Helina Fontes Announces Candidacy For District 6 Gov. Council

The following was submitted as a campaign announcement by Helina Fontes. If you would like to submit a campaign announcement, email samantha.mercado@patch.com.

Minority Woman, Mother and Program Director of a Mental Health non-profit located in the Northeast region, Helina Fontes announces on June 4, 2020 her candidacy for Governor’s Council, District 6, in the September Democratic primary.

About Me:
As a first-time candidate, my decision to run was inspired by my own personal lived experiences with the MA judicial system as a family member, my work as a mental health recovery program administrator and community organizer. As a woman of color, I have seen and experienced first-hand the devastating impacts that our current justice system has on individuals, families and communities. As a mother, I have had to endure the pain of the incarceration of my own son. As a program director, I have witnessed individuals in mental health distress sent to jails and prisons who would have been more appropriately served by community-based treatment programs. I am running because we must add racial, professional and socio- economic diversity to a council where there currently is none. I am running to ensure that the men and women appointed to the benches and parole board are representative of the communities they serve, understand the unique challenges of those communities and have demonstrated a personal commitment to jail and prison diversion, community integration and have no implicit biases.

What recent and tragic events involving the killings of unarmed black men have shown us is that our current justice system, even here in Massachusetts, is imbalanced and negatively impacts minority, disabled and low-income populati disproportionately.

Growing up as a foster kid and survivor of childhood sexual abuse that devastated so many aspects of my life, I made many mistakes in my youth. I see myself as a testament that people can and do recover, without incarceration, when they receive the proper tools and support. I am living proof that anyone, regardless of their backgrounds, can overcome and go on to make positive and impactful contributions to their communities. I want others to have the tools and support that I had, and until we stop needlessly incarcerating people of color, disabled and low-income individuals who pose no threats to public safety, this will not be achieved.

Why the Governor’s Council?
I am running for Governor’s Council, District 6, because as the elected body responsible for vetting and approving the commonwealth’s justice, clerk and parole board nominees, the council plays a key role in shaping the quality and integrity of the Commonwealth’s justice system. With full autonomy to examine and vote as they choose, the council has a unique opportunity to evaluate the character and values of nominees to ensure that no harmful implicit biases exist that perpetuate racial and socio-economic inequalities and the cycle of mass incarceration. In order to create a justice system more empathetic towards, and reflective of the many populations residing in Massachusetts, we must first start by diversifying the council responsible for vetting and filling these positions.

We must start paying attention to the council, judicial nominating process and the individuals being appointed to serve our communities. As elected officials, Governor’s Councilors have an obligation to vote according to the needs and best interests of their constituents. It’s time for the voices, and needs of people of color, disabled, low-income and working-class families to come first and take precedence over special interests.

Many have made claims that only attorneys should be appointed to the council because they alone are able to determine if nominees possess the right skill, training and experience required to effectively serve. I refute that argument because before nominees are presented to the council their qualifications and experience have been fully vetted by the Judicial Nominating Committee. Therefore, with their capability to serve well-established prior to nomination, instead of focusing on what’s already been determined, the council can and should be screening nominees with a more holistic criterion, with the needs of all the Commonwealth’s diverse populations in mind.

To find out more about me or to get involved please visit https://www.helinafontes.com. You can also find me on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helina.fontes