I have had the pleasure of knowing Lili Gomez and her family for the past two decades and it is because of this connection that I know Lili is an exceptional choice for Hermiston School Board Position 3. Her background in education, knowledge of business management and cultural competence makes her ideally suited to serve our district’s diverse community.

Education has always been a high priority in Lili’s life. The daughter of immigrant parents, she had been in the Hermiston School District’s English as a Second Language program through middle school. Her enthusiasm for improving the educational experience for others started during this time while serving as a tutor for younger students.

As a first-generation college student, she has since earned a degree in business administration, and continued on to work as a teaching assistant and English language teacher.

With over half of the district’s students coming from Hispanic/Latino families, Ms. Gomez’s education and experience would make her a valuable asset on the school board. She has the passion, understanding and cultural awareness needed to work with the rest of the board members as they guide our staff, students and their families moving forward.

Please join me in voting for Lili Gomez for HSD Board Position 3.

Michelle Kane

Hermiston

The East Oregonian does not run endorsements of more than 400 words.

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We run local letters of endorsement on a first-come, first-served basis. Please submit your endorsement letters to the editor by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 7. You can email them to editor@eastoregonian.com, or mail them to East Oregonian, c/o Andrew Cutler, 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton, OR 97801.

We will publish our last letters on Saturday, May 15. Any letters received after the deadline will not run. Election Day is May 18.