Union County Activist To Run For District 21 State Assembly

DISTRICT 21, NJ — An activist for women's rights, Anjali Mehrotra of Mountainside, has thrown her hat into the ring and is running for the District 21 State Assembly seat.

A Democrat, Mehrotra currently serves as President of the National Organization for Women of New Jersey and Municipal Chair of Mountainside Democratic Committee.

Mehrotra says it is "the American dream" to run for state assembly.

"Born and raised in India, I moved to New Jersey in search of higher education and stayed for the opportunities. Sure, my husband and I both faced challenges as immigrants and persons of color, but through optimism and persistence, we were able to carve a piece of that dream for ourselves and our daughters. In my work as an advocate and activist, however, I have seen how those same opportunities continue to elude the more marginalized groups in our economy — women, especially those of color, Black and brown communities, people with disabilities and our LGBTQIA population," said Mehrotra.

If elected Mehrotra would like to prioritize the needs of the district's citizens.

"As we recover from COVID-19, we need relief for our small businesses and jobs to grow our economy. We need to build infrastructure that is reliable — our commuters deserve a better tunnel and transit system. We need to get guns and fear out of our schools and provide an education that will enable our next generation to meet the needs of the digital economy. And above all, we need tax fairness to ensure affordability; the status quo simply cannot continue. To accomplish this, we need to balance social change with fiscal responsibility: common sense to do the right thing, but pay our bills on time, and save for a rainy day. Perhaps it is the immigrant in me, but to me it is no different from how I run my own household," said Mehrotra.

In the last year, the world has changed drastically and Mehrotra says leaders are needed.

"I believe that this is a moment that calls for courageous leaders who are willing to take bold steps to ensure that even while we meet the daily needs of our residents, we aspire to higher ideals of growth and equity for all. It calls for leaders who have the conviction to stand up for the truth and deliver results for their constituents. Leaders who are willing to look beyond partisanship, to put country, people and humanity first," said Mehrotra.

To learn more about Mehrotra and her candidacy, visit anjalimehrotra.com.

District 21 consists of 16 municipalities from Union, Somerset, and Morris counties.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Don't miss local and statewide announcements. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.