There have been theories put forth about the result of the recent mayoral election in Lewiston. Some find fault with Lewiston for that result. They miss the point. The outcome no more supported the status quo of negative leadership than it rejected the possibility of positive leadership.

The current political theory is that if you run a “professional” campaign and put enough money into it, then the outcome is a win. What many political experts did not get was that no polling or knocking on doors could predict or understand the strength of the experience of being “from Lewiston.” Those of us who are “from here” have earned our membership in this club by enduring the continued insults, marginalization and bad reputation that being “from Lewiston” guarantees. The facts do not support these old perceptions, but they persist.

Why is this bullying still okay in the state of Maine?

While most of my friends who would pride themselves on being “progressive” would jump to the defense of a person being bullied or a group being marginalized because of their ethnicity, culture, or gender, when it comes to Lewiston, that smug arrogance still exists. Most don’t want to admit it, but it was obvious during this campaign. I see it from “friends” on social media all the time. The subtle slurs and insults continue as if it is okay to put down nearly 40,000 people because they all live in one place.

In the end, the mayoral election was not about parties or even ideologies, it was about family.

We have a strong sense of place here. Those who endure hardship and are classified as second class form a bond, a connection that was remembered during the campaign. We disagree in our family, we make mistakes, we fight, we even fall down, but we are family. Let no one from the outside looking in criticize or judge us, they haven’t the right, they have not paid the membership dues. We continue to pay those dues in insults and degradation simply because we live in Lewiston. Our family circled the wagons, dug in and resisted what they perceived as outsiders trying to force us to change.

This connection is one of our strengths, one of which we can be proud. It can also get in our way and become an obstacle to that which will grow and sustain our community. Lewiston has changed in the last 15 years and some of our family members have resisted that change. The difficult truth for some of us to understand is that we need to change even more to develop a strong economy, fund a great education for our children and create employment opportunities that attract people from all over the country; indeed all over the world, to choose to live and work here in Lewiston. The demographics in our aging state and in our city dictate that we must welcome new family members or we will not survive.

We will hear even more languages on our streets, we will see more people who look different, who come from different cultures and have different religious beliefs. Our family needs to help those who have concerns when asked to accept this new reality. We need to support each other in creating a community that welcomes new family members. They bring strength to our economy. There is room for everyone in this community. We will honor our heritage as we prepare for the future.

Our children’s children will inherit a Lewiston that is different than who we are now and the greatest gift we can give them is the strength and confidence to adapt and change as the times demand. The world is changing so fast, it can be confusing. All we know for sure about the future is that it will look like nothing we have experienced or perhaps can imagine. The best legacy we can leave our descendants is the bravery to accept change and all the discomfort with which it comes.

Our family will encourage those who resist, sigh and sometimes ignore those who complain, who do not yet understand why we need to change. We will smile and nod at old “Uncle John.” who gives his opinion to those he believes need it, insulting as those remarks may be, for we know we are changing. We know more change is required, even as it is awkward and a bit messy, perhaps especially, as we are heading in the right direction.

We will get there. We know the courage and bravery with which our ancestors built this city; it echoes in our bones. They came from different countries and cultures, they spoke different languages and practiced different religions. Their legacy is our city, our home. They found a way and we will as well.

After all, we are family. We are Lewiston.

Kaileigh Tara is a former mayor of Lewiston.

In the end, the mayoral election was not about parties or even ideologies, it was about family.