From a union household to the State House.
Christine Barber reads as a full person because four things are true at once: she is a fighter with receipts, a legislator who delivers, a neighbor who shows up, and a leader with a clear vision for what comes next.
Raised in a union household, on the dignity of work.
I grew up in a household that taught me the importance of strong union rights and social justice. My mom was a public school teacher and showed me that women can and must lead. My dad worked at a manufacturing plant and always talked about the importance of creating middle class jobs so working families could live the American dream.
UMass Amherst, and a calling to serve.
I graduated from UMass Amherst, earning a Master's of Public Policy. As a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, my calling was advocating for universal access to affordable health care and organizing against regressive budget cuts.
I helped write the law that became the model for Obamacare.
I began working with Health Care for All, developing policy and advocating for affordable, universal health care. In 2006, I helped write Massachusetts' landmark health care reform law, which became a model for Obamacare. It was one of the proudest moments of my life.
I ran to turn progressive values into action, and I know how to win tough fights.
I've written and passed laws eliminating copays for insulin and inhalers, and advancing pay equity and reproductive rights. The first woman to represent my district, I learned that values only matter when you can turn them into law.
I authored the laws that protect immigrant families.
I authored and passed the law allowing drivers licenses regardless of immigration status, and my bill to ban 287(g) agreements, which deputize local police officers as ICE agents, passed both the House and Senate and will soon become law.
I've brought millions home to our streets.
I've secured millions of dollars for local projects including the Green Line Extension, Alewife Brook Parkway safety improvements in Somerville, and the Main and South Street revitalization in Medford. I've increased pay for home care workers and led on housing, enabling Accessory Dwelling Units and passing the MBTA Communities Act.
The neighbor
Christine lives in Somerville with her partner Ryan and their two cats, and she names her own streets, because she fights for them.
Building on Senator Pat Jehlen's legacy, she is ready to translate values into the next set of wins: housing, immigrant protection, reproductive freedom, climate resilience, and schools, always tethered to the proof that she delivers.
You deserve a Senator who not only shares your values, but can actually get things done.
I'll be ready on day one to deliver for Medford, Somerville, Winchester, and Cambridge.