001Hi everyone, my name is Peter Piaza and I'm running as a first-time candidate to represent the good people of W 6 on the Malden school committee. Now, I'm running for two reasons. The first and the most important is that I'm a parent of two students in Malden public schools. I have a kindergartener and a third grader at Salemwood School. The other reason I'm running is that I've spent my entire career in education policy research. I work for the center for education policy at UMass doing uh advocacy and research projects on things related to curriculum and um [snorts] and assessment. Now, when I'm knocking on doors in my ward, I hear about a lot of the issues that I work on in my professional life. I hear about dual language instruction. I hear about student mental
002and emotional health. I hear about access to libraries and the importance of reading diverse books. All of these things are enormously important to me both as a parent and as a professional. And these are the kinds of perspectives that I would bring to the Malden School Committee. And as important as those things are, the main reason I'm running though is to hear from and represent the people of W 6. We are in an unprecedented time for public education right now. And I think that the best way that we can meet the turmoil at the national level is to build communities locally. And so I want to be that voice that represents the community in the places where decisions are made. I want to hear from you. I want to hold office hours. I want to
003communicate online about the things that matter to you in your schools so that I can represent your voices on the school committee. Now on on November 4th, I'm running on a post. So, my name is the only one that you'll see on the ballot, but I hope to earn as many votes as I can on the election, and I hope to earn your vote as well. If you want to learn more about my campaign, please feel free to visit piaza4maldin.com with the number four, and also feel free to reach out by email with any thoughts, questions, concerns you have about Malden Public Schools. Thank you. >> Hello, Wad Malden. My name is Kimberly Marie Gillette and I want your vote this November 4th, 2025 for school committee. I'm a lifelong resident of Malden and I
004graduated Malden High. I think Ward 1 is ready for some serious change this year and I want to be part of that change. Change happens when we speak up. Let me use my voice to represent Ward One. I want to make changes that benefit generations to come in our community. I've been volunteering with some of Maldin's most impactful organizations for decades. During my years with the PTO, I would take a week off twice a year to run the Scholastic Book Fair to ensure every class had enough time for their visits because we have short of volunteers. Libraries had been closed at this point and outraged, I fought alongside other PTOs month after month to get what little help we have today. Parents are still supplementing libraries. I believe in access to books with librarians in
005libraries in our public schools. If elected, I promise to speak out against the status quo. I will hold elected officials accountable for budget issues affecting our public schools funding formula, city and statewide. Educators need support to be successful and Malden deserves leadership that wants to fight for the best interests of students, families, and educators. I understand the needs of families, and I have been inside the schools helping out for decades. My kids and I use the parks and playgrounds around us. We walk, bike, and drive around Malden. We love the variety of restaurants and attend local events. I'm invested in Malden as a small business owner, a parent, and a resident. Let me show you the positive impact your vote can have in Malden by electing me for school committee this November 4th. You can
006find more on my Facebook page, Kimberly Marie Gillette for School Committee. Thank you. Hi, my name is Aira Nab and I'm running for school committee ward 4 here in Walden. I'm running because I believe every voice within our schools deserves to be heard. Together, we can build an environment where everyone is seen, supported, and inspired to succeed. One of my key priorities is to advance diversity and inclusion. Our schools are rich with individuals from a variety of different backgrounds, beliefs, cultures, and experiences. For instance, Molden High School alone speaks 70 different languages. If elected, I aim to create opportunities for us to learn together from organizing cultural events, awareness weeks, and open forums that allow students to share their stories. Diversity goes beyond mere representation. It's about fostering understanding and respect. My primary focus is
007mental health. I think we can all agree that school can't be easy. Balancing homework, activities, and personal life isn't easy. I want to prioritize mental wellness by breaking the stigma around it. Perhaps by organizing wellness days or peer support programs and ensuring students know where to go for help when they need it. If you choose to elect me, I promise to listen closely to your concerns and represent your voice at every meeting. I will work to ensure the school committee makes decisions that generally reflect our community needs. Together, we can build a school environment that is supportive, inclusive, and connected. Our city is facing an unprecedented financial crisis linked to the way state level funding is distributed by the chapter 70 formula. I am committed to not only securing level funding for our public schools,
