BRATTLEBORO — David Zuckerman and Brenda Siegel would be the duo that Vermont needs to move the state forward with vision, compassion, and commitment.
Most of us know what Zuckerman, a Democratic candidate for governor, stands for. He has been a longtime surrogate and worker for Bernie Sanders and represents those ideals: economic and social justice, respect for the environment, and the urgency of consequences of climate change.
Brenda Siegel is a less-known figure, but the candidate for lieutenant governor increasingly has an impact on what goes on in Montpelier. She's been working tirelessly to find compassionate solutions to the opioid crisis, which we are still grappling with, and she is firmly on the side of a livable wage and Medicare for all. She is a passionate voice for the struggling, the marginalized in our society.
Siegel understands that the arts and social services need not be an either-or. As creator of the Southern Vermont Dance Festival, and as a supporter of the arts in all forms, she will be a voice for that important sector, too often left out of the economic equations.
Her creative endeavors evince her ability to think creatively. Furthermore, she understands that the arts add value to the Vermont experience, but most importantly, that they can be empowering and energizing and provide soul nourishment, that they are as important in their own way as putting food on the table.
As quoted in a Reformer piece on Aug. 1, Siegel says she seeks to “build a path forward for those marginalized and forgotten to have a seat at the table with equal voice and equal power.” It seems after the COVID-19 pandemic, many more of us will know what that feels like.
We need a Zuckerman-Siegel team that will be in sync with our Legislature and allow us, as a state, to think big as we move into our post-COVID-19 future.