Tamera Sternberger, Resident, Local 34

I am a product of what a community can look like when it is even modestly supported by its most established institution. I've lived in New Haven for all 27 years of my life, attended its public schools, and now work at Yale as a Program Coordinator in the Office of Development, where I’m a proud member of Local 34. From my experience as a union worker, I know it's going to take organizing to move Yale on its voluntary contribution again; I urge Yalies to vote for an Alder that has stood with the coalition doing that work long before running for office. I encourage you all to vote for Norah Laughter!

Looking back, Yale had only a few direct impacts on my education—but even those few were pivotal. The New Haven Promise scholarship, made possible by Yale’s funding, helped me attend college. As a high school student, the presence of Yale’s museums, theaters, and the rare opportunity to work with Yale Playwriting students expanded my view of what was possible. These experiences contributed directly to my decision to pursue a Master of Fine Arts, which I earned in 2019.

And yet, I can’t help but wonder what more could have been possible—for me and for others—if Yale were not just a passive or selective force in the city, but a true, consistent contributor. What if Yale paid its fair share in taxes? What if the public schools that shaped me—and now shape my young cousins and nephew—had access to the resources an institution like Yale could provide?

With the Department of Education in disarray, New Haven’s public education system is in crisis. We, as a city, must rely on ourselves—and Yale is part of that “we.” It employs us, educates some of us, and calls itself part of this city. But if Yale wants to benefit from the strength of New Haven, it must also invest in it. A community sustains itself through mutual support, and Yale cannot stand apart from the one it sits in the heart of.