate movement and labor, economic justice, and racial justice movements, co-found critical coalitions, divest multiple universities from fossil fuel investments, and engage thousands of Massachusetts residents in the climate movement. Altemose holds a B.A. in International Relations from Eckerd College, an M.P.P. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

“I'm thrilled to endorse Bernie Sanders for President. Bernie has the most aggressive plans to take on the climate crisis of any candidate in this race, and uniquely understands the role that movements need to play in not just electing candidates, but also in holding politicians accountable for social change. He has rejected fossil fuel executive funding and stands proudly for bold ideas like the Green New Deal and Medicare For All. More than any other candidate in the race, Bernie embodies ‘Not Me. Us.’”
 

Community Activist & Former Wall Street Regulator Ihssane Leckey -- Brookline, MA

Ihssane Leckey is a community activist who is organizing across Massachusetts for Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, housing and immigration justice, and free universal childcare and pre-K through higher education. She came to the United States from Morocco as a 20-year old, worked subminimum wage jobs to put herself through community college, where she earned a Women in Math scholarship to Boston University, and became first in her family to graduate college. In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, when the greed of mega banks like Goldman Sachs deprived workers of their jobs, pensions, and homes, Leckey was disgusted to see our government bailout their CEOs instead of everyday Americans. To fight back, she joined the Federal Reserve and walked into the boardrooms of those Wall Street banks to stop them from ever gambling with our economy again.

"I am proud to endorse Bernie Sanders because he understands that the only way to undo decades of harmful policies is through a political revolution led by a multi-racial, multi-class, multi-generational movement. As a Muslim immigrant, my American Dream is to live in a just society where one job guarantees a living wage, and where clean water and air, housing, and healthcare are rights for all people. I'm honored to play my part in the movement built by Senator Sanders to put power back into the hands of the people."
 

Community Activist, Mohammed Missouri -- Salem, MA

Mohammed Missouri is a political strategist with several years of experience in Massachusetts politics working to build power on the Left. He is the Executive Director of Jetpac, a non-profit dedicated to increasing representation of American Muslims in politics and government. Before joining Jetpac, Mohammed worked as Communications Director and Senior Policy Advisor for Senator Jamie Eldridge, a progressive leader in Massachusetts politics, and current Massachusetts co-chair for Bernie Sanders.

"It's deeply meaningful for me as a former refugee that Bernie's foreign policy vision centers ending violent conflict and displacement. I'm moved that Senator Sanders is actively including Muslims in his campaign, in its leadership and in grassroots efforts, because it's inspiring many to organize voter outreach and vote for the first time. I'm thrilled to endorse Bernie Sanders for President, and to be a part of a movement that is built on love and inclusivity and works to create a society where a high quality of life is a right for all of us."
 
 
President of North American Indian Center of Boston Jean-Luc Pierite -- Jamaica Plain, MA

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jean-Luc Pierite is a member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. Jean-Luc currently serves as the President of the Board of North American Indian Center of Boston (NAICOB). NAICOB has provided cultural, social, educational, and professional related services to the New England Native American community for 50 years.

"Supporting Bernie Sanders for President, here in traditional Massachusett territory, means that we build a broader coalition for the Massachusetts Indigenous Legislative Agenda. Here’s a radical idea: it's long past time for the United States to honor the treaties it has made with Indigenous nations."
 

Organizations listed for identification purposes, and do not imply institutional endorsement.
 

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Bernie 2020
February 24, 2020

NEWS: Bay State Elected Leaders Back Bernie Sanders for President

WASHINGTON — In the lead up to Super Tuesday, Sen. Sanders’ support in the Bay State continues to grow. On Monday, 18 current and former Massachusetts elected leaders announced their support for Sen. Sanders, bringing the Senator’s slate of elected official endorsements across the state to 24. The announcement comes on the heels of the Senator’s commanding victory in the Nevada caucus on Saturday, and follows recent polling in Massachusetts that shows Sen. Sanders leading a tight race just days out from the March 3 primary.
 
As the Senator’s support in the state grows, the Bernie 2020 Massachusetts team continues their grassroots Get out the Vote efforts. Over the weekend, Bernie 2020 knocked more than 50,000 doors. The weekend of action featured several national and local surrogates and included more than 60 active volunteer sites across the state.
 
