This week has been many things
It’s heartbreaking as we continue to live our lives and celebrate our victories when their is so much hurt in our communities today.
I keep coming back to this James Baldwin quote: "I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually."
Since Mr. Floyd's murder, Santa Fe activists have sustained ongoing protests, engaged our leaders, and demanded we invest in our communities first.
Already we've seen positive steps, but make no mistake: Santa Fe and New Mexico have a lot further to go.
Modern policing overextends our police forces and the results are fatal. We need to invest in our communities and make sure our families - especially our Black, Indigenous, Brown and Immigrant brothers and sisters - are treated as community members and not enemy combatants.
To that end, a friend recommended a thoughtful read that I want to share with you: The End of Policing by Alex Vitale
My husband - who I have immense respect for on the topic - recommended this massive resource list for families: https://thework.education/resources-for-parents/
And I hope you'll take a moment to recommend materials that may have been helpful to you. Please leave any articles, papers, or books in the comments that you may recommend.
I'm listening and learning right now so that we can pass thoughtful New Mexico-specific policies that enable us all to rise up together.
We did it!
After every vote was counted, I am honored to accept the Democratic nomination for House District 45!
Thank you to everyone who helped us and kept us in your thoughts and prayers. YOU were the difference in this race!
We came into this race as a long shot. We didn’t have the name recognition that some of our opponents had. But I wanted to make sure that our families had a voice at the table. That we were represented in the Roundhouse.
We knew that connecting directly to the working families of House District 45 was going to be critical to winning. We knocked on doors until we had to social distance. We made calls until it was bedtime. And we wrote handwritten letters, introducing myself, my family, and my vision for our community.
When we did everything by the old book, we did everything by the new book: reaching voters online and spending more time on Facebook Live than I ever imagined. Mostly I’m proud of the dozens of vote safely kits we distributed to our community.
This race is about you: our kids’ futures - their education, their earth, our parents - their income and wellbeing, and about how working families can have a secure economic future.
My team worked tirelessly and I promise to continue to work and do everything I can to represent you.
On to November!
Every vote deserves to be counted
As many of you know, we’re still waiting for results for the race for the Democratic nominee for House District 45. Right now we’re in the lead. And while we’re cautiously optimistic, the most important thing is that every voter is heard. This is the bedrock of our democracy - our great experiment.
I chatted with the New Mexican about this race. Read more here: https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/elections/santa-fe-county-clerk-gets-until-saturday-to-count-house-district-45-votes/article_4f60e2b8-a5aa-11ea-8f62-731359c6a291.html
Before results come in
As polls close and before we know any results, I just wanted to say thank you. While I wish we could've spent more time in person together, I'm thankful we connected through Facebook Lives, phone calls, and those early conversations at your doors. Over and over again, I was uplifted and reminded why I'm proud to raise my daughter in our community.
This election, we worked our hardest. I'm proud of how this campaign has shaped the race. Working class families were the center of the conversation - exactly where we deserve to be.
Thank you for being an active part of our democracy,
Linda Michelle Serrato
Democrat for HD 45
One more day!
I can't believe we're almost at Election Day!
Team Linda has been working overtime to reach voters and help individuals vote and we have some tips for tomorrow!
If you're still making a decision in HD 45, please take a moment to learn more about Linda Serrato
If you are voting in person: If you are going to vote tomorrow, please be kind to our poll workers. They are adjusting to a different environment than any of us could have predicted. Be sure to wear a mask and respect social distancing guidelines. If you live in House District 45 and need a mask, pen, gloves and alcohol wipes, request a Vote Safely Kit from Team Linda! We can deliver it before voting begins tomorrow.
If you didn't receive your mail in ballot: I know many of us are still waiting for our mail in ballots to arrive. If you receive it, please take your ballot to an Election Day voting location or the County Clerk's office.
If you don't have it tomorrow, you can vote by signing an affidavit confirming that you do not have a ballot and you can vote provisionally. All provisional votes are counted.
However you vote, be sure to stay safe. We can make a difference in our community and our state!