INTERVIEW BY MADELINE ELKES
Photographed by Katrina Hajagos
MELANIE LEVESQUE, NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE SENATOR, DISTRICT 12
Place of Special Meaning: I chose this place because this is where I grew up, this is where I learned about community. All of the lessons that I had that were given to me by my mom, who passed away at 47, I got from this home, so I carry all of that with me.
Why she ran : I originally ran for office because I felt that being a state representative was a way to help not just my community but all people in New Hampshire. Whether it’s about education whether it’s about healthcare, I was able to make a bigger impact. I also felt that there were people who did not represent my point of view. If we're going to do anything about that, we have to run for office.
“I also felt that there were people who did not represent my point of view. If we’re going to anything about that, we have to run for office.”
How her personal story affected her campaign : Growing up, my mom was a single mother who raised six kids, and we saw what it was like not to have a lot, yet when my mom and dad were married, we saw what life was like when it was good, so I’ve seen both. My mom died of colon cancer, and today that’s treatable, so that was a major driver for me, was to make sure that everybody had healthcare, preventative care, so that they could ward off these critical diseases like colon cancer.