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Friends,
In honor of Nika's 47th birthday, I wanted to share my story about why I came out of retirement for Nika. 
When my second child was born, I "retired from politics" and the JP Progressives to spend more time with my kids. But then that same year I met Nika Elugardo in her pivotal 2018 run for State Rep. I immediately came out of retirement to support her, bringing my young children along with me, to canvass around Jamaica Plain armed with fliers and sporting oversized Nika tee shirts.
I knew Nika would stand up to take the brave votes that our district deserved, but what I didn't know until later was how good her inside game and diplomacy would turn out to be.
Nika has been quietly winning hearts and minds inside the State House to support long-needed progress in affordable housing, equitable education funding, and criminal justice reform. And she is doing this without watering down her message, or compromising on brave votes for transparency and systemic change. In the State House, Nika holds a position of leadership in the true sense of the word - serving as an outspoken example of courage, while coaxing other Reps along to support progress, without alienating or publicly lambasting them.
I'm proud to continue supporting her courageous leadership again this year. I moved to Virginia this summer to be closer to my parents, but I am still contributing to Nika's 2020 campaign from afar. Massachusetts can serve as an example to the nation if legislators like Nika show what progress is truly possible.
I'm emailing you because even though I (now) live hundreds of miles from Boston, I'm still a part of #TeamNika, and I hope you will be too. This Sunday, we're throwing a special birthday celebration for Nika called "47 years of stories." I hope you come and share your story. See you there.
Cheers!
Gumby
Ps. Do you have a #TeamNika story you'd like to share? We'd love to include them as part of Nika's birthday present. Submit your story here!
Nika's Party: Sunday, August 1st at 7:15 PM on Zoom.
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