I think it is a good time to take a step back from the arguments and the back and forth about the budget to take a look at the unique community we call Ansonia.
Growing up we are taught in history class about how the United States is a melting pot of diversity — how all the different people from different backgrounds create what we call America. Luckily we don’t have to look far to see this firsthand.
A walk down Ansonia’s Main Street will provide you with an array of different ethnic foods from around the world such as Polish, Italian, American, Spanish, and Thai. If you attend one of the many churches or temples in Ansonia you will find Russian and Ukrainian churches side by side on the same street as a Protestant church, or a Catholic church across the street from a Buddhist temple.
Our education system has some of the best teachers in the state. Educators from different backgrounds who are able to maintain an engaging learning experience with usually less than other towns and produce some of the finest athletes in not just Connecticut, but in the nation. If you look at the rich industrial history of Ansonia, you again see the amazing story of the people who have and continue to make our city an amazing cultural jewel in the valley.
The diverse people that make up Ansonia, its spectacular history, and prosperous future, are the reasons why I am running for Alderman in the Third Ward along with Jason St. Jacques.
I am proud to call Ansonia my home. As a firefighter in Ansonia for almost six years, I truly enjoy serving my fellow neighbors and being there for them when they need it most. During my time serving the community I have seen people in some of the worst situations they have ever faced, but I am always blown away by everyday heroes — people from the community who come to offer a place to sleep when a person loses their home, donating clothes when a person loses all their belongings, raising money for a family who can’t pay their medical bills, or just offering a shoulder to cry on.
This is what makes this city a great place to live in. The people of this city are some of the most wonderful people I have ever met — Republicans, Democrats, Independents, it doesn’t matter. The heart and soul of Ansonia cannot be defined by party lines, but by the individual and what they bring to the table to better our community.
This November, if granted the pleasure, I look forward to serving the people of Ansonia on the Board of Alderman where I will fight for our community and be there to listen to the issues that matter most without any attention to biases or political lines.
I will bring the same love of serving Ansonia with me to city hall that I have developed with the fire department. Every person matters in this community. From our oldest residents to the youngest, without everyone working together we cannot move Ansonia into the future.
The writer is a candidate for Third Ward Alderman in Ansonia.
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