Letter to the Editor: Victoria Gearity Is a Mayor for Everyone

Dear Editor:

I am a first-generation Dominican-American, first-time homebuyer, and Ossining resident. On September 13 I’m going to vote for Victoria Gearity to be the Democratic candidate for Mayor of Ossining. We may look different, but our vision for Ossining is the same.

I’m choosing to vote for the person that I feel best represents me. This was a difficult decision because I not only share the same race as one of the candidates, I share the same first name.

Despite that, I’m choosing to vote for Victoria Gearity over Omar Herrera for Ossining Mayor.

My wife and I chose to move to Ossining from Harlem last year because we were looking for a community that reflected our values. Ossining is diverse, with over half of the population identifying as people of color. Both candidates for mayor have voiced their intention to make sure those diverse voices are incorporated into the town’s decision-making process.

I’ve been part of enough working groups to know that declaring diverse voices being part of the process is one thing; making that a reality is another.

With the issue of affordable housing, for example, Mayor Gearity has articulated the specific areas of housing policy that the local government can focus on to create real results. She adds specifics to her values. I haven’t seen the same from her competitor. This leaves me wondering whether voting for him means that I’d be voting for someone with whom I agreed on policy yet who couldn’t actually make any of that vision a reality.

I am proud whenever I see a public official with whom I share an identity marker that is as important to me as race. I am more proud, however, when I see a public official use her position in government to advance causes that improve the lives of folks like me.

Omar Lopez, Ossining, NY