Photo by Ali Meizels ’23
Holyoke Mayor Morse meets with the Mount Holyoke College Democrats to give a speech on Nov. 3.
BY LIZ LEWIS ’22
Mayor of Holyoke Alex Morse visited the Mount Holyoke College Democrats on Sunday, Nov. 3.
Morse, who was elected in 2011 at age 22, has made waves both as a young progressive and as an openly gay man. He is now challenging Rep. Richard Neal (D - Mass.), an incumbent congressmen who was elected in 1989 — the same year Morse was born. Mount Holyoke is part of Massachusetts’ First Congressional District, the district Morse is running to represent.
The College Democrats gathered in Skinner Hall to hear from Mayor Morse on his current congressional race. About 20 people were present — primarily members of the College Democrats, but also a South Hadley High School student and two members of Morse’s campaign. The evening began at 7 p.m. with a casual speech by Mayor Morse, then transitioned into a Q&A portion.
This meeting was the conclusion of the College Democrats’ “Weekend of Action.” This multi-day event was described in an email by Elena Frogameni ’22, the president of the College Democrats, as “a big weekend of advocacy and action planned for November 2nd and 3rd.”
On Saturday afternoon, the College Democrats took a bus to the South Hadley Big Y, where they petitioned to get ranked choice voting on the Massachusetts ballot in coordination with the organization Voter Choice MA.
“This is a great entry into face-to-face political action,” Frogameni wrote about the effort.
Before the talk on Sunday, the group met with Mayor Morse for a phone-banking session in support of Taunton, Massachusetts Mayoral Candidate Estele Borges. Borges has been endorsed by the Massachusetts Democratic Party and is running against a Massachusetts GOP-endorsed candidate.
Sunday’s event with Mayor Morse, according to Frogameni, represented an “important moment for [the Mount Holyoke Democrats] to figure out what our role in this election is going to be.” It also served as an opportunity for students to hear from a politician who started young.
Morse grew up in Holyoke, attending the public school system and noting the shortcomings of a city largely steeped in poverty. In high school, he started a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA).
“I really became who I am [during that time],” he said.
After graduating from Holyoke High School, he attended Brown University, remaining connected to his hometown throughout his college years. Arriving at Brown, he realized that the students there were not necessarily the “best and brightest,” as many are told their whole lives.
“It’s much more a question of access to opportunity,” he said. At age 21, he announced his mayoral candidacy. There were plenty, he said, that branded him “too young, too gay, too progressive” to be an effective leader for the city. However, people responded to his “very grassroots” campaign and he soon became the youngest mayor in the city’s history.
“There are neighborhoods and people [in Holyoke] who have completely given up” when it comes to the capability of local and federal government to enact real change in disparaged communities,” he said. “These communities who have “lost faith in federal government” feel “left behind,” which Morse knew from personal experience.
Morse was quick to point out that there is much more to politics than party alignment, especially referencing his choice to challenge a member of his own party, a long-standing incumbent Democrat.
“It’s not just about being a Democrat,” he said. “It’s about what you stand for.”
To Morse, this isn’t just about positions and stances, but also fresh and effective political action.
“Power is not just holding a title,” he added. “It’s about how much you’re really moving the needle.”
For Morse, this particular moment in history is an urgent one, which calls for fresh leadership and young, progressive voices.
“There’s value in having new values and a new lived experience [in government],” he said. “Democrats that have been there forever are getting nervous.”
The evening transitioned into a Q&A format, with the executive board of the College Democrats starting it off.
“Some young people may be interested in running for office … but don’t know where to start,” College Democrats Communications Director Maggie Micklo ’21 said before asking Morse’s opinion on the matter.
In response, Morse urged her to “think about where you’re from … and where you’ll make the most impact.”
“You have what it takes,” Morse said. “You don’t need the degrees [to make change], you just need the skill and passion.”
At the end of the event, Morse was asked how he maintains confidence and strength as a young person in politics, especially in such an age-driven society and profession.
“I’m grateful to have a lot of mentors in my life … that made me see myself as a leader,” Morse said.
He cited a “deep connection to home” as another point of strength, also saying “It’s important to lean on people in your life.” Furthermore, he has found it crucial to own, embrace and grow from his own shortcomings.
“It’s hard for people to knock you down when you know who you are and when you have people in your life that support you,” he said.
“When you own a part of who you are … it becomes impossible for anyone to use that against you.”