The Boston area chapter of Democratic Socialists of America has announced endorsements of candidates for municipal office in 2017. “We are excited to support these activist candidates who share our commitment to affordable housing. The current housing crisis in the Boston metro area makes it critically important that we elect candidates that understand the need to empower our communities and fight the tide of displacement in Boston, Somerville and Cambridge,” said the group’s co-chairs, Elizabeth Henderson and Peter Morency.

Cambridge endorsements, in alphabetical order and with light editing:

Dennis Carlone is running for reelection to City Council. He has a background in planning and believes in supporting affordable housing by increasing inclusionary housing percentages, insisting that universities build sufficient graduate student housing.

Sumbul Siddiqui is running for city councillor for the first time. She grew up in Cambridge public housing, graduated from Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and is now a legal aid lawyer and member of National Organization of Legal Services Workers UAW Local 2320.

Vatsady Sivongxay is running for city councillor for the first time. As a child, Vatsady came to the United States as a refugee from Laos in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. She has worked as a community legal service pro-bono attorney and helped guide people through the complex immigration process.

Quinton Zondervan is running for city councillor for the first time. He’s originally from Suriname and is a longtime environmental activist.

Somerville endorsements, in alphabetical order and with light editing:

Jesse Clingan is running for alderman of Ward 4, which includes the Winter Hill and Ten Hills neighborhoods. A lifelong Somerville resident, he lives in Ten Hills with his family.

Ben Ewen-Campen is running for alderman of Ward 3, which includes the Prospect Hill and Spring Hill neighborhoods. He is a postdoctoral fellow in biology who lives in Union Square.

Will Mbah is running for alderman-at-large, meaning he will represent the entire city. Originally from Cameroon, he is a technologist and safety coordinator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who lives in West Somerville with his family.

J.T. Scott is running for alderman of Ward 2, which includes the Union Square and Lincoln Park neighborhoods. He owns a Crossfit gym in Union Square and lives in the neighborhood.

“We are excited to encourage our 200-plus members to vote and work for these candidates. We will be coordinating with the campaigns regarding our priorities for electoral action this year. We look forward to great conversations at the doors throughout the area,” said Matt Miller, a member of the chapter.

The group, a local chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, calls itself “an activist organization, not a political party, that works against oppression in its many forms. We see these multiple oppressions – economic inequality, patriarchy, white supremacy, and others – as interlinked, intersecting and inseparable. DSA’s members are building mass movements for social change while establishing an openly socialist presence in communities and politics in the Greater Boston Area.”

This post was written from a press release.