“Our momentum in the Bay State only continues to grow,” said Bernie 2020 Massachusetts Political Director Trip Yang. “We are proud to have so many elected officials on board in Massachusetts as we head into Super Tuesday. This movement is not about one person, but about leaders and community members from across the country coming together around a real, progressive vision for our nation.”
 
Today’s slate of endorsements includes statewide and local progressive elected officials, as well as former Mayor of Cambridge Kenneth E. Reeves, who served as the first African American Mayor in Massachusetts and the nation’s first openly gay African American Mayor, and Former Cambridge City Councillor Nadeem Mazen who was the first Muslim elected to office in Massachusetts. In their endorsements, the elected officials cited Sen. Sanders’ bold positions on environmental, economic, social and racial justice, his universal health care agenda, and his consistency fighting for middle and working class families.
 
This slate follows other recent endorsements in the state from State Senator Paul Feeney, State Senator Jamie Eldridge, State Representative Paul Mark, State Representative Mike Connolly, State Representative Nika Elugardo, and State Representative Lindsay Sabadosa.
 
The current and former Massachusetts elected officials announcing their endorsement of Sen. Sanders today include:
State Representative Michael Moran (18th Suffolk)
Somerville City Council President Matt McLaughlin (Ward 1)
Springfield City Councilor At-Large Jesse Lederman
Somerville City Councilor At-Large Will Mbah
Somerville City Councilor At-Large Bill White
Chelsea City Councilor At-Large Damali Vidot
Cambridge City Councilor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler
Cambridge City Councilor Quinton Zondervan
Newton City Councilor Maria Scibelli Greenberg (Ward 1)
Newton City Councilor Bill Humphrey (Ward 5)
Somerville City Councilor Jesse Clingan (Ward 4)
Somerville City Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen (Ward 3)
Medford City Councilor Zac Bears
Attleboro City Councilor Ty Waterman
Somerville School Committee Member Sarah Phillips 
Former State Senator Kathleen O'Connor Ives (1st Essex District)
Former Cambridge Mayor and President of the Cambridge Branch of NAACP Kenneth E. Reeves
Former Cambridge City Councillor Nadeem Mazen

State Representative Michael Moran (18th Suffolk)

Over the past 15 years, Mike Moran has served as the State Representative for the 18th Suffolk District, representing the Allston Brighton neighborhood of Boston and Precinct 1 in the Town of Brookline. Moran is a champion of progressive causes. Among his first votes in the legislature were healthcare reform -- which became the model for Obamacare -- and for a constitutional amendment for universal health care. As the Chair of the Redistricting Committee, he drew the strongest majority-minority Congressional district in Massachusetts history and doubled the amount of majority-minority districts in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He was the lead sponsor for the Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights (DWBOR), which guarantees workplace standards, protections, and wages for nannies, caregivers, au pairs, and housekeepers.

“I endorsed Bernie in 2016 because he has an unwavering record of standing up and fighting for economic, social, racial, and environmental justice for all. A living wage, health care as a human right, protecting our immigrant neighbors and a Green New Deal are all issues that Bernie brought to the forefront of the national conversation. I will do everything in my power to get Bernie elected as our next president because he says what is in his heart and is the only candidate who can beat Donald Trump.”

Somerville City Council President Matt McLaughlin (Ward 1)

City Council President McLaughlin is a Somerville native, Iraq War Veteran, labor activist, youth advocate and affordable housing organizer serving Ward 1 in Somerville.

"As an Iraq War Veteran, I support Bernie because he is the only candidate I 100 percent trust to keep our troops out of unnecessary conflicts. As an American, I support Bernie for putting the needs of the people first."

Springfield City Councilor At-Large Jesse Lederman

Jesse Lederman is an At-Large member of the Springfield City Council. Elected in 2017, he is among the youngest City Councilors elected in the city’s history. Lederman has worked to make local government accessible through town hall meetings and by passing legislation to improve advertising of local elections. He chairs the first-ever Standing Committee on Sustainability and Environment, has worked to implement rapid response policies to the opioid epidemic while bringing attention to inequities in access to treatment and healthcare, and passed landmark legislation to ensure tax revenue from legalized cannabis sales is reinvested into neighborhoods and communities historically impacted by the war on drugs. Lederman is the Chairman of the Springfield Democratic Party, and a member of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee.

