Re: “Alderman up” (Sept. 29): I was disappointed to see the News’ View Thursday. Both of these campaigns are staffed by passionate individuals who got involved in order to learn more about the city and give back in any way they can. The news claims that Vinay Nayak’s and Sarah Eidelson’s platforms are “indistinguishable” and “recycled.” This gives readers a mistaken impression of the energy and time that goes into producing a solid platform. Vinay has spent every day since he declared his campaign in the spring reaching out to individuals who could offer him different perspectives on these issues. The hours we poured into researching solutions to problems like wage theft and prison recidivism gave us some of the resources we needed to come up with feasible solutions for New Haven. Vinay’s policy team is made up of diverse individuals who truly care about these issues and want to see change in this city. Never for a moment have I doubted Vinay’s sincerity in these conversations about policy. The other individuals working with Vinay are equally dedicated and interested in the issues that we discuss. The faith that this team shares in our candidate is felt through every discussion we have during staff meetings, every event, and every hour that we put into canvassing. I am proud to be a part of this effort, and I know that this sentiment is shared by everyone who spends enough time talking to Vinay about the city and about what he wants to do here. We work at this every day because this race matters; because he has the opportunity to do something real; because he has clear and tangible goals for this city. This is not about my resume — or his. It isn’t about social networks or social media. It is about working together to make something happen.

Diana Enriquez

Sept. 29

The writer is a junior in Saybrook College and a staffer for the aldermanic campaign of Vinay Nayak ’14.