Wayland Human Rights Chair Running For Board Of Selectmen

WAYLAND, MA — A Wayland attorney active in local government will run for the sole Select Board seat up for election in 2022.

Dovie King, a member of the new Wayland Human Rights, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (HRDEI), said this week she'll run for the seat currently held by Board of Selectman Chair Thomas Fay.

Fay is seeking reelection in 2022, and his paperwork to run was certified by the Town Clerk on Feb. 16.

"Now is a critical time for us," she said in a campaign announcement. "We are at the crossroads of change, and if we live up to our core values, we can build a Wayland that is inclusive and better for everyone. To make meaningful progress, however, we need a progressive, forward-thinking leader committed to doing the hard work."

King, 49, is originally from San Diego. She has also lived in Boston and Belmont, where she was a Town Meeting member and Human Rights Commission member. In recent months, she has helped promote the HRDEI's series of events spotlighting issues like domestic violence and observing Black history, World War II Japanese internment camps and the history of Indigenous groups.

Wayland's 2022 election will happen May 10, and potential candidates are allowed to submit nomination papers through March 22.

Here's King's full candidate statement:

I’m Dovie King (she/her/ella). I’m a social justice attorney, community activist, mother and member of Wayland’s Human Rights, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. I’m running for Select Board because our town needs a new generation of leadership and ideas at the table. Now is a critical time for us. We are at the crossroads of change, and if we live up to our core values, we can build a Wayland that is inclusive and better for everyone. To make meaningful progress, however, we need a progressive, forward-thinking leader committed to doing the hard work.

My leadership and public service spans over 20 years, including serving as a Town Meeting and Human Rights Commission member in Belmont. Additionally, I have volunteered on nonprofit boards of directors. Some include the ABA Immigration Justice Project, Affordable Housing Advocates, American Constitution Society, Brown University Latino Alumni Council and La Raza Lawyers Association. Currently, I’m a member of the legislative committee of the Women's Bar Association, where I lobby in the state legislature for workplace protections on behalf of domestic violence survivors.

As way of background, I’m originally from San Diego. My parents are immigrants and I speak Spanish fluently. As a youth, I was bussed to a neighboring school district as part of a program like METCO. It wasn’t easy, but with hard work I earned a place at Brown University and Northeastern University School of Law, paying my own way at both institutions. I’m a first-generation graduate.

I have dedicated my legal career to advocating for equal access in schools, courts and government as an award-winning pro bono attorney and past co-owner of a successful law practice. In addition, I have taught at the community college level, worked in an Ivy League law school setting, and substituted as a bilingual elementary school teacher in a predominantly immigrant neighborhood. Collectively, these experiences have made me an “out-of-the-box” problem-solver who is comfortable bridging gaps across diverse constituencies.

On a personal note, my son (age 13) and I moved to Wayland to build a safe home after escaping a domestic violence situation in California. We live in a farmhouse built by Francis Moore in 1879 on Bow Road. Although we love Wayland, we have faced difficult challenges at times. For example, my son was bullied at the middle school, which greatly affected his grades, morale and sense of safety. In addition, I have been personally subjected to microaggressions as a person of color serving as a committee chair in town government. This is not okay. In 2022, we can do much better to make sure people are not marginalized for being different.

I hope this candidate statement gives you a solid idea of who I am as a person. I’m outspoken, direct and honest and, if elected, would bring a high degree of emotional intelligence that, coupled with my education, skills and commitment, could open the door to a better way of governing. Indeed, I consider it a top priority to focus my campaign on two key issues: (1) government accountability and transparency; and (2) diversity, equity and inclusion. These are pressing issues that Wayland has grappled with for some time but have not been at the forefront of town politics.

Our government should work for all, not just for some.

To learn more about my specific platform and vision for Wayland, I invite you to visit my website, Elect Dovie, or Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. You can also email me at dovieking@gmail.com. My campaign is people-centered, and I welcome your thoughts and questions. Thanks in advance for your support, and please remember to vote at the annual town election on May 10, 2022.