Today we are continuing our profiles of progressive candidates running at all levels of government in the United States to continue to bring change to their communities and prevent the decline of democracy, the rise of authoritarianism, and the regression of civil rights and the right to reproductive healthcare.

This week we are highlighting Lindsay Sabadosa (she/her), an activist who is a current representative in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Lindsay, a mother of one, has been a protest and community organizer since the age of nine. The issues that she champions are promoting women candidates, reproductive rights, Medicare for All, the rights of immigrants, and increasing the minimum wage. Sabadosa has been active with organizations such as the Women’s March on Washington, Planned Parenthood, the Pioneer Valley Resist Coalition, and is a board member of both the Abortion Rights Fund of Western Massachusetts and the Doula Association for Reproductive Loss and Abortion (DARLA).

Where are you based?
I live in Northampton, Massachusetts.

What is your position/what position are you running for?
I am the State Representative for the 1st Hampshire district, which includes the City of Northampton and the towns of Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Hatfield, Plainfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg, and Worthington.

How would you briefly summarize your platform?
My focus is on health care as a right and expanding reproductive health care. However, I also believe that my work is grounded in equity and, as such, I spend a lot of time working on criminal justice reform, transportation justice, and birthing justice as they are all areas where there are deep inequalities in our state.

What inspired you to run?
When I was nine, I organized my first protest march to try to save our local library, which was being shut down because of budget cuts. I learned quickly that budgets are moral documents and we need strong advocates in office who are willing to put the needs of people first in crafting those budgets.

It took a long time before I decided to run, but I remained constantly involved in politics, both helping to elect other candidates and working on state-wide issues. I served on the board of Emerge Massachusetts, an organization that trains women to run for office, and helped on campaigns around Paid Family Medical Leave, increasing the minimum wage, protecting immigrant rights, and advocating for Medicare for All. So when this seat unexpectedly opened in my district, I realized that it was time for me to step up and transition from an activist/advocate to elected leader.

© Lindsay Sabadosa for State Representative

What change are you hoping to bring to your district and country?
Massachusetts tends to be a very Boston-focused state. My district is far from Boston but we have Main Streets, arts scenes, and colleges that are the envy of the state. I love to say that my district is perfect because you can hike in the morning and still run into town to grab an amazing cup of coffee after. It is the best of both worlds: urban and rural. It is truly an incredible place with a diverse, eclectic constituency, and I want to make sure that it is on the map and at the heart of policymaking; I want people to understand that my district has all of the same problems as Boston, whether it be affordable housing, transportation, or access to healthcare, and I want us to play a part in every conversation on Beacon Hill. My constituents deserve that.

How long have you been in office? What do you consider to be your major accomplishments so far?
I am currently in my third term in office. One of my major accomplishments was passing legislation that expanded medication abortion to college campuses and eliminated copays and deductibles for abortion care in Massachusetts. These were both priorities and bills I filed immediately upon winning my seat. I’m also proud to have worked to make pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraception available in Massachusetts.

What do you feel are the most important issues right now, why, and how do you plan to tackle them?
Broadly, the most important issue right now is protecting democracy on the federal level. It is incredibly hard to work on the state-level with a federal government that is constantly at a standstill and engaging in political showmanship. The gridlock hurts us. We want dollars to flow to the states so we can address policy issues and we want good partners. I intend to focus on national elections this year in order to hopefully break up this logjam.

On the state level, housing, education, and healthcare are all top of mind. We have several bills in the works this session to address each area, but none of these are “one and done” topics. We have to continue to intervene to make change, follow up on implementation, and ensure that the legislation has its intended effect.

America is extremely divided these days. How would you hope to bridge that divide with your constituents to better unite Americans?
America may be divided but Massachusetts isn’t. I’m proud that I have a great working relationship with elected leaders of all parties here. Whether we agree on all issues, there is a baseline of respect that guides our work. The same is true for my constituents. No one always agrees, but I answer every email I get personally and am always open for deeper conversations if someone really wants to dig into a policy question. I find that openness and communication are key; it doesn’t mean we’ll see eye-to-eye but it does mean that we know we can talk to each other.

How do you see your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office?
In my time in office, I’ve come to realize that each legislator brings something unique and different and that is to our collective benefit. Personally, I love talking to people and I think the best legislation comes from that because it is responsive to community needs. My life experiences inform how I interact with my constituents, and I feel like they make me more empathetic. I definitely feel like this is a team effort with my constituents!

What is your motto in life?
My high school yearbook quote was “No bird soars too high that soars on its own wings” from the poet William Blake. When I went to answer this question, I wasn’t sure it was relevant, but I think the message contained therein about being true to yourself rings true.

Where can we find out more about you?
My website is lindsaysabadosa.com and I’m on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2024 - Lindsay Sabadosa, Massachusetts House of Representatives, 1st Hampshire District