Hong Net

In just a few days, the voters of West Lynn and Nahant will choose their next state representative. I am running for state representative in the 11th Essex to serve this district and to advocate for the resources we need to expand investments in infrastructure, job creation, public safety, and essential services like mental health. My experience — my life story, my professional career, and my seven terms on the Lynn City Council — has prepared me to be an effective leader and a champion for the rights and needs of our community. 

My vision for the future is built upon my past. As a survivor of genocide in Cambodia, I came to the United States as a 15-year-old refugee with nothing but a plastic bag and broken arm. After graduating from UMass Amherst, I was called to serve in restoring democracy and opportunity in my birth country, and worked for three years with the United Nations Development Program to support economic development, education, and job creation in partnership with Cambodia’s newly created democratic government. 

I returned to Massachusetts and chose Lynn to settle in and raise my family. I have dedicated my professional career to human services — as a child-support-services specialist at the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, where I’ve worked for nearly 30 years, and more recently as a partner in a small business — an adult day health-care center that serves families in our communities. I am a proud union member. Outside of work, I taught immigration and citizenship classes and worked with young people experiencing the trauma and impact of violence and substance use. 

In 2011, I was elected to the Lynn City Council. As a councilor-at-large for 14 years and the chair of the Ways and Means Committee for eight, I have spearheaded historic investments in affordable housing and new school buildings, and made tough decisions to balance our budget. Drawing on my own story and the experiences of my constituents, I founded the Lynn Human Rights Commission to address discrimination and advance civil and human rights. 

I have survived and endured trauma and hardship, spent my life serving and advocating for others, invested in my community as a citizen, and led as a city councilor. As your state representative, I will leverage this experience to fight for more resources to address the challenges we are facing in West Lynn and Nahant. I’ll push to revitalize and protect our waterfront and invest in climate resilience. I’ll champion addressing violence at its root cause by investing in schools and after-school programs and expanding mental-health and substance-use services. I will work alongside colleagues in the State House to reduce health-care costs, and expand access to affordable housing and tenant protections. With 14 years of experience addressing community issues as an elected official, I am ready to bring the same dedication and commitment to serving the 11th Essex District. 

I humbly ask for your vote on or before Sept. 3.

Hong Net is a Lynn city councilor who is running to represent the 11th Essex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.