To the Editor:

I am writing to lend my strong support to Liz Lempert as she campaigns for reelection as mayor of Princeton.  I have personally witnessed her commitment to principles of equity and fairness.  She has labored without respite to address the needs of residents while standing at the forefront of farsighted urban development.

Princeton is at a crossroads—to become a gilded cage mostly populated by older, whiter, affluent people or to aggressively pursue a future where people of diverse backgrounds are welcome with open arms.  The first option will turn Princeton into an illustration of all that is wrong with American cities—greater residential segregation, greater concentration of wealth for the benefit of a few, and greater social inequality.  The second option will make of Princeton an example of hospitality, inclusion, and democratic participation consistent with the best American ideals.  Liz Lempert understands this.  She has worked hard on behalf of affordable housing, civil rights, better transportation and multiple measures to improve the quality of life for all residents, including low-income families, racial minorities, and immigrants.

Liz knows Princeton from the bottom up; she has the knowledge and experience to improve our collective life. She also has the temperament to address the needs of our growing population.  Her second term will not be solely about promises but, more significantly, about the fulfillment of  projects she has started and will soon blossom for the benefit of many.

A vote for Liz Lempert is a vote to uphold the best, most constructive sense of who we are as residents of Princeton.

Patricia Fernández-Kelly, Ph.D. 

Mason Drive