I’m writing to share why I’m voting for Tamisha Civil for Governor’s Council in the Democratic primary on Sept. 3.

I know Tamisha personally, and I am inspired by her story. She is the proud daughter of Haitian immigrants who came to the United States in search of better opportunities. Tamisha became the first person in her family to ever graduate from college, earning a master’s degree from Northeastern University in criminal justice and leadership. She has put that degree to good use working alongside judges, defense attorneys and assistant DAs to make our system fairer. As an associate probation officer, she helps people safely reenter society after serving their time. She also works at a domestic violence shelter as a legal advocate for victims of assault and organizes in her community to address homelessness and mental health.

Tamisha’s passion for the criminal justice system stems from a personal tragedy: Her cousin, someone who helped raise her when her parents were at work, was falsely imprisoned for murder when she was a young adult. She had to watch as he sat behind bars for years, not even allowed to attend his own mother’s funeral. He was exonerated in 2021, but by then he had spent 27 years in prison. No words can capture the sheer injustice of it all.

The criminal justice system failed Tamisha’s family, but she turned that injustice into a passion for helping her community. That’s Tamisha — someone who thinks of others before herself, someone who is tireless in her efforts to create a better world for us all. It’s also why she’s campaigning on issues that matter: advocating for equal justice, treating substance abuse as a mental health issue rather than a criminal issue, and seriously addressing domestic violence. She is also 100% pro-choice, and she has promised to only vote for pro-choice judges so that our rights are safeguarded here in Massachusetts. As a councilor, Tamisha can ensure that these issues are properly considered by Gov. Healey’s appointees.

Tamisha has the right vision and qualifications to be an excellent governor’s councilor. I hope you’ll consider joining me in voting for her in the Democratic primary on Sept. 3. If you want to learn more, please go to her website at tamishacivil.com.

— Judy Conway, campaign manager

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