Meet Martha
Committed to Our Newton Community
Martha is running for Ward 6 City Council to connect our community to our local government.
Hi! I’m Martha. I'm excited to be running for Newton City Council to bring an inclusive, community-focused voice to our local government.
A few years ago, my husband, two boys , and I moved to Newton and quickly learned how amazing our Garden City truly is.
When we first arrived in Newton, I had so many questions about how things get done and decisions get made. Our local elected officials and community leaders were very welcoming and willing to share information and insight. There were also so many things to do and learn! There was always so much happening - youth sports, festivals, educational events, and much more - but it was often hard to find information about what and when. I was lucky to have friends and neighbors who shared all the not-to-miss events and opportunies.
I quickly learned that this doesn’t work for everyone. Newton residents who don’t have people to ask - or don’t know what to ask - often feel left behind and left out.
I started Welcoming Newton - a newsletter and initiative to share information about what’s happening in town and all the wonderful ways to connect to our community - with a friend. We were planning to host our first big event, Newton 101, in April 2020.
Then, in March 2020, our whole world changed. Along with three other Newton women, we started a Facebook group called Newton Neighbors Helping Neighbors.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the members and coordinators of Newton Neighbors Helping Neighbors worked tirelessly on filling gaps in Newton and neighboring communities, offering support in the form of porch drives for essential items, deliveries from food pantries for families and individuals who couldn’t get there themselves, fundraisers for holiday meals and to help send kids to summer camp, and much more. We are now an independent 501c3 non-profit organization, Newton Neighbors, Inc., and our community initiatives continue and grow each day.
Through this work I have seen the incredible creativity and generosity of Newtonians. I have also seen the challenges people face every day. Lack of transportation options, language barriers, housing costs, scarcity of childcare, a shortage of accessible spaces, and challenges navigating support options are among the many issues to navigate in our City. I’m running for City Council to work on these and other issues. To read more about my ideas, please click here.
I currently serve as PTO co-president at Mason-Rice. Spending so much time talking with families about what they hope for from our community, and what they love about our schools (and what they want to see changed), has motivated me to get involved in our city's decisions at a deeper level.
On the weekends I can usually be found on the sidelines of multiple soccer fields, as a Newton Youth Soccer coach/team manager and cheering for my younger son’s Kindergarten Soccer team. Or, my family and I will be biking to one of Newton’s delicious bakeries and sweets establishments, visiting the library, hiking through Cold Spring Park and Webster Woods, or splashing in Crystal Lake. On weekday mornings you can usually find me working out at the JCC, where I recently had the honor of co-chairing JCC@333, their annual gala.
I am proud to be a member of the Ward 6 Democratic Committee and have served as a delegate to two Massachusetts State Democratic Conventions.
In my career, I have advocated on international human rights issues, spent time in local and state politics in Massachusetts and California, and supported families as they navigate pregnancy and early childhood.
I’m excited to take on this new challenge and hope to have your support!
I’d love to hear from you - please email me at martha @ marthabixby.org.