“As the Mayor of Burlington, Vermont, Bernie Sanders defied the odds to get elected and give a voice to the most vulnerable members of his community. As Congressman, and later as a Senator, he often stood alone in advocating for the poor and working class people of this great country, that we might have a chance at the American dream. Doing the right thing, alone, and under criticism, is the essence of leadership. Our nation and our future require that leadership now more than ever. I have every confidence that as President, Bernie Sanders will not waver in his commitment to put forth honest and just policies that advance and benefit communities like mine, who are too often left out of the conversation - just as he has done faithfully for the last 40 years.”

Somerville City Councilor At-Large Will Mbah

Originally from Cameroon, Councilor Mbah is fluent in French, English, Pidgin, Bameta, Meta and some basic Swedish. He received his undergraduate degree in Environmental Science in Cameroon, and earned his graduate degree in soil science from SLU, Uppsala, Sweden. He has appointments at MIT and the City of Somerville as an EHS technologist and Councilor, respectively.

"I’m endorsing Bernie Sanders for President because of the courage of his conviction to spend his whole life fighting for the real issues that affect working class people in this country. He has never been scared to take on the establishment when it was morally right to do so. Our country, more than ever, needs a bold leader like Bernie to tackle the issues of inequality by building the most diverse and inclusive grassroots political movement we have ever seen. He is the only candidate to challenge his supporters to ‘fight for that person you don’t know, as much as you are willing to fight for yourself.’ As an immigrant to the United States from Cameroon in 2010, it was inspiring to hear him challenge his supporters, “Are you willing to fight for frightened immigrant neighbors, even if you are native born?” I was personally inspired to run for public office because of Bernie’s 2016 candidacy, and I am proud to stand with him and the movement to build a more equitable country."

Somerville City Councilor At-Large Bill White

Councilor Bill White was born in Somerville and graduated from Somerville High School. He received his BA in Government and Economics from Harvard University and his law degree from Georgetown University. He has been a City Councilor At-Large for the last 22 years. During his service on the City Council, he served as President for five consecutive years and has been especially involved in promoting affordable housing, equity issues and community participation in development issues impacting the city of Somerville.

"I am supporting Bernie Sanders because he is a breath of fresh air in today's political world. You know where he stands, and he stands for what is best for all Americans and not just the select few."

Chelsea City Councilor At-Large Damali Vidot

Raised and educated in Chelsea Public Schools, Vidot is an activist who grew frustrated from the lack of response of local government and, with the support of the community, decided to run for office in 2015. In her short tenure, Damali has been an advocate for the most vulnerable residents by standing with workers, youth, and immigrant families in challenging the status quo on issues of housing, transit, immigration and government accountability to residents. She is a proud wife, a mother and serves as a community mom to many youth in Chelsea. She is the first and only woman to be elected unanimously by her peers to serve as President of the City Council for two consecutive terms in the history of Chelsea.

"Priding myself in leading with integrity and being driven by shared community values, I am honored to support the candidate who has been advocating for the concerns of my constituency for decades. With immense pride, I join the intergenerational, multi-racial, LGBTQ, working class, inter-faith revolution that is electing Bernie Sanders as President. His fierce advocacy has demonstrated time and time again his unwavering commitment to social justice and all of its intersections -- economic, racial, environmental, etcetera. There is no question that the grassroots organization of the Sanders campaign has inspired folks that have long been marginalized. Communities like Chelsea are in dire need of this leadership on a federal level. This ‘Puerto Rican Bernie Sis’ is excited to cast her vote for Bernie in March, and again in November."

Cambridge City Councilor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler

Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler is a City Councillor for Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is a renter, a democratic socialist, and an organizer for tenants' rights, climate justice, and equitable transit. He is the son of an immigrant and the grandson of Iowan farmers.

"I'm endorsing Bernie Sanders for President because he's the candidate who has shown the clearest understanding that change doesn't come from individuals, it comes from movements. We need a multiracial working-class movement to confront climate change with a Green New Deal, to end discrimination based on based on race, gender, and sexual orientation, and to create a future with democracy in the workplace and economy. Bernie Sanders understands the need for these movements in his bones and is always ready to join us in the fight for a better future.”

