While we regret that we were unable to host our second TASHRIA Forum this month due to scheduling and logistical concerns, our members spoke loud and clear on Friday when they unanimously voted to endorse Tarrytown mayoral candidate Karen Brown and her running mates David Kim, Becky McGovern and Effie Phillips-Staley. All four candidates will be running on the Democratic and Tarrytown United party lines in the upcoming village election on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

The four candidates were the only ones who responded to a questionnaire that we sent out this week in the waning days of the village campaign – asking for candidates to weigh in on the most important issues that our members have organized around and advocated over the past year. While we weren’t in complete agreement with their opinions on all of the issues, all of these candidates expressed a willingness to hear and work with community organizations such as TASHRIA in addressing these important issues now and in the future. We look forward to having a seat at the table – along with other community groups – should they prevail on Tuesday.

We believe that preserving diversity, fighting for equity, and ensuring that Tarrytown is a place where people of all backgrounds, faith traditions, gender identities and sexual preferences are welcome is the most important priority facing our leaders today. Brown, Kim, McGovern and Phillips-Staley have demonstrated through their experience and their responses to our questions that they are committed to these important goals. For Tarrytowners that care about protecting and preserving human rights, there is simply no other choice.