John,

The inscription on the base of the Statue of Liberty resonates with me deeply. It’s not just as an expression of our national values, but an invitation to my family. I grew up internalizing it as the reason why I’ve had the remarkable fortune of growing up as an American.

I don’t take that opportunity lightly. Generations of people from my native country toiled under the conditions of overt colonialism, before the era of de-colonization in the mid-twentieth century. But even after formal de-colonization, colonial power dynamics remained—not just between countries, but even within ours.

Between Hunter’s Point and Union Square is a cultural and economic distance every bit as vast as the one that my parents traversed from Pakistan to England to Missouri. The privilege to have grown up on this side of that migration has defined my life, my work, and my passions.

Nothing matters to me as much as defending our Republic. I’ve watched its decline into an authoritarian abyss with alarm, and worked tirelessly for 20 years to do everything I can do stop it.

I’m running for Congress both to continue that work, and to defend democracy from the authoritarianism embraced by career politicians.

I am proud to stand with you as we fight to defend our shared values.

Solidarity, love, and hope,

Shahid