Cambridge City Councilor Quinton Zondervan

Quinton Zondervan is an entrepreneur, climate activist and second-term City Councillor in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Quinton came to the United States as an immigrant from Suriname, in South America, when he was 15 years old. After completing his bachelors at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, he moved to Cambridge to study at MIT. As an activist, Quinton got the city to adopt a net zero action plan to eliminate building emissions, and brought attention to the city’s declining tree canopy. On the Council, Quinton prioritizes affordable housing, tenant protections, racial equity, stronger tree protections, protected bike lanes and strong action on climate change.

“Bernie Sanders is the only candidate building the movement needed to address the climate crisis in the context of racial and economic inequality in our society. From his call for a national rent control standard to his bold vision for a Green New Deal, Senator Sanders acts in solidarity with the working class and people of color all over this country. For decades, he has taken on the establishment and powerful special interests with a remarkably consistent message of justice and democratic socialism. The broad appeal of that message, reaching people on the left across generations, is exactly what we need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020. That’s why I am proud to be a part of the political revolution and endorse Bernie for President!”

Newton City Councilor Maria Scibelli Greenberg (Ward 1)

Councilor Maria Scibelli Greenberg is proud to be serving her second term as Newton City Councilor for Ward 1. Her priorities have been constituent services, affordable housing and improving our city's parks. In her professional life, she is a full-time cardiac sonographer at Newton Wellesley Hospital.

“For decades Bernie has been an unwavering champion for economic and social equality. He has tirelessly and consistently fought for the middle class, the poor and racial equality. Bernie is an authentic voice that the American people can trust and believe in. Unlike our current President who is focused on himself and big money, Bernie Sanders is and has always been focused on US!”

Newton City Councilor Bill Humphrey (Ward 5)

Bill Humphrey is a Massachusetts native and a first-term progressive City Councilor active in Democratic Party politics, environmental activism, civil rights, housing, and labor issues. He grew up in a union household and traveled by train all over the United States every year as a kid, seeing a different side of many cities and states across the country. He believes that through solidarity and organization of all workers we will win.

"I supported Bernie Sanders for President in 2016 and I'm proud to support him again in 2020. I believe that this election is our last chance to make a big push to stop climate change, and I know that Bernie Sanders is the only candidate whose presidency could mobilize people on the scale needed to act. He is also the clear choice on issues of unions, housing, foreign policy, healthcare, and more."

Somerville City Councilor Jesse Clingan (Ward 4)

Jesse Clingan is a long time Somerville resident well known in the community for his many years of activism and volunteer work with a long list of community organizations. Clingan grew up in Somerville and attended Somerville public schools. He has seen first hand the incredible evolution of the city he calls home. As Councilor of Ward 4, Clingan is a voice for his community and will address the issue of responsive and accessible government, affordable and middle income housing and continue the fight against opiate abuse, among many issues.

“Bernie Sanders inspired me, a working class kid from Somerville, to run for office in 2017. His 40 years of unwavering commitment to social justice clearly sets him apart from most, if not all, politicians. I am proud to endorse Bernie Sanders for President.”

Somerville City Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen (Ward 3)

Ben Ewen-Campen was elected to the City Council in Somerville in 2017, alongside a wave of candidates who now form a progressive supermajority on the Council. Working in coalition with community activists and advocates, Ewen-Campen has helped to implement a bold, progressive agenda based on housing justice, development without displacement, environmental justice, and government transparency. Ewen-Campen has also been a leader on criminal justice reforms, including banning Facial Recognition Technology in Somerville and authoring the City’s first Surveillance Oversight Policy. He also works as a biologist at the Harvard Medical School.

“I am one of the many people across the country who was inspired to jump into local electoral politics for the first time by the movement that Bernie Sanders built. I believe that real change always comes from the bottom up, and Bernie’s campaign is all about building a multiracial, working-class movement to make healthcare a human right, to address our climate crisis, and to fix our affordable housing crisis in cities across the country. We will beat Trump in November, and we will make a government that works for the 99 percent – by bringing people like you and me off the sidelines and into the political process, from the bottom up.”

