As city councilors and school committee members from across the Commonwealth, we express our solidarity with our colleague, Worcester City Councilor-At Large, Thu Nguyen, and our anger at the gender-based disrespect they have received from other Worcester city council members and the Mayor of Worcester, Joe Petty.

We stand united with Councilor Nguyen in calling for the City of Worcester’s Chief Equity Officer to openly investigate Councilor Nguyen’s complaints, to create and implement an action plan to end the discriminatory behavior on the Worcester City Council, and to foster an environment where all Worcester residents can be represented fairly, regardless of their gender identity, by their elected leaders.

We applaud Councilor Thu Nguyen for courageously putting forth their demands and taking a hiatus to honor their wellbeing, and we thank City Councilors Khrystian King and Etel Haxiaj for putting forward public statements and ordinances to support Councilor Nguyen’s demands. We are disappointed by their council colleagues who have chosen to remain silent and evade accountability.

Councilor Thu Nguyen’s courage in speaking out about the disrespect they have received from their colleagues reminds us of the similar work to be done in our own communities to ensure that all diverse voices are heard.

It does a grave disservice to our constituents and communities when other elected officials’ behavior thwarts our ability to carry out the work we were elected to do.

As elected representatives from throughout Massachusetts, we stand in solidarity with Councilor Nguyen and commit ourselves to holding our respective governing bodies to the same standard of creating a working environment in which all people are treated with dignity and respect.

Respectfully,