008but actively seeking opportunities to increase funding with by grants or partnerships with local organizations to ensure that our students have all the necessary resources they need. I ask for your vote on November 4th, not just for me, but for all the school community. we can build together where we belong, where everyone matters, and everyone has a chance to thrive. Thank you for listening and believing in what we can accomplish as a team. For all more information, go to my website, voteforab.org. Hi, I'm Carrie McDonald, one of your Malden city councilors at large, and I'm excited to tell you I'm running for reelection. I'm running for a third term because I want our community to be affordable, accessible, inclusive, and dynamic for everyone who lives here, for our kids, and for the generations to come. We
009need leaders right now because our city is at a crossroads. We need leaders with creativity and focus and teamwork to make it through. And that's what I want to bring to the table. I'll give you an example. Last year, we started a program called Malden Community Electricity. Malden Community Electricity has saved our residents millions on their utility bills and has added more clean energy as well. The way it works is that the city negotiates a bulk rate on electricity and automatically rolls it into your bill. I sponsored the paper to create Malden Community Electricity, working with our city staff, the mayor, my city council colleagues, and our residents, and ultimately even advocating at the state to get this approved and get it in place for Malden. Malden Community Electricity is part of an even broader
010initiative called our climate action plan. When I ran for the first time in 2021, I said we need a climate action plan. And I'm glad to say now we have one in place. It is a roadmap for the next generation to figure out how Malden can reduce our greenhouse gases and protect the planet while we protect our neighborhoods from rising temperatures and worsening storms, especially those of us who are most at risk. Our climate action plan leads us to help residents convert their homes and businesses to electric heating and cooling, to plant more trees, to deal with storm runoff and flooding, and to make sure there are cool spots in our parks to rest. This is an example of one of my three priorities for this year. My priorities are sustainability, affordability, and inclusivity. In
011addition to climate action and clean energy, sustainability means sustainable finances for our city. I chair the finance committee on our city council and can tell you we've got some challenges ahead, which is why we need open and honest conversation and I'm committed to help continuing that to happen. It also means sustainability of our infrastructure, our roads, repairing our sidewalks and removing lead pipes. So sustainability. The second is affordability. In addition to utility bills, we have sky-high housing prices in Malden that are pricing people out. It means that folks who want to stay can't afford to do so. This is a regional crisis, but we can do more to make it easier for folks to improve their properties and to create affordable housing in Malden. And finally, inclusivity. making sure that this is a safe and
012inclusive community for everyone who lives here from our LGBTQ community and our immigrant community to our kids and our seniors. I also want to tell you a little bit about myself. I live in the Faulner Forestdale neighborhood. I'm married. I have two kids in Malden public schools and we volunteer in the community at through organizations like the Molden Warming Center. Professionally, I am a nonprofit executive for the national organization. My background is in economics and management, and those experiences have really taught me how to make an organization work well, how to build and lead teams, how to handle crisis, and how to stay focused over time. They've prepared me to chair the finance committee, as I said. And I want to be honest that we do have financial challenges in our city. But again, I
013will make sure that residents voices are heard and that we continue to manage our finances very well as Molden has been doing for the last few years while investing in the things that matter most like our schools and our public services and our libraries and parks. On the council, I've been a bridgeuer to help get things done. I am very clear about my values, but I'm always willing to work with my colleagues who may have a different opinion. In [snorts] a diverse place like Malden, we won't always agree, but we don't have to attack each other to disagree, and we can always find common ground in some places to work together. You know, my kids watch our council meetings, and I want them to be proud of their leaders when they see us trying to
014work things out together. You know, each day seems to bring something worse in the news. But whatever comes out of DC, whatever the next terrible storm might be, I am buoied and I get hope from the passion and the dedication I see right here in Malden. That's what I want to be a part of and that's why I'm running for reelection. So, I hope to have your support and your vote on November 4th, 2025. If you'd like to read more about me, you can visit McDonald Formalden, mcdo n fo r m- aldn.com, and reach out to me from there. Thank you so much. >> Assalamu alaykum and good evening Molden. My name is Muhammad Abutaha and I'm running for city council at large. I lived in Molden for the past 30 years. I came as
