Two years back, I was deeply frustrated with the political leaders in Maine and Lewiston. Every time I read a local headline, I was embarrassed, saddened and shocked. Then, a young man who was running for mayor of Lewiston, Ben Chin, inspired me to get involved politically — for the first time in my life. I headed to his campaign headquarters and said: “Put me to work. What can I do to help?”

Chin is running again for mayor of Lewiston. I am gladly supporting a candidate who “leads by example” and with compassion. He has worked to raise Maine’s minimum wage for thousands of workers, including me, and to serve kids (like mine) by fighting for funding the public schools.

Through his example of hard work and love of community, I became part of a movement in Lewiston, working toward a vision instead of complaining on the sidelines.

Melissa Stevens, Lewiston