I have been following Janelle Marina Mendez’s political career since the beginning when she first ran for town council in the town of Wappinger, unsuccessfully in 2015 and again in 2017. I have repeatedly said she is not the type of candidate that the political parties should sleep on, yet they fail to see her potential. Now that her story is public, I only see my opinion becoming factual. She is truly the maverick and political leader I hoped for. Watching her speech, I realized she is even more.
While fighting off the corruption in her race in 2017 she demonstrated true leadership by denying the offers that she received to comply with deceiving democratic voters when the democratic party and republican party worked together to run Richard Thurston as a Democrat when he is a Trump supporting Republican. The democratic party worked to put Republican Angela Bettina on the democratic line by helping her kick Janelle off of the democratic line. Even still Janelle Marina Mendez stayed true to her convictions and still did not bend to the establishment. She has demonstrated she is the most unpredictable candidate in the Hudson Valley political area.
In her last race, I wrote about the struggles she faced and how the moves she was making were that of a leader who has the ability to withstand and challenge the establishment in a way we have never seen in the Hudson Valley. Now, it is clear that Janelle Marina Mendez has been making moves that were driven for the long term. Janelle Marina Mendez gave a powerful speech on Military Sexual Trauma at the Women’s March. It is both powerful and inspirational. She certainly delivered.
Over the last year, she endured a miscarriage half way through her pregnancy that triggered a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) episode so severe that she had to take time off from work. Through her painful struggle, she opened up publicly about her story of how she got PTSD. It was due to Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Angela Bettina the ward two councilwoman who paid the Hornet to advertise that she volunteered and donated to the VA, Janelle wrote her an email holding her accountable to her campaign promises as Angela provided lies and excuses to recant on her promise. As a constituent Janelle Marina Mendez has every right to hold her elected officials accountable. It is no surprise she did. Bad leadership is the very reason Janelle became a veteran who experience Military Sexual Trauma (MST) . When you hear her story, you’ll realize that Janelle was treated like a prisoner of war on American soil at the hands of the United States Government.
When asked, Janelle Marina Mendez stated, “I am well within my rights to educate and express my concerns about our local elected officials. That is the beautiful foundation of Democracy that our founding fathers intended. When I expressed myself, members on the town board responded by paying the Hornet to mock me for having PTSD. I am the example of a child with a dream who became a woman who manifested it. In Dutchess County, we Think Differently, we encourage and inspire young people and children that even though they have a disability, they can become anything they dream of. I am sure the Dutchess County Legistature and Dutchess County Executive would agree.”
When the Hornet published an article mocking Janelle for having PTSD as well as Military Sexual Trauma victims as a whole it is no surprise that on her 29th birthday she responded in such an empowering way.
On January 16th, 2019 she wrote,
“...I'm walking the line. I want all of the other veterans who have experienced MST, to know for sure that you don't let anyone tell you that you are less than.
You are beautiful.
You are strong.
You are amazing.
You are courageous.
You are loved.
That is what matters on my 29th birthday!
Thanks for all of the love but you know the Republicans don't know how to take a day off.”
This reminded me of when former members of Marines United (MU) attacked her when she came out publicly as a veteran who has experienced MST. Back in August, her facebook news feed went viral with in the military communities online. If she didn’t back down then, what makes the establishment think she’ll back down now? Every time she has been attacked, her voice gets louder and stronger. When the town board paid the Hornet to mock Janelle’s disability, female veterans from all over the United States rallied around her to show her support and voiced their condemnation for the Wappinger town board is poor choice in responding to Janelle.
She has demonstrated unprecedented resilience, an unmatched level of integrity and the unsurpassed level of courage to tell her story. She is still the number one choice on my list for the most dynamic candidate and up and coming leader in the Hudson Valley political arena. For all of those who have been sleeping on her, the speech below will change your mind. She is the type of unique leader we need here in the Hudson Valley. Watch her speech and you will see why:
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Sign the Petition to Demand Congress enact the Military Sexual Trauma (MST) victims Bill of Rights