New London’s schools aren’t reaching their potential, and this year’s Board of Education election is the public’s opportunity to change that. That’s why the Connecticut Working Families Party is proud to endorse Alisha Blake, a lifelong advocate for working families who brings a fresh perspective to the Board of Education.

Alisha’s gone against the grain her whole life. She’s not afraid to challenge conventional practices that keep our children behind. A mother of three, her two oldest children currently attend C.B. Jennings Elementary school. She understands that every child deserves a great education, and she is a tireless advocate with a real stake in the future of New London’s schools. Part of why Working Families exists is to empower strong, progressive candidates like Alisha, who truly are reflective of the communities they serve.

Since 2002, Working Families has been challenging the political status quo in Connecticut, achieving statewide victories like increasing the minimum wage and securing paid sick days for workers. Every day, we cut through the corporate lobbyists to fight on behalf of working families across the state. On education, we back candidates who fight for greater quality, access, and equality in our public schools while opposing corrupt privatization politics. That’s why we’re proud to endorse candidates, like Alisha, who fight for our children.

It’s no secret that the city has underserved its public schools for a while now. Education funding has been flat for 7 out of the last 10 years as enrollment has increased. Lack of investment damages performance, which both hurts the city in the long run and expands the school-to-prison pipeline. With better funding, New London can achieve better results.

Alisha represents common sense solutions to these issues. She would start with better funding for public schools, while standing firmly against privatization. Her budget would then prioritize that funding for classrooms and students, especially by hiring more teachers who are reflective of the community they serve.

Another way she would help improve the performance of New London’s schools is by taking care of the nutrition and well-being of children. One astoundingly missed opportunity is the Universal Free Breakfast and Lunch Program, a federally funded program that started in May 2015. New London easily qualifies for this assistance, with over 90 percent of its student body qualifying for free or reduced lunch. By simply filing the paperwork, the Board of Education could better feed its students and simultaneously save money that can then be invested elsewhere in the school system. Other cities like Hartford, Bridgeport, Waterbury, and New Haven have already done this.

The failure of the New London Board of Education to join this program speaks volumes for the need for candidates like Alisha.

Alisha has fought for all of the above, and more. Her record of accomplishment lives in every mother and child she has helped. In addition to working at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital for over a decade and founding New London Birth Services, she has a terrific record volunteering for her community. She helps incarcerated women in childbirth, assists a childbirth education group based in Niantic, and facilitates a Baby Cafe program for breastfeeding mothers in Norwich. A nationally certified birth and postpartum doula and lactation counselor, she helps businesses to comply with breastfeeding standards and state regulations. In addition, she volunteers her time serving breakfast for the Boys and Girls Club’s summer program.

Alisha Blake is the kind of tireless worker that this city’s children and families need. She carries the spirit of New London with her in all that she does, and Connecticut Working Families Party is glad to endorse her as the right candidate at the right time for Board of Education in November’s election.

Carlos Moreno is the interim executive director of the Connecticut Working Families Party.