To the editor:

The big election is Monday, Nov. 2. No, it’s not for president, governor or even City Commission. This election is for the board of the East Lawrence Neighborhood Association (ELNA), and it’s as important as any for the people who live there.

East Lawrence, home to our city’s original town site and mainstay of a diverse working-class community, is beloved and unique. It is also vulnerable to the dreams and desires of those who see it as a blank canvas, i.e., an “up and coming” neighborhood. Engaging with the kinds of development pressures that can spur the displacement of residents due to economic and cultural shifts requires experienced and sensitive neighborhood leadership — that’s ELNA.

By cultivating the civic spirit of residents and supporting the economic infrastructure and dynamic culture that make this wonderful place liveable for people of modest incomes, ELNA has for decades helped to sustain a healthy, colorful and thriving neighborhood. They continue that work today.

I give thanks to my peers on the current board (and our phenomenal coordinator) who exemplify the civic values that Lawrence prides itself on and who work to embody the Gwendolyn Brooks quote, that until recently, stood upon a mural in our neighborhood: ” We are each other’s harvest; We are each other’s business; We are each other’s magnitude and bond.”

If you’re an East Lawrence resident, please vote.