Hong Net’s experience stands out

Hong Network

In just a few days, voters in West Lynn and Nahant will elect their next state representative. I am running for state representative in Essex District 11 to serve this district and advocate for the resources we need to increase investment in infrastructure, job creation, public safety, and essential services like mental health. My experience—my life story, my professional career, and my seven terms on the Lynn City Council—have prepared me to be an effective leader and advocate for the rights and needs of our community.

My vision for the future is based on my past. As a survivor of the Cambodian genocide, I came to the United States as a 15-year-old refugee with nothing but a plastic bag and a broken arm. After graduating from UMass Amherst, I was called to serve in restoring democracy and opportunity to my birth country and worked for three years with the United Nations Development Program to support economic development, education, and job creation in partnership with the newly established democratic government of Cambodia.

I returned to Massachusetts and chose Lynn to settle and raise my family. I have dedicated my career to social services—as a child support specialist for the Massachusetts Department of Revenue for almost 30 years, and most recently as a partner in a small business—an adult health care facility that serves families in our communities. I am a proud union member. Outside of work, I have taught immigration and citizenship classes and worked with young people experiencing trauma and the impact of violence and substance use.

In 2011, I was elected to the Lynn City Council. As alderman-at-large for 14 years and chairman of the Ways and Means Committee for eight years, I spearheaded historic investments in affordable housing and new school buildings and made difficult decisions to balance our budget. Drawing on my own history and the experiences of my constituents, I established the Lynn Human Rights Commission to address discrimination and advance civil and human rights.

I have lived and endured trauma and hardship, spent my life serving and advocating for others, invested in my community as a citizen, and led as a city councilor. As your State Representative, I will use that experience to fight for more resources to address the challenges we face in West Lynn and Nahant. I will push to revitalize and protect our waterfront and invest in climate resilience. I will advocate to address violence at its source by investing in schools and after-school programs and expanding mental health and substance use services. I will work with my colleagues in the State House to lower health care costs and expand access to affordable housing and tenant protections. With 14 years of experience addressing community issues as an elected official, I am ready to bring that same dedication and commitment to serving the 11th Essex District.

I humbly ask you to vote by September 3.

Hong Net is a Lynn city councilor who is running to represent Essex’s 11th congressional district in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.