Weruche George for State Representative Hamden~ District 91
The Face of Change
Meet Weruché
Weruché George is an immigrant who has resided with her two children in Hamden for 15 years. She is a dedicated community activist, international human rights advocate, and non-profit leader. A registered Democrat, she is running in the general elections in Nov. as a petitioning candidate against an incumbent Democrat for State Representative in CT’s 91st District.
She’s the second of five children and the grand-daughter of a WWII Veteran who fought in Burma - present-day Myanmar - as an African recruit for a U.S. ally - the British Army.
Weruché has her education in Communications and Studies in the Law from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, a Masters in Journalism from Quinnipiac University, and a Masters in Human Rights Studies from Columbia University in the City of New York. She currently serves as a Commissioner on the Hamden Human Rights and Relations Commission and was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for the Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services – IRIS in New Haven.
Weruché is the face of change in Connecticut politics. She’s a qualified leader with a passion for social justice and equity with experience working with and for immigrants, women and girls, and underserved communities. She is looking to be the voice for the voiceless in Hamden.
Please support her campaign.
Paid for by Weruché for CT, Ijeoma Okafor- Treasurer. Approved by Weruche Uzoka George.
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Issues
Environmental Justice
I’m proud to say I have taken the pledge to support the Green New Deal. I believe we need to change our dependence on fossil fuels in order to preserve our environment for generations to come. We must transition to clean energy solutions! Hamden was hit very hard last month by Tropical Storm Isaias and in 2018, a tornado left some people homeless and others without power. There needs to be legislative action at the state level that holds utility companies responsible for restoring outages in a timely manner, and addresses the issues that arise when power is lost.
Educational Justice
Both my children are products of Hamden Public Schools and I can say with certainty that the Hamden Public School system urgently needs work done on their curricula. In January 2020, a young black child was cast as a slave in a school play. While the effect of this singular act on the psyche of many black and brown children across our state is irreparable, we can at least ensure these incidents don’t continue to happen. Additionally, the legislature needs to create pathways for more BIPOC to become teachers and work in school administration. Black and brown children deserve to see a person of color as their teacher. As a substitute teacher, I noticed the positive effect my presence had on young black girls. This should not be a rarity. The residents of Hamden deserve an equitable education system that meets the needs of ALL children.
Higher Education
I support tuition forgiveness for CT students. By collaborating with the federal government, Connecticut can work out a plan that offers tuition forgiveness based on a sliding scale. To keep costs from spiraling out of control for present and future students, remote learning should be further investigated. Additionally, we should also offer more college credit courses to students in high school. This would allow them to graduate high school with associate degrees, and would cut down on the overall time and money they spend on college.
Economic Justice
Local businesses are the backbone of our economy and, unfortunately, our average mom-and-pop shops have taken the biggest hit during the Coronavirus pandemic. Black and brown owned businesses were also disproportionately affected by the change in economy. The state needs to demand more aid from the federal government, so that we can fund small businesses through forgivable financial assistance programs that allow for long term stability. In the meantime, a comprehensive plan set forth by the leaders of our town that ensures business owners and staff abide by the CDC’s guidance for opening and operating safely is needed.
Social Justice in Healthcare
Under the current healthcare system, factors such as education, employment, socioeconomic status, and environment can affect an individual’s access to health care. Several routes to expanded healthcare access need to be explored in Connecticut, and I pledge to use my time in the legislature to propose and pursue these solutions. For healthcare to be accessible, equitable, and affordable, all residents of the state should have the opportunity to purchase and buy into the healthcare plan available. Elderly immigrants who are residents and unable to work should also be allowed to qualify for state insurance.
Racial Justice
I support the police accountability bill that was passed this past June in Connecticut. We need to capitalize on that success and set forth a bold agenda that continues to prioritize the needs of people of color in our state. As a representative, I will hold my colleagues accountable to this progress. As a town, we need to adapt and create task forces that propose real solutions to address disparities in all sectors: education, health, business, government. Racial discrimination has no place in our community.
Immigration
As the Founder and Executive Director of Weruche Inspires inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, inspiring, and empowering immigrants in the Greater New Haven area, I have been working on behalf of immigrants for 15 years. To further this work, I’ve taken positions on the Hamden Human Rights and Relations Commission and on the Board of Directors of Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS). As a representative, I will work to ensure our state remains a safe haven for immigrants.
