Community Work
Lorena Betts has built her reputation as a leader who brings people together to fight for justice, peace, democracy, and collective liberation. With a background in political advocacy and experience as a legislative aide, she knows how to move ideas into action and how to navigate policy to make change real. As co-founder of The Peacemakers Network, she has created space for community dialogue, advocacy, and education that puts issues like immigrant justice, human rights, and the dismantling of systemic racism at the forefront.
Since Trump returned to office, Lorena has stepped up to meet the challenges facing her community. She helped revitalize her local Democratic Town Committee, working with neighbors to strengthen civic engagement and ensure that grassroots voices are heard.
She has also led efforts to start Chelmsford Connected, an Indivisible chapter, organizing across communities to defend democracy, expand participation, and resist policies that undermine rights and equality. These efforts are part of her belief that lasting change begins at the local level, where people come together to take responsibility for shaping their own future.
Her leadership has extended to the streets and public squares as well. Lorena has organized rallies for immigrant justice, demonstrations for worker rights, constitutional rights and democracy. She co-created State for Change, an event designed to highlight youth voices and foster a safe environment for young people to share their perspectives.
She also created the opportunity for the community to learn the history of birthright citizenship from the highly respected Dr. Professor Bob Forrant. These events are part of an ongoing series of educational opportunities, all co-created with her community, that equip people with the knowledge to understand and defend their rights. She has built connections with activists, educators, and community members to create spaces where people can learn from one another and act together.
"I gave a talk on Immigration, Birthright Citizenship and the 14th Amendment in July and had the absolute pleasure of working with event organizer Lorena Betts.
Her commitment to immigrant rights clear, Lorena’s organizing skills shown through that night. For me, she has the empathy, energy, and expertise required of a Massachusetts State Representative."
-Dr. Robert Forrant, Historian and History Professor at UML
One of the most powerful moments she created was a community conversation with former Federal Immigration Judge George D. Pappas. The discussion highlighted the interconnectedness of our wellbeing and laid bare the broader coordinated attacks on immigration courts, constitutional rights, and even the very definition of who is considered American. Lorena’s role in bringing that dialogue to her community showed her ability to connect local organizing to national struggles and to frame issues in ways that remind people why they matter to everyone.
Her guiding principle is collective liberation, the interconnectedness of our wellbeing, and the belief that nobody is free until everybody is free. Through coalition building, grassroots action, and inclusive organizing, Lorena has shown that she is ready to lead her district with the same integrity and determination she has brought to every step of her community work.
“Lorena Betts is a devoted individual fighting for civil liberties, opportunity and safety in her community. I could not be more honored to endorse her in her campaign to become the next State Representative for the 16 Middlesex District.
The community could find no better a person to advocate for their interest. She is a force of nature, a force of good and a force of opportunity for us all."
-Former Federal Immigration Judge George D. Pappas
