Educator and Community Advocate Monique Coleman Announces Run for Highland Park Borough Mayor

Highland Park, NJ – Yesterday, April 3, Monique Coleman announced her candidacy for Mayor of Highland Park. Running under the banner of Highland Park Community Democrats, Monique is committed to representative democracy, equitable redevelopment, and inclusive policies and practices that create a vibrantly livable town for all Highland Park residents.

The primary election is Tuesday, June 6.

“I am running for mayor to bring about change in our government and help to move Highland Park forward,” said Coleman.

A civically engaged resident of Highland Park, Coleman believes elected leaders must stay close to the communities and the voters that they represent. “Highland Park voters deserve a choice on their ballots. It is time to stop the internal circulation of power within the hands of a select few.”

Coleman serves on the Highland Park Board of Education, where she has worked on multiple committees and chairs the Equity and Excellence Committee. Coleman is the founder and president of VISTAS Education Partners, an educational services company that supports students with disabilities in K-12 schools across New Jersey and collaborates with local organizations on community-based education enrichment programs.

Coleman has a long history of public service and leadership. In addition to her strong education advocacy, Coleman has been a grass-roots leader around a host of social issues affecting working class communities for decades. For example, her environmental justice work in Woodbridge drew national attention as she organized beleaguered residents and coordinated with state and municipal officials to seek relief from a climate change-fueled flooding crisis.

Coleman’s mayoral campaign builds further on the community outreach of her Democratic primary bid in 2019. In that initial campaign, Coleman learned firsthand from Highland Park voters about the need for more inclusive and responsive local government.

“We who live in Highland Park know what a special place this is,” said Coleman. “I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to both lead and work alongside Highland Parkers as mayor to ensure that our town remains a special place for everyone.”