My name is Vanna Howard and I am announcing my candidacy as a Democrat for the 17th Middlesex District State Representative seat. After surviving the Killing Fields of Cambodia and speaking little English, the Greater Lowell area welcomed me and provided me with the opportunity to live in safety and peace. Since that time, I have secured my college degree, married, raised a family and made many friends in this region, built a career, and immersed myself in community life. I am running because I strongly feel the need to give back to a place which has been so good to me; because I feel I have the skills, knowledge, and experience to capably serve the residents of this district; and because these unprecedented times are right for a fresh and effective voice on Beacon Hill.
This year’s widespread Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and other indiscriminate killings have been a wakeup call to many Americans. As a Cambodian woman, I am no stranger to the discrimination and structural inequities faced by communities of color. I am proud to join local leaders and over 1500 members of the public in declaring racism to be a public health crisis in Lowell. As State Representative, I will help to lead these discussions and I will listen.