Medford City Councilor Zac Bears

Zac Bears is a Medford City Councilor, the Executive Director of the Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts (PHENOM), and the Secretary of the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance (MEJA). As a city council candidate, Bears campaigned on building a Medford for all, with a focus on fighting the housing crisis, holding big property developers accountable, and ensuring that working-class people can live in Medford. Bears fights for free public college and a fully-funded public higher education system as the director of PHENOM, and he was a key leader in MEJA's successful Fund Our Future campaign to invest $1.5 billion a year into PreK-12 public schools in Massachusetts.

"Senator Bernie Sanders is the only candidate running for president who can defeat Donald Trump and lead a grassroots movement of working people to transform our country so it works for all of us, not just the 1 percent and billionaires. Bernie will be the president we need and deserve."

Attleboro City Councilor Ty Waterman

Ty Waterman was elected to the Attleboro City Council in 2018. He's also the Social Worker at the Attleboro YMCA. Councilor Waterman supervised foster care in Boston for 19 years.

"I am a former Vermonter and Bernie represents my values on climate change, health care, taxes/income disparity, and foreign affairs. I'm excited to support Bernie Sanders for President of the United States!"

Somerville School Committee Member Sarah Phillips 

Sarah Phillips has spent over 20 years working to improve public education as an educator, social worker, and activist. Highlights from her work as a practitioner include: teaching English as a Second Language in the Oakland public schools, improving afterschool program quality with cities and counties across the country, and forcing the Chicago Transit Authority to expand subway service through three low-income communities of color. Since receiving a PhD in 2013, Phillips has researched the school and out-of-school contexts that promote healthy development. She is an expert in student engagement, school climate, and social and emotional learning. Phillips has lived in Somerville since 2009. She was a leader in Progress Together for Somerville Schools and, most recently, a member of the Argenziano School Improvement Council. She is married to Josh Rosenstock and the proud mother of three children. Phillips was elected to the School Committee in November 2019.

“I am endorsing Bernie Sanders because of his unwavering commitment to Medicare for All. I know how important universal healthcare is because I grew up with a sick mom. When I was five, my mom was diagnosed with melanoma. When I was 15, she had acoustic neuroma -- a benign brain tumor. When I was in my early 20s, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and the next year, ovarian cancer. As you might expect, my mom's medical bills were astronomical, and the health insurance companies kept raising my family's premiums because of her pre-existing conditions. If it were not for Wisconsin's high-risk insurance pool, my mom would have been completely uninsurable. Even in the pool, her premiums were sky high. I'm endorsing Bernie because I don't want anyone to be in my mom's situation again. Healthcare should be a human right, not a privilege of the rich and white.”

Former State Senator Kathleen O'Connor Ives (1st Essex District)

Kathleen O’Connor Ives served as State Senator for the First Essex District of Massachusetts for three terms, representing the Merrimack Valley communities of Amesbury, Haverhill, Merrimac, Methuen, Newburyport, North Andover, and Salisbury. Prior to being elected to the Massachusetts State Senate, she served on the Newburyport City Council as a Councillor at-Large for five years. O'Connor Ives has been active in many campaigns over the past twenty years, including working as the Deputy Northeast Political Director for Gore 2000. She earned her J.D. and Environmental Law Certificate from Pace Law School and graduated from Mount Holyoke College, with a concentration in Environmental Politics. She presently serves on the Advisory Board of The C-10 Research and Education Foundation, a nonprofit which monitors radiological emissions in the communities near Seabrook, NH Nuclear Power Station and advocates for upgraded safety of the plant.

“Bernie's authenticity and vision resonates because he sincerely cares about every American's future. He is prioritizing kitchen table issues that matter to the average person, like the escalating cost of every essential in American life: housing, education, health care, transportation, energy, food, childcare, and other essentials are increasingly unattainable. Bernie is the candidate for this moment in time because our next president needs to undo a great deal of damage that's been done. Bernie Sanders in the Oval Office means the current nightmare in our country will be replaced by a restoration of the American Dream. I'm happy to say that Bernie has my trust and my vote.”

Former Cambridge Mayor and President of the Cambridge Branch of NAACP Kenneth E. Reeves

Ken Reeves is a Cantabridgian who served as a Cambridge City Councilor for 24 years. He served three terms as Mayor of Cambridge. He most recently served as a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Visiting Scholar in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT. As Mayor of Cambridge, Reeves served as the first African American Mayor in Massachusetts and as the nation’s first openly gay African American Mayor. His terms as Mayor and Vice Mayor are characterized by their energy and innovation. Reeves, as an elected official, founded the W.E.B. DuBois Academy for adolescent males of African Descent, the Cambridge Men of Color Health Task Force, the Cambridge Community Chorus, the Cambridge African American Heritage Trail, and the Cambridge Dance Complex.

