Beverly Candidate Profile: Kirstin Shapiro For City Council

BEVERLY, MA — Beverly will have contested races for City Council in Wards three and five and a contested school committee race in Ward Four this fall. Beverly Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Kirstin Shapiro is one of four candidates running for Ward 3's seat on Beverly City Council. The seat is opening up as incumbent James Latter is not running for reelection. The top two vote-getters in the preliminary election on Sept. 24 will advance to the general election on Nov. 5. Shapiro is an opera singer and yoga instructor.

Are you running for office in Beverly? Contact Dave Copeland at dave.copeland@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Beverly Patch.

Previously on Patch: Beverly Election 2019: Here's Who's Running

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

My most passionate reason for wanting to serve as your city councilor is affordability. Throughout Beverly, the Commonwealth, and the United States all people are making real sacrifices in an unfair system that shrouds the middle class in the false hope of upward mobility while leaving behind our most vulnerable.

To be cost-burdened is to pay 30% or more of your income towards your housing costs, I know this is true for my family and many of our neighbors. In this situation people forgo proper healthcare, childcare, food, and numerous other necessities as they try to care for themselves and their family. From a local level to a national level I feel it is the responsibility of our civil servants to stand up for their communities and say, “enough is enough”. Whatever your career, young professional to retiree, teacher to entrepreneur, and everything in-between you should be able to afford to live in the town you work and serve every day. I am committed to prioritizing a thriving community that re-imagines how we can care for our citizens.

I believe instead of treating one symptom at a time local governments have an incredible opportunity to make real adjustments and treat root causes through compassionate planning, thoughtful zoning and smart ordinances. If elected to be councilor you can be sure I will serve the citizens of Ward 3 first, because they make this city beautiful, kind, strong, and unique.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the only candidate running, including those currently serving on city council, who has chosen Beverly as my home with no family history in this city and therefore offer a viewpoint others cannot. My family and I have fallen in love with the city, purchased our first home here and plan to start a family. As the city is growing and changing I know diversity of thought and perspective is how our city council can create broader and more effective policy.

I also grew up low income and throughout my life have experienced the distress of economic change driving me and my family from communities we loved. I am poised to listen and understand a larger swath of our socio-ecomonically diverse city and specifically Ward 3 residence. As a teen I watched my single mother grow from home insecurity to home owner and learned how to advocate in a system with built-in barriers. As a candidate I represent a voice and experience desperately needing a seat at the table and in the absence of that voice I felt a love and responsibility to my neighbors to step up.

I am so impressed by the wonderful people running in this race and those currently serving on city council, we all care deeply and want to advocate for our neighbors. As I knock on doors I hear a deep appreciation for what this city has to offer from old and new residence alike and I know I can harness that passion to build strong coalitions and pragmatic solutions.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community?

As a city and as councilors we can be broader and better at actively pursuing clarity and comprehension. Communication is key to civil service and look forward to utilizing my time and energy to stay in contact with constituents, local business and state run organizations working within Beverly and the North Shore. People may not always agree on how to solve problems but I feel it is the responsibility of our civil servants to articulate and advocate for their proposals and votes so the community can see transparently where they stand and why.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

AFFORDABILITY – Making sure our residents can thrive economically with smart zoning and well-rounded community growth for young adults, families and retirees

ENVIRONMENT - Prioritizing sustainability, renewable energy and ecological preservation

EDUCATION - Nurture a balanced curriculum while listening to students, teachers and administrators

THE ARTS - Encourage and support local artisans, teachers and live performance venues

INFRASTRUCTURE - Cultivating safe, effective and thoughtful plans for the future of our roads, commerce and commute. Working with MassDOT and the State to make sure the needs of our populations are being accounted for

FINANCE - Pragmatic and passionate outside the box thinking to balance the budget and secure Beverly flourishes in the 21st Century. Communication with residence to hear concerns and create transparency in taxing and budgeting.

See www.shapiro2019.com for more on my platform

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have been involved in service since middle school and high school student council and went on to serve on the Governors board while at Indiana University. As an opera singer I have succeeded in collaboration with other artists, administrators and technicians, which has taught me so much about listening and having vision for the future. I have also balanced creating successful career and business in Yoga with the practice of guiding patience, authenticity, and clarity. I know these skills are priceless when it comes to serving my neighbors.

Whether organizing charity events, running my own business or pursuing my education I have always been detail orientated and a natural problem solver. I work best in building coalitions connecting people to resources and letting passion fuel pragmatism. In many ways my diverse background has built a multifaceted and highly eclectic viewpoint prepared to review solutions, pursue answers, and take action to benefit my neighbors.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

This may sound cliché but I think it every day - "Be the change you with you see in the world" - Mahatma Gandhi

I am not sure that it is advice, but being the recipient of unconditional love has informed me beyond description. Standing in the empowerment of being an individual with unique traits and experiences has gifted me the love of others perspective and opinions. I feel lucky to share time, conversation, and care with others and I hope to bring that to civil service.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

The more perspectives and good data in the conversation the greater the possibility for affective policy to be made in Beverly. I will listen, I will learn, and I will consider as many voices as I can so when action should and can be taken. My community can be confident their best interests are at the core of my efforts.

Previously Published Beverly Candidate Profiles:

Candidates for reelection are marked with an asterisk (*).

City Council, Ward Three

Stacy Ames

Euplio "Rick" Marciano

Kris Silverstein

City Council, Ward 5

Don Martin *

School Committee, Ward 4

John Mullady *

Jeffrey C. Silva