Women's Rights
The most pressing issues facing our state are the inequities and inequalities that exist within our own borders. In Connecticut, white women earn an average of 83 cents to a dollar that men make, while black women earn 57 cents, and Hispanic women earn 47 cents. As a Black woman, I have experienced this discrimination firsthand. We need legislation that combats this gender pay disparity. I pledge to engage stakeholders, community leaders, and members from across the aisle to address these issues by passing legislation that either prohibits or bans wage discrimination among in our state.
Political Diversity
After getting on the ballot for August 26, I was asked by the establishment in Hamden to drop out of the race against the incumbent in my district. The fact that our political leaders neither seek nor welcome proportional representation is a reason I’ve stayed in this race. As a human rights advocate, who has spent years speaking up for the less privileged in different countries, I know it is imperative that those in power continue to elevate the needs and concerns of the people. This is a fight for all of us, and not some of us, regardless of whether we are politicians or not.
Mental Health
Stress produces mental health issues and stress produces brain changes. As it stands, COVID-19 has amplified the need for better mental health resources. We need to invest wisely.
Press
10/5/2020
Democrat, Running On Independent Line, Mounts “Equity” Challenge
A Democrat is taking on a Democrat for one of Hamden’s state legislative seats, but on an independent line — with a focus on her experiences as an immigrant and without taking shots at the incumbent. Weruché George is challenging incumbent Michael D’Agostino as a petitioning candidate for his seat representing the 91st State House of Representatives District.
Read More 9/29/2020
Who’s on the ballot, what’s at stake and how to get involved
Coined “the most consequential election in American history” by Atlantic Magazine, the 2020 presidential election between former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump isn’t one you’re going to want to watch from the sidelines. If you haven’t decided who you’re going to vote for, it is important to get educated on the issues at stake.
Read More 9/21/2020
Candidate Profile: Weruché George, 91st District
Weruché George shares with Patch why she should be elected to the state House of Representatives to represent Hamden.
Read More 10/9/2020
Ballotpedia - Weruche George
Weruche George (Petitioning) is running for election to the Connecticut House of Representatives to represent District 91. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Read More 10/9/2020
FIND YOUR 2020 STATE, FEDERAL CANDIDATES
Who's running for elected office in your town?
Read More 7/10/2020
A statement on racial injustice from Weruche George, an asylee from Nigeria.
Videography © Rachel Peet
Read More 8/7/2019
What will it take to end a mother’s fear?
I was talking to my teenage daughter the other day about “a mother’s fear” — that debilitating feeling we experience when our children go through things that are out of our control: heartbreak, disease, life choices and so on. But on that day, sadly, my focus on “a mother’s fear” transcended the obvious. It was focused instead on the epidemic in the United States and what we now have to continue to document as “domestic terrorism.”
Read More 6/21/2018
Connecticut Politicians Turn Out To Rally For Immigrant Families
For Weruche Uzoka George, a Nigerian immigrant, Thursday marked five years since she had been granted citizenship in the United States. She chose to celebrate the day alongside Sen. Chris Murphy, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin and gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont at a rally in Hartford to advocate for immigrant children to be reunited with their parents. “These kids are going through trauma that will live with them a long time,” George said.
Read More 9/21/2018
Hartford Rally Calls for End to Family Separation at Border
There was a passionate rally outside the Charter Oak Family Health Center in Hartford Thursday as immigration advocates called for an end to family separation at the US border, even after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to end the practice. Many are still fearful about what comes next for thousands of children separated from their families at the southern border.
Read More 10/17/2017
Weruche George Raises Money for Refugees
Weruche George, who fled Nigeria with her two children, is committed to raising money through IRIS' Run for Refugees in New Haven. She's gearing up now for this year's run, on Sunday, Feb. 4. You can run during the day and still catch the Super Bowl later. Learn more at the IRIS website, at irisct.org
Read MoreNewsletter
Yard signs are in! Message us if you’d like a yard sign and we’ll deliver it to your address. #TownofHamden #district91 #connecticut
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Weruché for CT
Paid for by Weruché for CT, Ijeoma Okafor- Treasurer. Approved by Weruche Uzoka George.
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Paid for by Weruché for CT, Ijeoma Okafor- Treasurer. Approved by Weruche Uzoka George.