015a refugee and I were I came with nothing but determination. I have deep roots in the community and I'm standing in front of you to ask for trust and vote where we can build Molden that truly belongs to everyone and feel everyone in Molden is welcomed. Uh I was born in Palestine in a refugee camp. I came 35 years ago to the US without nothing but determination. I worked in a gas station as a cab driver, as an Uber driver, as a limbo driver too. Now I have a degree in information technology and I work as infrastructure engineer at Milroy's Wakefield Hospital. Uh let's work together and build better Molden for all of us. I'm running because I want the city government to listen to everyone, not just the loudest voices or the well-connected. Molden
016is one of the most diverse cities in Mass. Over 60 languages are spoken here and nearly half of us were born outside the US. That diversity is our strength, but we need leadership that understands it. I want to bring the perspective of an immigrant, a neighbor, someone who lived the challenges of working families to city hall. When knocking on doors, I hear the same things over and over. People struggling with rising rents, traffic safety, and limited youth programs. I'm running to make sure Molden stays a city where families can afford to live, kids can feel safe, and every resident can have a voice. Molden is facing a housing crisis. I'll work to expand affordable housing, support rent stabilization, and create pathways to home ownership. For working families, so long residents aren't pushed out of the
017city they help build. Every neighborhood deserves safe crosswalks, working street lights, and sidewalks that senior and children can use without fear. uh traffic calming and pedestrian safety and better infrastructure near schools, parks and community spaces are priorities to me. Our kids are our future. I'll advocate for after school programs, youth jobs, and summer learning opportunities. I'll make sure our schools respect family values and cultural diversity while giving every student the tools to succeed. As a Muslim, my faith teaches me compassion, fairness, and service to other. I will ensure that Molden remains a place where people of all faith and backgrounds are respected, where mosques, churches, synagogues, and temples feel included in civic life. I'm not a career politician, as you can see. I'm your neighbor who can who believes we can make Molden better together.
018I'll be accessible and accountable. someone you can reach, talk to, and trust to stand up for you. Whether you live in W one or W 8, your voice matters to me. On Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, I ask you to please vote for Muhammad Abu Taha, city council at large. Let's build Molden that works for everyone, where d Let's build Molden that works for everyone, where diversity is celebrated and families supported and government truly serves all the people. Salamu allayikum. Thank you and may God bless you and our beautiful city. >> Hi, my name is Solomon David and I'm seeking your vote for counselor at large for the city of Malden this November. 18 years ago, my wife and I moved to the Malden area. We fell in love with the small town feel, the diversity,
019the convenience, the friendly atmosphere, the overall culture of Malden. Malden is our home. Like anyone else, we want to keep it safe, healthy, and secure. I was taught growing up if you have a complaint, if you have an issue, you need to be part of the solution. I do have an issue with how city council has been run lately. Too much infighting, not enough communication. Malden City Council needs to focus on issues that unite and directly connect and impact our community as a whole. All of Malden, we need to focus on responsible budgeting, financial responsibility. If our recent trash crisis has taught us anything, it's that a new contract, which is coming soon, is going to cost us over $2 million that we don't currently have. We need to make difficult financial decisions. And within
020those decisions, I think there are positions that can't be overlooked. first responders, teachers, health professionals, librarians. These are essential services that we need to secure, that we need to make sure are part of any responsible budget. We need as a city to encourage the development, support, and growth of small business. The gaming district was a good start, but we need more. These are where jobs in the community, money flowing into the community comes from. We need to encourage them. We need to listen to them and respond to their needs. We need to finalize solutions to the lead contamination in Roosevelt Park. We have plans. We need to actually implement them. Our parks are where our community members go to exercise, to play, to meet. Our parks are where we meet so many other members of
021our broad community. And we have a treasure here in Malden, one of the most diverse communities, not only in the US, but even in Massachusetts. Over 70 languages spoken, countless faiths, countless cultures. When I was a young man, I asked my father, who had served on countless boards and groups, what what could I bring that was most important? And he brought it forward. Communication. So many people in organizations like our city council, so many of our counselors are focused on getting their own message across, reasonable, but they forget to listen to the messages of the other members. We need someone to help us all to bridge that gap. I believe I can be that person. My background is in broadcasting and education. I've taught on the college level, the high school level, even middle school
