total time: 7.07 minutes
total words: 76
[6gZWVWRAa_8_SPEAKER_01]: Second, Mia, where did Mia go? Thank you for your years of service to our kids. We really appreciate it. It is not easy to serve as a member of a school committee. I served as a member of the school committee many years ago over the river in another town we won't talk about. But I am proud to represent this city in the House of Representatives. And Erica, wow, outstanding. Wish you so much luck. We're going to get to work. I have the honor of introducing not just an outstanding candidate and someone who's going to be an absolutely stellar member of the Medford School Committee, but also someone who I have viewed as a friend for many years, Erin Olapade. Many folks will introduce folks from their own perspectives of how they have gotten to know that candidate. And I first got to know Aaron many years ago when he was young, even younger than he is now. And by the way, that youth is a strength, Aaron, and I would wear it as much as you can, because you're going to work hard to get older every day, I promise you that. But when Aaron was very young he interned in my office so he did two lawn summers in my office and every intern I try to set up with bills pieces of legislation budget issues that they want to work on and I just have them take it you know run with it do what you can and I will support you and appreciate all the work that you do on those bills and Aaron chose two bills that I thought was very wise, but bills I didn't necessarily think he was going to choose. One was around, and these are bills that I had filed, one was around restorative justice and making restorative justice the law. in the Commonwealth. At that time, restorative justice, the option was to use that as a piece of criminal justice reform. And it was used in Arlington, Lexington, Wayland, Concord, Carlton. You get the themes? It was used in predominantly white communities. And he thought that that was wrong and that this bill would extend it to all 351 cities in the Commonwealth. He chose that one. He also chose a bill around opening our 29 public higher education institutions for students with autism and Down syndrome. And I thought, wow, you know, 18 years old and those are the two bills focused on supporting the most vulnerable, social justice and equity. And I was inspired by that. And during the summer, he was supposed to present to lawmakers on these bills. and one of the lawmakers who won't be named called restorative justice the hug it out bill which is not a positive name for the bill and it is not what it is and Aaron stood up very respectfully and really told him everything about the bill, why it was so important, and why gateway cities and other communities of color needed restorative justice as an option to mass incarceration. And he did it so eloquently, and the bill got passed. And that, the summer later, we were sitting in our office and Christine Barber was there and we were talking about the problems that Medford and other cities and towns were facing because of the current formula on charter schools, how that was money that was being taken directly from our kids in Medford who go to the public schools by taking away from Chapter 70. And we were trying to figure out what are options that we could bring to the chairman of Ways and Means to help Medford. And Aaron was in those conversations and during the meeting he said, well, why don't we do a pothole account? and a pothole account was a sum of money that could be used to give cities and towns that are being hurt by the current formula. It wasn't a solution, but it was a way to plug the holes to help Medford. And Jenny was very active on those conversations as well, as you remember, as many of the school committee members who are here. But Aaron provided that, that guidance, that wisdom. So as a former member of the school committee, I know what it takes to be a school committee member. I know what it takes to be a good one. And I can tell you unequivocally with zero hesitation that Aaron Olapade will be a stellar member of the school committee because of his wisdom, his ability to listen, his ability to collaborate, his character. It is stellar with no questions. And as Jenny mentioned so articulately, school committee members have to work with each other. That doesn't mean they're going to vote the same way. We don't want a school committee that always votes the same way. We don't want groupthink, right? But we want school committee members that are able to partner on things, to be able to get things done, right? And that is Aaron. And he is going to bring his youth and wisdom to an already strong school committee and only add to it. Don't underestimate the importance of having someone on the school committee that went through the Medford Public Schools. That will be able to give that perspective. I'm not questioning any superintendent, whether it's Medford or Arlington, but we know that You know, sometimes there's more to the story, and that's not saying that anyone is hiding anything. But imagine to have someone on the committee that is engaged in the hallways of our school system, that knows our teachers, that knows what is being instructed and how it's working and how it's not. So I am passionate to support my friend Aaron, who's going to bring that perspective, who's going to fight for everything from you know, make sure Medford gets its fair chair chapter 70 and general government aid and making sure that we work with the Mass School Building Authority and the delegation to rebuild Medford High School. We need your help. We need you to knock doors. We need you to write those checks and support Aaron because I promise you He will support you for the next Arlington it's three years and Medford it's two years. He will support you for the next two years and it's an honor to introduce my friend Aaron.
