The Hartford Courant recently profiled Pamela Cranford (pictured at right with her sons K'Ronn and Kevin), who is running for her first elected office after serving on the Human Relations Commission, the Manchester Scholarship Foundation's Board of Directors and on the search committees for a new Town Manager and Assistant Superintendent of Schools. Excerpts are below (emphasis added).Interestingly, in the article one Republican candidate said, "... I truly believe that Manchester is the best town in the state of Connecticut..."Cranford said she is running because, "It's time for the board of directors to reflect the diversity in this town."
Cranford, a 45-year-old contract manager for the state Department of Children and Families, said she is representing the single mothers and people of color in Manchester. Cranford, who is black, is the only person of color running in the major races.
"I would definitely do whatever I can to advocate for keeping costs down ... and continue to get your basic needs met," she said.
Cranford said education, race relations and programs for senior citizens are her three main issues. She served on the human relations commission for two years and helped create Parents of Students of Color about 10 years ago to strengthen the relationship between certain parents and the Manchester school system. She said she ran a program that connected seniors with tutoring youth in Hartford in the 1980s.
"I would love to have some kind of mentoring program between the youth and the seniors," Cranford said.
We couldn't agree more. It's quite a compliment when a member of the opposition party acknowledges the hard work and successes of the entire Democratic team.
