I’m Randall C. Furlow,

My roots in New Haven run six generations deep. I was born and raised here, and my connection to this city is personal. My wife and I both matriculated through New Haven Public Schools, and we raised all four of our children here, entrusting their education to that same school system. New Haven is where we have built our family, cultivated relationships, served our neighbors, and invested our lives.

That history informs my commitment to Ward 24. The concerns residents bring forward about housing, education, safety, and opportunities for our young people touch the everyday lives of families like mine. I understand what it means to want your children to receive a quality education, your neighborhood to be safe, and your voice to matter when decisions are being made.

I also come from a family with roots in activism and civil rights. That legacy helped shape my understanding of leadership as a responsibility to speak up, stand alongside others, and work toward a more just community. The rights and opportunities we enjoy today required people who were willing to organize, challenge injustice, and remain committed when progress was difficult. I carry that sense of responsibility into my own service.

As a community leader and co-chair, I have attended rallies and meetings, listened to residents, and advocated for their concerns. Those experiences have reinforced a conviction I hold deeply: meaningful leadership begins with presence. People deserve someone who will take the time to hear them, understand what they are facing, and help move their concerns toward action.

For more than sixteen years, my community engagement has included leading and influencing a diverse community of people from different socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences. These relationships bring me into close contact with parents, students, workers, caregivers, business owners, and elders, each with distinct perspectives and needs. Walking alongside people through grief, financial strain, family challenges, and moments of achievement has taught me to lead with compassion, patience, and accountability. It has also strengthened my ability to bring people together, build trust across differences, and work toward shared goals.

I am bringing those experiences into this campaign with a clear focus: affordable housing, educational equity, meaningful opportunities for our youth, and responsive representation. I want residents to know how to reach their Alder, feel comfortable raising a concern, and receive communication about the work being done on their behalf.

I am asking for the opportunity to serve Ward 24 with the dedication I have brought to my family and community. Our ward deserves leadership rooted in its people and committed to its future.

Together, we can build a Ward 24 where families can thrive, young people can see a future for themselves, and every resident knows their voice matters.

With respect and commitment,

Randall C. Furlow

Co-chair, Candidate for Alder, Ward 24