[Aaron Olapade]: Hi, everyone. I just want to say thank you so, so much to all of you for being here. Sean, I could not have said that even better than myself. That was great. Thank you so much. That was very kind, and it means a lot to me. As Sean mentioned, I've known him for years, and I truly look at him as a friend and a confidant and advocate, a big, big supporter of mine. I mean, he's one of the people who initially got me interested in politics and community engagement, civic work. That really started for me, and I'm happy to be here and be in front of you and be able to speak to you about my platform, what I'm passionate about, and my campaign so far. So, I think, of course, initially, for those of you who don't know me, my name is Aaron Olapade. I'm 23 years old. I've been living in Medford for about a decade now with my mother and my brother. We moved in 2013. I was an Andrews Middle School and Medford High School student and graduate. I then graduated from Medford High 2018, as I mentioned, and I did City Year Boston, an educational non-profit in Charlestown. Massachusetts, working with at-risk youth, teaching them math and English skills. I then went to college, I studied political science and I graduated just this past May and now I'm back here in Medford and I'm hoping to make some change. In my pursuit of civic engagement, of faith leadership, trying to be in service to a cause greater than myself, I started very early on, I think freshman year of high school, doing my community service hours. I think some of you who are parents here or some of the kids may know that at Medford High you need 60 hours of community service work to graduate. And I did that. My mom, luckily, is a pastor in the community. ask, you know, non-profit people, other people, lay workers, things like that to kind of give me access to community service work. I did that all freshman year and I found so much love and joy through the people I was helping, people I was interacting with, people who needed, who were helping me, that I kept up in that pursuit and I just, here we are, I'm still doing it. I'm finding more and more joy every single day trying to be of service to others, trying to understand people better, trying to be at the intersection of of faith leadership. And so I'm really excited to be here. I've really pursued this type of work. I work as a youth coordinator for the NAACP, the Mystic Valley branch in particular. I was a community liaison for the Medford Health Department for over a year and a half, working with the Black and African American communities, trying to get them access to COVID relief, food stamps, understanding how the bus routing works, things like that, teaching them about emergency management, a variety of things that people in the city unfortunately don't know about or don't have access to. due to language barriers, a misunderstanding of how the city governance works. And so here we are. I think now being back, a recent graduate being back in Medford, I find that the youth in our city really need some help. And I think they've been helped over the last little while because of our great school committee. But I think there's even more work to be done. We've only scratched the surface, really, about all these types of issues and platforms that we're all pushing for. And I'm really excited to talk to you about that. Usually I'm pretty good in group settings, but I'm feeling a little stressed because there's a lot of people looking at me. And I'm not usually one to have people look directly at me. So I have a little succinct speech that I'm going to read off of so that I get to the point and we all can continue communicating, conversating, being communicative with one another. Because that's what this event's about, really. Meeting one another, seeing each other smile, seeing each other have a good time, and being with one another. So, today we gather here to discuss some of the most pivotal aspects that shape the future of our community. Equity inclusion, quality education, safe learning environments, education equity, supporting staff and educators, and community collaboration. These elements form the basis of a thriving educational ecosystem that nurtures the potential of every individual regardless of their background, abilities, or circumstances. At the heart of my mission is the pursuit of equity inclusion. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every student, regardless of their abilities, race, gender, socioeconomic status, or any other identifiers, receives an education that not only imparts knowledge, but also instills a sense of belonging. strengths, and challenges deserve tailored attention. However, quality education goes beyond just academics. It's about fostering critical thinking, creativity, and a deep passion for learning. Quality education recognizes that the world is evolving rapidly, and our students must be equipped with the skills that enable them to adapt and thrive. When we provide our students with the tools to think critically and independently, we're investing in a future generation that can solve the challenges that lie ahead. This pursuit of quality education for all cannot exist without a safe learning environment. Students and educators alike should feel secure in their surroundings, free from physical harm, emotional distress, or spiritual affliction. A safe environment encourages open dialogue, empowers students to express their thoughts freely, and enables educators to teach with confidence. It's a foundation upon which lifelong learning is built. Education equity goes hand-in-hand with those ideals. We must acknowledge that not all students start from the same place, but every student deserves access to equal opportunities. This means addressing disparities in resources, access, and support. By prioritizing education equity, we're not only enriching the lives of individuals, but also fostering a community, and thus a society, that thrives on the strength of its diversity. Supporting our staff and educators is equally crucial. They are the front line of our educational landscape, dedicating their time, expertise, and passion to shaping young minds. Empowering educators with professional development opportunities, fair compensation, and a safe work environment enables them to guide our students with enthusiasm and dedication. However, our mission doesn't stop within the walls of our educational institutions. Community collaboration, just like this, is the bridge that connects our schools with the broader society. Encouraging parents, local organizations, businesses, and community leaders in the educational journey creates a holistic support system for our students. When we work together, we demonstrate our commitment to nurturing responsible, informed, and compassionate citizens. Dear friends and community members, these core elements of my platform, as I just laid out, equity inclusion, quality education, safe learning environments, education equity, supporting our staff and our educators, and community collaboration are not separate components, but threads that we weave together to create a tapestry of a prosperous society. Let's embark on this journey together with determination, empathy, and a shared vision of a future where every individual's potential is realized and our collective strength shines brightly. Thank you very much.
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total time: 7.07 minutes total words: 76 |
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