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Esther Ngotho will be running as an At-Large Candidate for Beverly City Council [Courtesy photo]
Ngotho announces candidacy for Beverly City Council
My name is Esther Ngotho and I am honored and humbled to announce my candidacy for Councilor-At-Large in Beverly.
I am, first of all, honored to be a citizen of this wonderful country. I arrived in the United States in 2001 with my 10-year-old daughter, Anniemarie, and a suitcase of clothes.
We were fleeing a violent situation in our native country of Kenya and had little time to prepare for our future here. We were placed with a Good Samaritan family in Topsfield for one month, after which the Refugee Immigration Ministry resettled us in Beverly.
Thanks to the love and support of this beautiful community, we thrived here.
Through the kindness and openness of our new neighbors, our lives are transformed for the better each day.
When I arrived in the United States, I had a BA in business management. In the interest of serving my greater community, I attended Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing in Billerica, and became an LPN. I built upon that degree with a one-year accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Creighton University in Nebraska in 2009.
As a graduate nurse, I interned at Yale University hospital in New Haven, Conn., and was certified as an RN in Massachusetts in 2013. Still working to enrich my skills and service, I obtained a Master’s in Emergency and Disaster Management, graduating in 2015. In October of 2015, I enrolled to study in a Capella University Doctor of Public Health program, which is still underway.
I credit my educational success — and the fulfilling path of service to my community that it has brought me — to the fact that I’ve been enabled to live in this wonderful country, and now 17 years as a resident in a community that embraced us and our potential.
My daughter could tell you a similar story. She attended Beverly Public Schools and then the Virginia Military Institute before becoming a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. I am proud to say that I recently traveled to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., to witness my daughter’s promotion to a Captain. We are both examples of what is possible when one lives in a supportive and nurturing community like Beverly.
As wonderful as our home city of Beverly is, and as empowering as my experience working with the community has been, there is still much to be done. Minority rights, gender equality and equal opportunity for the poor and marginalized all require daily attention to ensure that opportunities we have enjoyed are available to all.
Because of my commitment to these principles, I was appointed as a member of the Beverly Human Rights Committee; through this work, we strive to celebrate diversity and inclusivity in Beverly, and to ensure everyone has access to the same opportunities. As a housing and anti-poverty advocate I’ve dedicated my time to activities that promote quality, affordable housing and freedom from segregation.
I believe realizing these rights, along with fair access to public transportation, parks and green space, good schools, jobs, healthy food and medical care, can reduce negative health outcomes and improve a city’s productivity and its overall well-being. I’d like to continue and expand that work on your behalf as your City Councilor-At- Large.
I know that as a naturalized citizen and a second language speaker, there is no way I could have achieved my goals, nor been of service to others, without determination, creativity and persistence.
Along with a fresh perspective and a commitment to kindness, transparency, and listening to the needs and ideas of Beverly residents, these are the attributes I would bring to City Hall. I believe that there are many voices like mine that deserve to be recognized and uplifted. If you elect me to City Hall, everyone, including minorities, economically vulnerable people and perhaps in particular, children of color, can look at me and believe that their own dreams are valid and achievable.
Thank you for your support.