Diann Slavit Baylis: State Representative Candidate Profile

MARBLEHEAD, MA — Diann Slavit Baylis is one of six candidates on the ballot looking to fill the open seat as the state representative for the 8th Essex District encompassing Marblehead and Swampscott.

The 56-year-old Marblehead mother of four is a full-time immigration attorney who does pro-bono for KIND, Kids in Need of Defense, providing free legal representation to unaccompanied minors. She earned her undergraduate degree from Merrimack College and her law degree from J.D. Suffolk University Law School.

Baylis told Patch her priorities in the State House will be addressing climate change with a sense of urgency that includes accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources and addressing gun violence in our cities and towns.

Campaign website

www.votefordiann.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I'm running for state representative because we have work to do on important issues, and I have the experience, skills and passion that it takes to get the job done. I'm also running because I am committed to providing first-rate constituent services to the residents of this district. As an immigration attorney, I have experience working cases and helping my clients navigate a complicated government bureaucracy.

That's what I will do for the residents of this district, I will help them navigate the bureaucracy of state government. I also want to take my experience and skills as a cast member for the PBS documentary "Divided We Fall" and promote more civil dialogue in our politics.

The single most pressing issue facing our district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

There is no greater threat to our quality of life and local economy in this district than climate change. We need to address this problem with urgency. I'm a surfer, and like many surfers, I have a strong desire to protect the ocean, beaches, and the environment around us. I would like to serve on the Standing House Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change because this is some of the most important work of our times and critical to our children’s future.

I grew up in Haverhill on the Merrimack River. My father, Red Slavit, was Harbormaster for many years and was responsible for the Merrimack River up to Newburyport Harbor. I grew up understanding how vital this river is to the city of Haverhill, and how closely tied it is to fishing, tourism, and recreation. I see similarities in how the ocean and our beaches in this region impact this district's economy and quality of life.

We need to accelerate the transition to clean energy starting with getting us off of fossil fuels and transitioning to 100% clean energy in electrical generation by 2035 and in how we heat our buildings and in the transportation sector by 2045 — consistent with the goals put forward by the Mass Climate Action Network. We need to seize the environmental and economic opportunities presented by offshore wind. We need stronger incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles and a much broader network of charging stations. And I would work closely with local advocates and elected officials on reducing our communities’ overall carbon footprint and on resiliency measures to protect our coastline.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

As we approach this election, there are three things I want you to know that distinguish me from the other candidates in this race.

The first is that I'm a lifelong Democrat, I've always worked on behalf of the Democratic party and Democratic candidates. I'm not a recent convert, so you can count on me to stand up for Democratic values, I always have and I always will.

Second is that I'm the only candidate in this race who has gotten real results as an advocate for legislative change — and the only candidate that has successfully advocated for stronger gun laws in Massachusetts.

And third, as a former cast member in the PBS documentary "Divided We Fall," I'm the only candidate trained in how to promote civil dialogue, a skill-set that is very much needed in our politics today.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I have put forward six priorities for this district, including the climate crisis, supporting our schools, strengthening our economy, keeping our communities safe from gun violence, improving transportation options, and protecting civil rights and equality. My platform on these issues has been built through conversations with you, the voters, on your doorsteps. For example, I’ve talked with many voters about the importance of cleaning up King's Beach, the opportunity presented by offshore wind, and the urgency of the climate crisis we face. On Education, I've talked with voters about the need for more social workers and therapists in our schools, to ensure that our kids have the resources they need. I've talked with voters about enhancing STEM programs at our high schools, colleges and universities so that we can train the workforce that we need to compete as a region in our state's innovation economy.

And I've talked with voters about the crisis of gun violence in this country, and the need for experienced leaders on this issue in the legislature as we confront the recent Supreme Court decision. As someone who takes the T to work, I've talked with voters about our dangerous and decaying public transportation infrastructure in this state, and the transportation crisis that the City of Lynn faces over the next three years. And I've talked with voters about the many threats we face to our civil rights, including the right to vote, to choose, and to marriage equality.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Five years ago I lost someone close to me to gun violence and realized then that this isn't somebody else's problem, it's a problem that is affecting all of us. So I got involved with the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, joined Mom's Demand Action, and testified before the legislature in support of the Red Flag Law, and I'm proud to say that we got that law passed. Passage of this law is my most significant accomplishment as an advocate. I'm the only candidate in this race with a record of advocating successfully for real legislative change, and for stronger gun laws in our state. I know how to build coalitions behind a legislative proposal, and force action on Beacon Hill.

To raise awareness about gun violence and to honor the children and educators that were lost at Sandy Hook, my husband and I joined with other advocates to complete a three-day, 210-mile bike ride to Newtown, Connecticut (on a tandem, and we’re still married!). We were greeted there by members of Sandy Hook Promise.

The Massachusetts House will be taking up major gun legislation early next year, and we need experienced advocates, including those whose lives have been impacted by gun violence, to advance that legislation. You can find information on my detailed plan to combat gun violence on my website at www.votefordiann.com. If you want to make progress on gun violence, I would ask for your vote.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Always vote for yourself! (from my father)

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I was a cast member in the PBS documentary "Divided We Fall – Unity Without Tragedy" which I would encourage voters to watch. The producers of this documentary brought together six Democrats, and six Trump supporters, for a weekend of conversation on a farm out in Western MA. I went there armed to the teeth with facts and figures, because as an attorney, that's how I prepare for a court hearing, and I thought I had what I needed to go there and win the argument. But that wasn't at all what I needed. The weekend kicked off with training on active listening and empathy so that all of the cast members would be armed with the skills needed to accomplish the goal of finding common ground.

And what we found was that common ground is possible when people listen to each other — that we all had the same priorities in the end — good schools, a strong economy, we just differed on how to get there. We could use more people with active listening skills, and people who show more empathy, in our state legislature, and I look forward to bringing those skills, and a greater culture of civility, to Beacon Hill.