Inclusive women community leaders unite to endorse Anna Kelles

We, the undersigned, are endorsing Anna Kelles for State Assembly, 125th District. We are all progressives. We are leaders in our community. And we are women, women raising our united voices with this endorsement. We write this not as representatives of any organizations, but as concerned private citizens. We will not remain silent when so much is at stake…

We are artists, politicians, businesswomen, authors, academics, and front-line workers who have made our mark. We work and sacrifice for our community. More importantly, we are women, women who are daughters, mothers, aunts, and grandmothers who believe all of our children deserve the best hope for a brighter future. Doing what we have always done before is no longer an option. We need new ideas and new perspectives. We need to elect a representative who is uniquely suited for this difficult time and has a vision for our future. Anna Kelles is that candidate… 

A superior candidate should not have to wait her turn. In the words of the great Barbara Jordan, we don’t need another “run-of-the-mill-politician” who fits the mold. During this time, we need the woman who breaks the mold, a woman with brains, heart, courage and authenticity. That’s Anna Kelles…. We hope you’ll join us in supporting her on election day.

Sincerely,
Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Eliza VanCort, Aleshia Akers, Anna Bartel, Kathy Bergin, Gladys Brangman, Cynthia Henderson, Sara Xayarath Hernández, Rachel Hockett, Kathy Jett, Anne Koreman, Dianne Mack, Johara Malcolm, Harmony Malone, Barbara Mink, Tish Pearlman, Alice Ploss, Yael Saar, Katie Spallone, Anke Wessels 

Bob Howarth, Climate Scientist

“I endorse Anna Kelles for our State Assembly seat being vacated by Barbara Lifton. Lifton has been a powerful, effective voice for our district and for the State, and she will be sorely missed. Many strong candidates have come forward to run for this seat, but Anna Kelles stands out.

“I have been in many meetings with Anna in recent years, and know she is smart, articulate, and always well informed. She is progressive on a variety of issues and supports universal single-payer health care, housing as a fundamental right, affordable childcare, and mandatory vaccines. Most importantly to me, Anna understands that we are in a climate crisis, and she is committed to a green transition.

“Last year, New York passed one of the most progressive climate action laws in the US, thanks in part to Barbara Lifton’s effort. The new law sets ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and moving to renewable energy – and promises to do so in a way that is equitable.

“To reach these goals will require much work and constant vigilance. Anna fully understands this, and knows that informed leadership from Albany is needed if New York is to move away from natural gas infrastructure and take steps such as electrifying transportation and home and business heating. We are going to need a clear plan for economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 and Anna has the strongest green infrastructure and workforce development plan to help us through this crisis. 

“I am confident Anna Kelles can help provide this leadership, and if elected will well represent the citizens of Tompkins and Cortland Counties.”

Bob Howarth

For identification, Howarth is a professor at Cornell University, an Earth system scientist, and an expert on how methane emissions from natural gas contribute to climate disruption.  He is also an expert on renewable energy policy and is a member of New York State’s Climate Action Council, the body charged with implementing the new climate action law. 

Barbara Mink, former Chair of the Tompkins County Legislature

“As someone who served on the Tompkins County Legislature for 12 years, five of them as Chair, I am proud to endorse Anna Kelles for Assembly in the upcoming primary June 23 and in November. For the last five years Anna has held the seat I once occupied, and has been a strong fighter for Fall Creek as well as Tompkins County:

• She has authored and championed legislation advocating for human rights, immigrant rights, and local environmental protections

• On the state and federal level she wrote and fought for environmental and health protections, authoring legislation that served as a model for neighboring counties

• Anna chairs a living wage community task force and works with City counterparts on many important neighborhood quality of life issues

“But most importantly, she has been a consistent, trusted voice in communicating news from the TC Health Department about the COVID-19 situation. Her newsletter gets sent to listserves throughout the County, and is a combination of empathy, compassion, and hard facts. I look forward to being represented by Anna as she brings her strength, resilience and intelligence to the job of Assemblywoman.”

—Barbara Mink

Dr. John-Paul Mead

“I have just returned from a month in New York City, treating COVID-19 patients at a large hospital, where I learned much related to coronavirus, medical therapy, poverty, race, homelessness, public health, and politics. As a result, I will break with my past to give my endorsement to Anna Kelles for NY Assembly, District 125.  I have known Anna for more than 30 years, and have been proud to have her represent us in the Tompkins County Legislature. As a community and a country, we are facing an unprecedented challenge from the the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the logistical difficulties of voting while avoiding infection, it is fortunate that we have an election this fall where we can choose leaders that can begin to meet this challenge.

“Anna has a PhD in nutritional science, and lectured at Cornell University in Nutrition and Public Health. She has outstanding training and practice in biology and statistics; our state sorely needs someone skilled in these disciplines as we navigate the complex biology of COVID-19 and use science and statistics to inform decision-making over the next two years. Our Assembly does not currently have a single member who could believably say they fully understand statistics and public health.

“I understand that another candidate in this race is not in favor of mandatory vaccination for schoolchildren. All children must be vaccinated for serious and life-threatening diseases, with exceptions only for true allergies or serious immune suppression. Any deviation from this mandate ignores a century of basic science and public health research. Allowing parents to opt out of vaccines endorses a completely self-centered choice, ignoring the vaccine's benefits that come to society as a whole, such as herd immunity. Avoiding immunizing yourself and your children also puts at risk every other person in the community who is immunosuppressed, has poor uptake of a vaccine, or is unvaccinated due to social and financial circumstances.

“Unlike Anna, I am not a public health trained scientist. But I am a physician who strongly believes we need a trustworthy representative who makes decisions based on science, logic, and with the benefits to society at the front of mind. After seeing the devastation, both within patients’ bodies and on the streets of NYC, there is no question that we need to protect individuals in our society, as well as our shared economy, by organizing wide-scale testing, contact tracing, and isolation, even if these feel like an infringement on personal liberty. If a vaccine is every successfully developed, we must give it to every child, and every adult who wants to participate in the economy.

“Please vote for Anna Kelles in the June 23rd primary and the November 3rd general election.”

—John-Paul Mead, MD, FACP