"It is a unique privilege of a lifetime to be given the opportunity to support such a just, consistent, and honest person for President of the United States. Thank you, Senator Sanders -- together we shall secure our common future."

Former Cambridge City Councillor Nadeem Mazen

Nadeem Mazen is a former politician, community organizer, creative director, and professor, and current tech company founder in the area of data privacy and social media policy. Mazen is known for a career in politics and political media that has been focused on critical issues facing America like housing, innovation, regulation, corporatism, economic growth, and educational equity -- with a view towards greater representation, engagement, and equity for socially and economically marginalized groups. Mazen is a regular contributor to regional and national news programs, where his background as an educator, serial entrepreneur, and politician inform his view that America must make New Deal sized investments in middle class, working class, infrastructure, environment, and education to avoid impending economic ruin.

“We are at a turning point in America, where some or all of the key social and economic issues on the national agenda have reached a clear level of crisis. These issues -- the issues where Bernie has distinguished himself -- include affordable housing, racial justice, gender equality, economic equity, healthcare coverage, educational opportunity, and others. I stand with Bernie not only because of his strong policy approach to these issues, but because Bernie has witnessed first hand the type of lobbying, corporatism, and policy in government today that unfortunately continue to favor the 1 percent at the cost of hard working Americans. I stand with Bernie because he has pledged to cut down the policies that hurt our long-term economic leadership as a nation and these systems that work against our hard working American families. I believe that America will regain its leadership in technology, education, economic opportunity, working class quality of life, and multiculturalism, and I believe that Bernie is the best poised candidate to restore American values and prosperity to the forefront of our government's agenda.”

Organizations listed for identification purposes, and do not imply institutional endorsement.

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Massachusetts Peace Action
December 5, 2020

Bernie Sanders for President in 2020

Massachusetts Peace Action proudly announces its endorsement of Bernie Sanders for President and vows to work hard for his victory in the Massachusetts March 3 Democratic primary and beyond.

“In a crowded Democratic field, Senator Sanders is the leading voice for a foreign policy based on international law, diplomacy and human rights,” said Andrea Burns, co-chair of the Political Committee of Mass. Peace Action (MAPA). “A Sanders administration will work to shift priorities from imperialism abroad to robust social programs, including a Green New Deal, that will contribute to real national security.”

Sanders helped lead the opposition to the Iraq war in 2002, one of the most disastrous foreign policy decisions in American history.  He has also voted against ever-increasing military budgets, including every Pentagon budget increase during the Trump presidency. In the Senate this year, he led the successful struggle to pass a War Powers Resolution to end US support for the Saudi war in Yemen, the first time since 1973 that Congress has voted to end a war in progress, although it failed to overturn Trump’s veto. Now he proposes to use US military aid as leverage to push Israel to desist from policies that violate Palestinian human rights.  Policies to reduce militarism and war are antiracist. A Sanders Presidency will mean that the US will be killing fewer civilians in wars around the world, most or all of whom would be people of color.   Sign up to help elect Bernie!

Sanders has repeatedly connected militarism, great power politics, and the climate emergency to call for a major turn towards peace and a livable world. In a July 16 interview with the Washington Post, he said:  “As president of the United States what I would do…is go to Russia, go to China, go to Brazil, go to India, and say maybe instead of spending $1.5 trillion every year on weapons of destruction designed to kill each other, maybe we should use those resources to fight our common enemy, which is climate change…That has got to be the goal.”

As a central theme in the speech announcing his candidacy, Sanders called for cutting the military budget and redirecting  the money to meet domestic needs. He consistently names the military-industrial complex one of the corporate power centers people will need to organize against to achieve an economy that works for all of us. He proclaims that national policies have been shaped by a tiny class of billionaires: of the military-industrial complex, the oil Industry, Wall Street, the pharmaceutical and health-insurance industries, and argues that they need to be radically transformed to serve the interests of working people and everyone else.

