Windham County and Vermont would be well-served to have Nader Hashim back in the State House.
When I served as speaker of the House, I watched Nader quickly learn the ropes to become an impactful voice in policymaking. He was a key voice on the House Committee on Judiciary for criminal justice, public safety for all Vermonters, and police reform, bringing his lived experience as a law enforcement officer and BIPOC Vermonter.
He also actively supported paid family leave, raising the minimum wage, and curbing Vermont's carbon footprint, and he was one of a dozen legislators who volunteered with the Department of Labor to help Vermonters access vital resources at the start of the Covid pandemic.
As a legislator, Nader is prepared and knowledgeable when presenting legislation to colleagues, listens carefully to other viewpoints, and clearly communicates his constituents' needs to other legislators. He already has friendships and relationships across political aisles which makes it possible to have difficult - and necessary! - policy conversations.
With Windham County losing Sen. Becca Balint's powerful voice as pro tem and Sen. Jeanette White's lengthy institutional knowledge, Windham County will need someone who has legislative experience and solid relationships with key people in Montpelier.