Isabel Sorice

I am truly honored to support Sam Hammar for Mayor of Melrose. Sam is not only my friend, she is exactly the leader I believe our community needs to thrive. She is charismatic, trustworthy, intelligent, (loves to sing!), is able to connect with anyone, and deeply loves Melrose. She has all the experience we need in City Hall with decades of work in state and local government, as a dynamic community organizer, and as a masterful communicator.

But what I believe makes Sam Hammar unique is this. Sam is a passionate advocate for social justice and equity. She not only talks the talk but she walks the walk. She's not afraid to stand and speak for those who cannot and she is unapologetic about making those voices heard. Her compassion, empathy, and willingness to stand for what is right is inspiring and contagious.

Sam Hammar is a special kind of leader. She is 100 percent confident in who she is and what she values, but she refuses to operate in an echo chamber. She has the courage to seek out difficult conversations because she knows the challenges of our time are not simple two-sided us-versus-them issues. They are not solved by arguing in the comment section of social media or by making simple assumptions about people based on politics. Sam will always call people in rather than singling people out. And while we need to avoid the trap of conflating engagement with agreement or unity with the necessity of us working together, Sam not only listens to people who think differently, but she learns in her quest to find real solutions to our most complex and divided challenges. Because that’s what it takes to make a more safe community for all of us.

When Sam Hammar decided to run for Mayor, I was so very grateful. In a dangerously divided world, Sam knows we in Melrose are not as divided as we sometimes seem on the surface and that we have to come together to talk and meet one another if we want to get the hard work done. She is a gift to Melrose and I am so happy to share her awesomeness with you. We are ready for Sam to lead. Let’s vote on September 19 to bring Sam to City Hall.

Isabel Sorice
20 Bartlett Street