As someone who grew up in Cambridge and graduated from CRLS, I recognize the Cambridge described by a previous writer (“Whose Voice, Whose Values in the 25th Middlesex District Race” Aug. 23). I have grown up surrounded by the diversity, openness and sense of community that makes this city special.
That Cambridge is the one I have seen state representative Marjorie Decker engage with and live out on her campaign. It’s a place where everyone has a seat at the table. It is a place where we fight for families struggling to pay their bills, for people struggling with housing and health care, for young people who need care and protection and even for people who will never cast a vote for her.
One of Marjorie’s greatest strengths as a representative is her ability to make people feel seen. Whether you are with her for a few minutes, a day or a few months like I’ve been, Marjorie’s attentiveness and genuine care for the people she interacts with is tangible. Her desire to connect is never contingent on a vote. It comes from an understanding of what it means to be part of a community.
Marjorie often talks about her experience growing up in public housing. One piece of that story I find compelling is the sense of collective responsibility instilled in her from the start. She remembers how her neighbors would give her bread or eggs if her own family couldn’t afford them that week. Woodrow Wilson Court is where Marjorie learned what community actually means: taking care of one another.
I have witnessed people open up to Marjorie, confiding in her that they lost their job recently or are struggling to care for a loved one with an illness. These conversations are a testament to the trust she has built with her constituents. People feel compelled to share their stories with Marjorie because they know she will listen, not only as a legislator, but as a neighbor. And they know she will do all she can to help connect them to resources and support them in their hardest moments. Marjorie is part of the fabric of this community because of her long-standing relationships with those she’s known, but also because of the relationships she builds with any person she meets.
Marjorie’s campaign is a reflection of these community values. It has brought together an extraordinary group of people who represent a wide range of ages, backgrounds and experiences. She creates an environment where we all feel valued, understood, and our voices actually matter. Marjorie encourages community among us, doing weekly lunches because she actually wants to get to know us on a personal level. This is who Marjorie is. No matter who you are, she sees you as someone who can make a difference and wants to help you achieve that.
For me, this campaign has created an amazing opportunity to connect with the diverse people of the place I have called home my entire life. From door knocking and talking with employees I recognize from my favorite coffee shops to running into one of my elementary school teachers, I have come to understand the importance of actually knowing the people of Cambridge through my work on this campaign.
To truly care about your community is more than just to talk about it. Marjorie’s legislative work is guided by the stories and experiences her constituents have entrusted her with. I’ve watched her fight to protect abortion access for people across Massachusetts, including people who needed emergency care later in pregnancy. I’ve watched her fight to protect access to gender-affirming health care for transgender young people. Her work on Beacon Hill is the answer to the politics of cruelty and indifference from the Donald Trump administration. Marjorie’s record demonstrates what government can do when it works for people – to make their lives better.
That’s why the letter written Aug. 23, in my opinion, falls flat. Because when Marjorie uses the phrase “our voice, our values,” she is not trying to create an other; she is trying to unify our community through our collective values. Marjorie understands that we are all a lot more similar than we are different. Her slogan is meant to represent the very thing that makes Cambridge special: a community grounded in compassion, connection and taking care of one another.
Marjorie is my voice. She shares my values. And watching her fight for Cambridge has inspired me to fight too.
Madeline Nohrnberg
Wendell Street, Cambridge
