Dear Voters and Friends
The Massachusetts Senate gaveled out of our last formal debate of this two-year Legislative Session last week. And as I left the chamber, I realized that I’ve never seen a session like this.
Despite local challenges and hateful policies from the federal government, we still passed an extraordinary array of progressive priorities — including criminal justice reform, paid family leave, a $15 minimum wage, common-sense gun control, voting rights improvements, and reproductive healthcare protections.
These victories didn’t come out of nowhere.??
Almost 22 months ago, I gathered my staff together to prepare for this session. We put together a detailed plan to fight for bold improvements in education, criminal justice reform, racial justice, and immigration policy. We weren’t sure then if we’d be able to pass any of these bills.
But I knew that we had one unmatched force on the side of justice: thousands of people like??you.
For 577 days, you wrote letters and emails, made phone calls, marched, protested — and held the Legislature’s feet to the fire to ensure we lived up to our shared principles of justice and equity. Your passionate advocacy made these victories possible.
We didn’t get everything we aimed for — legislation to reform our broken education funding system, lift the welfare cap, and protect immigrants were left on the table.??But the past two years are tangible proof that when we fight, we win.
Thank you for the opportunity opportunity of a lifetime: to represent you and fight alongside you for a just and equitable Massachusetts.
Saludos,
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Sonia Chang-D??az
State Senator, Second Suffolk District