To the Editor:

Without hesitation, I endorse Rebekah Harriman-Stites' run for the 106th State Legislative District seat for Newtown. She has demonstrated her dedication to public service and education advocacy. I know she will approach her position in Hartford with the passion and dedication that she shows in her roles on the Newtown Board of Education, as a business owner, and as a community organizer.

I know Rebekah best through our joint work on the Board of Education, where currently I serve as chair and she serves as vice chair. I have seen Rebekah work efficiently and determinedly for the betterment of one of Newtown's greatest assets: its schools. I admire her ability to work with others, championing important initiatives and navigating some of the district's more difficult decisions with adroitness. She does not shy away from hard conversations. She is articulate, thoughtful, and adept at bringing others to see her side of an issue.

Rebekah works tirelessly for our district on many key committees - serving on the District Safety Committee, the Contract Negotiations Committee, chairing the CIP/Finance Committee, the Superintendent Search Committee, and currently the Policy Committee.

She is equally committed to advocating for our community in broader ways. I was awed by her work as Candidate's Committee chair for Newtown's Democratic Town Committee, where she recruited other highly qualified residents who desire to effect positive change through volunteering for municipal offices, boards, and commissions. She founded Newtown Forward, a grassroots nonpartisan advocacy group that educates, empowers, and enables residents of Newtown to make positive changes through political processes. She brings skills from her years of small business experience - fundraising, communicating, and event planning - to her community service.

Rebekah has what is needed to represent Newtown's interests at the state level. I encourage you to get to know Rebekah and support her campaign.

Sincerely,

Michelle Embree Ku

28 Platts Hill Road, Newtown June 6, 2018