Broad Support For Dovie King For Wayland Select Board: Letters

The following letters to the editor do not reflect the views of Wayland Patch

I am writing to share my excitement to endorse Dovie King for the Wayland Select Board.

There is so much to say about Dovie’s work, education, public service and life experience. Her resume is long and varied. She is a social justice attorney, community activist, mother of a student in Wayland schools and member of Wayland’s Human Rights, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. She has sat on numerous nonprofit boards of directors and served in town positions in Belmont while living there. She has seen impacts of financial and equity decisions in her classroom experience teaching k-12 and higher education. She was even in a busing program similar to METCO. She has organized several community forums in Wayland on issues ranging from domestic violence, indigenous land rights, implicit bias and racism. She has shown herself to be an innovative and practical problem solver. You can read more about her education, background and resume online, at www.electDovie.com.

Sometimes a list of affiliations doesn’t fully describe what those activities entailed. In the labor and employment law practice Dovie founded and co-owned, she represented unions for teachers, construction trade workers, electrical workers, clerical workers, court employees, college faculty, to name a few. She directed a bankruptcy law project at Public Counsel, helping hundreds of clients with complex financial issues and assisting U.S. Bankruptcy Court judges with a high caseload of self-represented debtors. As a community economic development attorney, she worked with elected officials on public works projects ranging from streetscapes and crosswalks to improving storefronts, installing bathrooms in public parks and constructing medians and landscaping in business districts. Dovie’s strong business acumen and experience dealing with municipal needs underscores her strengths as a Select Board candidate.

Dovie’s experience is impressive. Her education, social activism, evidence building community with many groups of people, experience as an economic development attorney, her resume is deep and relevant to municipal governance, but for me, the most important factor is that Dovie has shown that she can bring a courageous voice to governance, a voice that this moment in time demands. As a multilingual, woman of color, she has lived the experiences that our country, and town, are trying to confront. We say we want all voices at the table. This is our opportunity. On May 10, STAND UP and VOTE for Dovie King for Select Board.

—Mary Ann Borkowski, Wayland

I am proud to endorse Dovie King for Wayland Select Board. Dovie King is, by any standard, qualified to be a member of the Select Board. She is bright, experienced and a natural leader who cares deeply about her community. I met Dovie when she was elected to town meeting, and I also had the distinct pleasure of nominating her to serve on the human rights commission. She is someone that stands by her word and gets things done. I have no doubt that Dovie will fight for greater inclusivity in town government and advocate for all Wayland residents, not some. Belmont's loss is Wayland's gain!

—Adam Dash, Belmont Select Board chair

I first met Dovie two years ago when she came in as a client to my workplace in Wayland town center. Since then, Dovie has been one of our most loyal and faithful clients. She supports small businesses in Wayland and wants to see them thrive. Anytime we have an event, Dovie is always there showing her amazing support to our small local business. She is the first to sign up for new promotions, always referring friends and family to us. We are very lucky and extremely grateful to have her not only as a wonderful client, but we also consider Dovie King our dear friend. Dovie possesses wonderful people skills. She always takes her time to listen, lend a helping hand, offer advice as well as show her support in whatever way she can. She treats everyone with respect and fairness. I am honored to support Dovie. I know in my heart that her running for Wayland Select Board will not only strengthen this town of Wayland, but it will also be lucky to have one of the best people to contribute and support so much to this community. I hope you will vote for Dovie on May 10.

—Alexis Frankian, Wayland

I am excited to endorse Dovie King for Wayland Select Board. Dovie will provide bold, new leadership that reflects Wayland's core values. She will also add a diverse voice that the Select Board has never seen before, and that is extremely relevant and necessary now more than ever. Many communities are finally emerging from the COVID pandemic and recovering from deep financial losses. They are seeking a fresh approach to problem-solving and a break from the status quo. Dovie will deliver that! She's already proved that she can accomplish that goal in her role as the Chair of Wayland's Human Rights, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. As the only woman, mother to a current Wayland student and person of color in the race, she represents the future of town governance. I support Dovie wholeheartedly and hope you will too.

—Meredith Boericke, Braintree Town Council president