Medford Candidate Profile: Emily Lazzaro For City Council

MEDFORD, MA — The municipal election is fast approaching in Medford, and the city council race is highly contested.

Medford Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles leading up to November.

Incumbent Emily Lazzaro is running again for a City Councilor at-large seat in Medford.

Age

40
Position sought

Medford City Councilor At-Large

Party affiliation

Democratic

Family

I am married with two children in our public schools, ages 10 and 8.

Education

I hold a BFA and MFA from Boston University and a Graduate Certificate in Gender,
Leadership, and Public Policy from University of Massachusetts Boston.

Occupation

I am a writer and I am the President of the Board of Directors at the Malden Warming
Center, a nonprofit emergency homeless shelter.

Previous or Current Elected Office

I am currently elected to the Medford City Council.

Campaign Website

https://www.emilyformedford.co...

Why are you seeking elected office?

My work on the Medford City Council has just begun. I am looking forward to continuing my
work to protect Medford residents from federal overreach by shoring up their rights to bodily
autonomy, keeping our pedestrians and cyclists safe on our streets, funding our schools,
and using creative strategies to increase revenue so we can help as many people thrive as
possible.

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

The single most pressing issue facing Medford is unsafe road conditions for pedestrians
and cyclists. I was outraged by the fact that two people were killed in crosswalks this past
winter. People are literally dying in the streets! When that happened, I personally took up
the issue and pressed the Mayor, the traffic department, the police department, and state agencies that control the roads where the crashes took place, alongside community groups,

to make changes to those roads so this will never happen again. That work is happening

now in Medford. I will continue this work in my second term.

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

I believe in representative democracy. When you vote for me, you are voting for my
priorities and my values and also someone who listens and works hard to understand the
ongoing, shifting, and changing needs of her community. But I will continue to be upfront
and honest about what I believe in and what my priorities are. My moral center guides me
and If you vote for me, you know exactly what you are getting. I will carry out my goals and
you can count on me to do that. I will also balance the needs and opinions of my
constituents. I believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every human being, and that is
one thing I will never negotiate.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I care deeply about affordable housing, feeding our hungry neighbors, and increasing our
commercial tax base so that we can increase our resources to then share with our most
vulnerable residents. Medford should have more services for its vulnerable residents,
especially now that those resources are being slashed at the federal level.

The best advice ever shared with me was __________

Don’t read the comments.

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

I am an extrovert and I like to chat! I am happy to explain any position I’ve taken on
anything, as long as the discussion is entered into in good faith. I believe that everyone in
the city wants what they think is best for Medford, and that’s why they are getting involved. I
welcome lively discussion and debate. I find that I can build bridges with everyone I meet.
One of my favorite people, someone who I consider a friend, once called me the worst City
Councilor Medford has ever seen, which is an accomplishment because Medford was
incorporated in 1630. But we found one issue we agree on, and the rest is history. We had
a playdate with our kids and we bonded over cookies and lemonade. I don’t think they’ll
vote for me, but we are friends now. Everyone has inherent worth and dignity and I will die
on that hill. There is goodness inside all of us.

See Also:

City Council Race Narrowed: Medford Preliminary Election