022in over 16 disciplines, including sociology, political science, journalism, ethnic studies, American culture studies. I feel I can help make the needs of the 65,000 residents of Malden understood to all the members of city council so we can meet those needs and help everyone to get along. Please feel free to visit my web page davidforaldin.org the number four. Look me up on Facebook and Instagram. and thank you very much for listening. Voting is a right and a privilege. Responsible voting means understanding the issues and the candidates. Thank you for taking that time and I hope to earn your vote this November. >> Hello, my name is Karen Cologne Hayes and I'm seeking reelection as your city council at large here in Malden. I feel real at home in this uh studio as I've uh worn many
023hats in Malden over the years and a lot of them was partnering here with what used to be MAV and now is UMA. Um community building is very important to me and that is why when we decided to make Maldin our home, my husband and I helped co-found um a neighborhood group called uh Fuji or Friends of Oakrove Inc. where we work to make improvements and connections in Malden. and I'm proud to say that 20 years later, we're still going strong. Uh, Uma has always been a partner with many events. So, it's really great to be here. Um, I've been around Malden for a long time, so many of you know me, but for those who don't, I was born in the Bronx where I learned from my parents about community activism, and I've never
024stopped. I have a degree in social work and was the director of the psychiatry research program at the Beth Israel Deaconist Medical Center um up until we decided to have a family. I have three girls who all graduated from Maltton public high schools and my husband is a business owner at the Beacon Architectural Center in Boston. Years later, I decided to go back to work and I worked for the city as the human services and community outreach director for the city of Malden. Um, and I was able to use my background in social work and business development to make sure that I would be able to provide many services for all of Malden residents. But most recently, it's been a true honor to serve as your counselor at large, where I have dedicated myself to
025ensuring our city government remains accessible to all residents. We are entering into some very challenging times and we need experienced leaders to navigate us through making sure we don't lose vital services such as safety, uh, the DPW, fire, and our city employees. Transparency is a core value for me and it fosters trust between the community and our local government. We need leaders who are honest, hold one another accountable, and conduct themselves with professionalism. At the same time, we must move beyond petty disagreements and avoid wasting our time. By working together, we can navigate the challenging times ahead. With my deep love for Malden and my dedication to service for more than three decades, I will act as that vital link between new residents and longtime community members. I'm proud of the work that I have
026done for affordable housing. And both in my role on the city council and through my personal commitment, I've been dedicating to advancing affordable housing initiatives in Malden by serving as a board member on the Metro North Housing Corp. and also on the ARPA committee, which we donated or we um developed a lot of affordable housing in Malden. The combined efforts we had done 14 units at the bread of life which are fully occupied today and they bring new residents who can enjoy what we have to offer like the outdoors. My family loves the outdoors and I believe access to green space is vital particularly in an urban environment. It's essential that we keep our parks and protect all of our green spaces. One of the reasons why we bought our home in Malden over 30
027years ago was because of the Middle Sex Fells hiking reservation where we spend a lot of time and also the Malden River where we actually canoe and kayak on there that not many people know that you can do. Um and we are continuing to work on the Malden River which will be transformed. the Malden Riverworks um project will be transformed in Malden and bring a lot of new growth and new people to come and canoe and kayak on our river. My career has been deeply centered on working with youth, beginning with supporting atrisisk youth in an outwardbound program, tripling the size of the youth employment program, and continuing today with the establishment of the first ever Malden Youth Council to increase youth civic engagement. Mentoring our young people helps them navigate challenges with greater confidence
028and it's why I will continue to provide this support to our youth in any way that's helpful. Finally, I'm proud to be the daughter of a union president and the director of the Hispanic inmate needs department in the federal prison systems in New York where he was the first Puerto Rican to hold that role. Because of this legacy, I stand firmly in support of our unions, openly demonstrating my solidarity by joining Picket Lines and offering assistance wherever was needed. Many of you are aware that I spent the past two years taking care of my father who passed away about six months ago. I hold him close in my heart and his heritage and his strength is always with me. As I navigate you all and us through these challenging times, we have much more to
029do together. I remain steadfast in moving forward regardless of the challenges and obstacles that are put before me with focus firmly on the people of Maltton. Your needs will always be my top priority. I'd be deeply humbled and I ask for your support on Tuesday, November 4th, for one of your votes for city councelor at large. Thank you so much.