Electing Coelho, would mean our community is welcoming Trumpism

Electing Coelho for State Senate, would mean our community is welcoming Trumpism

I am still unsure how I will cast my vote for President next Tuesday. As a community organizer committed to doing the work of justice, my actions have always been aligned with my values, and it's very hard to vote for Vice President Harris. Because she has already failed me, she has failed us, and more importantly, she's failed this country's humanity by not ending Israel's genocide against Palestinians. I wholeheartedly believe Dr. King’s famous words, “No one is free until all of us are free.” Today is Palestinians, but I know that tomorrow could be my people. To be clear, this does not mean I want Trump to win. I know that he is a fascist and a threat to me as a gay Mexican immigrant and to my community.

However, one thing I know about Tuesday's election is that electing Michelle Coelho would be a regrettable mistake and regress Connecticut's 24th district and the State. Coelho’s track record makes me feel uneasy and concerns me. Her campaign strategy has been taken out of old racist books that use dehumanizing and scapegoating messaging that has historically harmed Black and People of color. Her political ads claim that the rise in crime in our district is destroying our communities. Politicians in the state have used crime as a fear tactic to criminalize youth of color in the state. Data experts have shown us that these claims are false. They have done this while knowing their claims don't match the state's public safety data. If her political ads were fact-checked, there would be numerous examples of unethical behavior, such as lying, scapegoating, and misguiding the people in our community.

Coelho was elected to the BOE in 2021, and she had the opportunity to show our community the type of leader she is, and she did! Last October, I planned an event with other community leaders to discuss funding for our Danbury Public Schools with our then-mayoral candidates. The event had to be canceled due to weather. When Board Of Education member Coelho was informed of this cancellation via email, she took the opportunity to disrespect the event organizers. Coelho’s email response was vile, disrespectful, and completely unacceptable. Coelho's email read, “The event was poorly organized, and your communication skills are amateur at best.” Coelho ended her email by calling the parent a “sinverguenza” which translates to “shameless.” Still, in some Latin countries, that word is used as a misogynistic slur to attack women and imply that they have no decency. No parent or community member deserves to be attacked like Coelho attacked this Danbury Parent.

Coelho’s actions and behavior must be condemned, and more importantly, should help us realize that we cannot have her represent our district in Hartford. Her unethical behavior as a Board of Education member and candidate is unacceptable and undermines the integrity of the political process and the state senate. The military has taught me the importance of ethical leadership and doing everything with integrity. I can tell you that Michelle Coelho has demonstrated to us that she cannot lead with integrity and that serving students, parents, and our community will not be her priority if in office.

That is why the right choice for Senate District 24th is to re-elect State Senator Julie Kushner. Since being elected in 2018, she has led with integrity and put the needs of her constituents first—including fighting for policies that improve our day-to-day lives, like paid family and medical leave and raising the minimum wage. We need more people in office who center our communities’ needs, not their own personal interests.

Juan Fonseca Tapia