Letter To The Editor: How Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey Opens Doors

Letter to the editor from Daryl Duarte - Fairfield Resident:

Oct. 27, 2020

Cristin McCarthy Vahey is a former social worker known for her empathy and commitment to helping others. I first met Cristin when she knocked on our door as part of her constituent outreach. During our initial discussion, I confided in Cristin my desire to get more engaged in both politics and the nonprofit sector, after having spent many years working in a large corporation. Cristin kindly leveraged her extensive network to help me make important connections, and with her encouragement, my husband, David Schiffer, and I joined the Fairfield Democratic Town Committee.

Cristin also introduced us to individuals who worked at The Triangle Community Center (TCC), which provides services to the LGBTQ+ community in Connecticut. Elliot Leonard, a TCC board member, became a friend and mentor. He and his husband, Roger Litz, are the founders of the newly launched Leonard-Litz Foundation, which will support the LGBTQ+ community by funding nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in the Northeast U.S.. Elliot and Roger recently appointed me the executive director of the Foundation, which will begin its first funding cycle by early 2021.All of these positive outcomes were set in motion the day Cristin knocked on our door, and are a testament to Cristin’s passion for helping others. Cristin moves purposefully and passionately to address the compelling issues facing her constituents. Her energy, her drive, and her boundless empathy, which she demonstrates daily through her work in state government, make her a personal hero of mine. For these reasons and more, I am thrilled to endorse Cristin McCarthy Vahey as my candidate for House of Representatives District 133.

Signed,
Daryl Duarte

This press release was produced by Daryl Duarte. The views expressed here are the author's own.