Decision 2019: Ward Six Councilor at Large from NewTV Government on Vimeo.
The incoming Newton City Council is scheduled to elect its new president and vice president this Thursday (Dec. 14) at City Hall. As noted earlier, Susan Albright, Cheryl Lappin and Marc Laredo have expressed interest in being president. According to Amy Sangiolo’s fabulous newsletter Vicki Danberg and Rick Lipof are running
Friday night something very special happened here in Newton. Seventeen candidates for elected office walked up to a microphone and shared a five minute personal story to a crowd of 150 people at Gregorian Rugs. The stories were funny, poignant, heartbreaking, emotional, scary and everything in between.
Thanks to Maureen Reilly-Meagher and Walter Frankel devoting their Saturday to the effort, we now have the video edited and those stories available for all of you.
Friday night’s Nomad Story Slam was a non-political event in the middle of the most heated part of a political season. For most people, getting up and telling a personal story to a crowd of strangers is a daunting task. For candidates for public office it is twice as daunting and we are thrilled that so many stepped to the microphone.
Friday night we asked the audience to refrain from any bit of negativity. Enjoy the stories or not. We encouraged them to cheer on the storytellers if they liked but absolutely no hissing, booing or heckling. The audience was wonderfully compliant with that simple request. I’m going to ask the same of all of you here on Village 14.
Just as I brandished a large hook on Friday night. I’ll brandish a small Delete key tonight.
Enjoy the stories for what they are and continue all the campaign comments on the many other Village 14 threads … and never the twain shall meet.
Many many thanks to Gregorian Rugs, our video crew, the Newton Nomadic volunteers, the audience, but most of all to the storytellers. Click on the names below. Enjoy.
Ted Hess-Mahan – co-host and outgoing City Councilor
Anping Shen – candidate for School Committee
Deb Crossley – candidate for City Council
Andreae Downs – candidate for City Council
Eileen Sandberg – candidate for School Committee
Janet Sterman – candidate for City Council
Matt Miller – candidate for School Committee
Jake Auchincloss – candidate for City Council
Susan Albright – candidate for City Council
— intermission —
Amy Sangiolo – co-host and outgoing City Councilor
Jim Cote– candidate for City Council
Jerry Reilly – Newton Nomadic Theater
Ruthanne Fuller – candidate for Mayor
Margaret Albright – candidate for School Committee
Scott Lennon – candidate for Mayor
Nicole Castillo – candidate for City Council
Brenda Noel – candidate for City Council
Brian Yates – candidate for City Council
Andrea Kelley – candidate for City Council
Vickie Danberg – City Councilor bonus story