Sen. Sanders is building a powerful movement to bring about the profound changes he advocates. His rallies begin with movement leaders speaking of the struggles they are waging to propel change. Sanders’s slogan is “Not me, Us,” and at every opportunity he speaks of the need to mobilize the American people to challenge corporate rulers and their lobbies in order to achieve his campaign’s goals. He believes working people must become protagonists in a democratic transformation of the very foundations of our society and economy, not only by voting for him in primaries and in November 2020, but also afterwards, by working for the profound changes we need.

John Ratliff, a Vietnam War veteran and Mass. Peace Action’s economic justice coordinator, summed up the feeling of many members when he said about Bernie Sanders, “I never thought I would see in my lifetime a person who so deeply shares the values of those of us in the peace and justice movements rise to become a leading candidate in a US presidential race. This is our chance to make a difference.”

With the Trump Administration’s assault on democracy, the environment, immigrants, women, and workers, and its rapid increases in military spending and confrontational foreign policy, a wide range of candidates has entered the race; several discuss war and peace issues more than is usual in candidate debates, thanks largely to Sanders’s initiatives.

We have great respect for Elizabeth Warren, who has been a popular and effective senator representing our state. She has developed many progressive proposals and pro-peace positions. Warren filed and led on a bill for no first use of nuclear weapons.  She favors cuts in the military budget, advocates bringing our troops home from endless wars, criticizes military-industrial complex corruption at the Defense Department, and opposed US involvement in Yemen. Yet, to engage in the election, we have to choose, and we choose Bernie Sanders.

Massachusetts Peace Action’s endorsement applies only in Massachusetts; our national organization, Peace Action, has made no endorsement. 

“Senator Sanders has a truly transformative vision that rises to the scale and urgency of our crises and injustices,” said MAPA member Charlie Keller. “He is the only candidate who offers a multiracial, bottom-up movement capable of actually overcoming entrenched powers that benefit from today’s order — and of achieving the better world we need now more than ever.”
MAPA will mobilize its members and allies in the coming months in support of Senator Sanders’ candidacy.  Sign up to help elect Bernie!

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Bernie 2020
November 22, 2019

NEWS: Boston Independent Drivers Guild Endorses Sanders

 
WASHINGTON – On the eve of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ next visit to New Hampshire where he’ll focus on organized labor, the Boston Independent Drivers Guild (BIDG) on Friday announced its endorsement of the senator’s campaign for president.

“Only a mass movement that unites working-class and poor people, young people and students, labor unions, social justice organizers and activists, and marginalized and oppressed people from across this country and around the world is capable of taking on the rule of the billionaire class,” BIDG representative Felipe Martinez said. “Only one candidate for President of the United States is using their campaign to build a movement of these communities, and only one candidate for President of the United States has a decades-long record of fighting effectively and unequivocally for these communities. We endorse Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign as the best way forward for rideshare drivers and all working class people.”

Sanders has the most thorough and extensive plan of any presidential hopeful to strengthen the rights of American workers and the labor movement, laid out in his Workplace Democracy Plan. The endorsement from BIDG follows previous endorsements from labor unions including from the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), National Nurses United (NNU), United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE), and National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW).

Sanders has long stood in solidarity with labor and is an outspoken advocate for unions across all sectors. Sanders called out the greed of Amazon, Disney and Walmart and helped to win a $15 per hour minimum wage for their employees, stood with striking AT&T workers in Kentucky and walked the picket line with United Auto Workers in Detroit. Bernie’s record on labor is far and away the strongest of any candidate in the 2020 field. Bernie 2020 has also used their text and email lists to send targeted messages to bolster turnout and raise awareness of strikes such as with the McDonalds Fight for $15, the University of California strike and at the University of Chicago fight for union recognition to name a few.

              WATCH: Bernie takes on IBM during House years, dubbed “The Amendment King”

The BIDG is an independent organization of rideshare drivers in the greater Boston area dedicated to giving a voice to the workers who make Lyft and Uber possible. As part of a wider national movement, BIDG is fighting to win collective bargaining rights and unionization for drivers and to address the concerns faced by drivers including decreased pay and continued disrespect from Uber and Lyft.

Sanders will be touring New Hampshire November 23rd through November 25th, meeting with local labor leaders, conducting town halls and hosting rallies, all highlighting the importance of workers’ rights and appreciation for the labor community.