Students for Roz Pelles

Esteemed Central Committee Members:

It is with heavy hearts tonight that you gather to appoint someone to fill the District 18 delegate seat. Jane Lawton, in addition to being a stellar legislator, was an incredible friend and ally for our county’s students. She worked tirelessly on our behalf, and was always there (with a smile) to lend an ear to our concerns. We knew that, with her, we were just as important as the politicos with the big mouths and the big checkbooks. She helped inspire dozens of young people; we will sorely miss her, her advocacy, her friendship, and her ever-present smile. She is truly irreplaceable.

As you choose the next person to represent District 18, we urge you to consider the candidate who will best carry on Jane’s legacy of student empowerment. That candidate is Roz Pelles.

Roz is not a politician. From her days with CORE to her behind-the-scenes role in so many recent political efforts, Roz has always been content to forgo the recognition and praise she has deserved; her reward was seeing goals actualized and change accomplished. We are thrilled that she is finally ready to take on the leadership position that she has been ready for for so long. We know she will do it with the humility and quiet dignity that we have always appreciated.

We owe so much to Roz; she opened the door to political activism for so many of us and has always been a source of support and guidance. We have benefited not only from her wisdom, but from her caring and soulful approach to politics that, in an age filled with such fear-mongering and divisiveness, is incredibly inspiring.

Roz will not give students a place at the bargaining table; she will give us a seat on the living room couch. She will pour us a cup of coffee and allow us to pour out our ideas and concerns. We know that she will treat us with the same warmth and energy that we always received from Jane.

As young activists, we are often told that we are the future, the leaders of the next generation. We see no reason to wait that long. We want to inherit a community that is safe, healthy, vibrant, and governed by legislators who will champion our issues and allow us to become active parts of the political process. We know Roz will be that legislator.

Sincerely,

Avi Edelman
Immediate Past President, Blair High School Young Democrats

Adam Yalowitz
Immediate Past Student Member, MCDCC

Lea Savard-McNicoll
Immediate Past Student Member, MCDCC

Ben Bazyluk
SGA President, Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School

Freddy Mancia
SGA President, Albert Einstein High School

Molly Martinez
SGA President, Montgomery Blair High School

Sarah Horvitz
Immediate Past Student Member, Montgomery County Board of Education

Sebastian Johnson
Past Student Member, Montgomery County Board of Education

Ben Elkind
President, Montgomery County Region (MCR), Maryland Association of Student Councils

Terence McPherson
Immediate Past President, Montgomery County Region (MCR), Maryland Association of Student Councils

Jonah Zinn
President, Albert Einstein High School Young Democrats

David Fegley and David Meyer
Presidents, Blair Students for Global Responsibility