Letter to the Editor: Supporting Bopha Malone

By Gyasi Burks-Abbottt

Working on the Bopha Malone for Select Board Campaign has been a highlight of the last few weeks. In addition to interacting with people at Candidate Coffees, I’ve also enjoyed seeing different parts of Bedford while canvassing door-to-door. Through it all, I’ve been particularly impressed with Malone’s ability to plan strategically and work collaboratively. It all started when Bopha Malone reached out to me asking for my perspective on living in Bedford. When we met for coffee, Malone listened intently to what I had to say which I might have found surprising given that I’ve only lived in Bedford for 12 years. However, the behavior I witnessed in the coffee shop that day was of a person who has a genuine interest in other people; she easily struck up a conversation with a fellow patron waiting in line and treated what they had to say as if it was of the utmost importance.

And, for Bopha Malone, what everyone has to say is important. Watching her on the campaign trail, I’ve seen how she interacts with people. She asks questions; she listens; and when she answers, she does so directly without pivoting to talking points. Like many of her supporters, I also find Bopha Malone’s personal story compelling; a Cambodian refugee who came to this country with nothing and succeeded in achieving the American Dream. But, what I find equally, if not more, commendable is Malone’s desire to “pay it forward” by channeling her experience and expertise into public service.

And, Bopha Malone would bring a great deal of experience and expertise to the Bedford Select Board. Though new to Town government, Malone is no neophyte; she’s a banker with a business degree from Lesley University, a member of the Bedford Chamber of Commerce, and a Middlesex Community College Trustee. Electing her will give Bedford the benefit of a community leader with a fresh perspective. I hope you’ll join me in supporting Bopha Malone by casting a vote for her at the Town election on March 14^th.

My family and I have lived here in Bedford for the past 10 years. But I’ve known Bopha Malone for much longer than that, and am happy to support her for Bedford’s Select Board.

Like Bopha, I was born in Cambodia, and my family fled the instability and violence there to look for a better life in the United States. When we arrived in the Boston area in the 1988s, we didn’t speak much English and of course, didn’t know the area at all. Bopha’s family had arrived in Massachusetts a year or two earlier, and her family helped mine settle in the area and find jobs. They were a huge help to my family as we got our start here in the United States.

Many years later — in 2016 — with my own family happily settled here in Bedford, we heard rumors that a new family, with a Cambodian woman, had bought a house in our neighborhood. We were very curious, so I looked into it, and was surprised to see that it was Bopha! Soon after, my mother ran into Bopha while shopping and we all re-connected. Since that time, the Malone’s and we have been like extended family. I was happy to be able to repay the favor of helping welcome Bopha’s family to their new home.

I’ve also gotten to know Bopha very well, and have been impressed by how involved she is in the community, both in Lowell and in Bedford. She is a part of so many groups working to support people in need and empowering women and girls. She’s truly passionate about helping others. My family volunteered to help with her campaign for Congress two years ago and were inspired by her message of making the American Dream accessible to everyone.

In talking to my friends around town, I hear a lot about the importance of representation in our town — to provide a voice for young families and for our diverse community. Bopha is willing and able to step up to provide that, and I’d be proud to have her represent us on the Bedford Select Board.