Matthew with a candidate at Boston Pride 2013
Matthew J Shochat is a life-long Democrat committed to political campaigning, community organizing, and civil rights. He is currently a member of the Greater Boston Young Democrats, a chapter of Young Democrats of Massachusetts and Young Democrats of America. He has helped get a civil rights bill passed into law, and campaigned for several pro-LGBT candidates who won seats, including histotic candidates.
Matthew with another candidate at a Mayoral candidate’s campaign kick-off
A life-long resident of Massachusetts, he was born in Boston in a dual-religious household to a middle-class family. His father’s side was Jewish, while his mother’s was Christian. Growing up in Cambridge, he heartily soaked up the values of acceptance and community relations as s student at Graham & Parks School.
Matthew with another candidate at the Bunker Hill Day Parade 2013 in Charlestown
In late 1992, his family decided to move to Lawrence, a city just 45 minutes north of Boston, whose attitudes were far different from that of Cambridge. His continued his education at several of the local schools. In 5th grade, he came out of the closet to his class, and began experiencing bullying because of his sexual orientation. This would continue throughout the rest of his years in school.
A student at the Graham & Parks School (Cambridge, MA)
By 2008, he had already worked several minimum wage jobs in the area, including Dunkin Donuts and Loews Theatres. He got a job in Methuen at McKesson Corperation, a Fortune 500 company, and continued to work in their warehouse for the next 2 years.
Matthew with the Mayor of Cambridge in 2013
In late 2009, he moved back to Boston. A year later he decided it was time to get into politics and began volunteering for a local non-profit that promotes LGBT rights. By 2011, he had worked on a bill that became law. In 2012, he campaigned for 6 pro-LGBT legislators, including two historic candidates. In 2013, he has campaigned for two progressive candidates, one being historic, acquire public office, including for a long-time Congressman attain a US Senate seat, and has testified in favor of a bill. He also supported a Latino city councilor‘s bid for the Mayor of Boston, who didn’t make it past the preliminary, and ended up supporting Boston’s first Dorchester Mayor since 1959. The original candidate would take a post in the Mayor’s cabinet. Around this time, he supported stricter gun control legislation, divestment from fossil fuels, a domestic workers bill of rights, raising the minimum wage, earned sick time for workers, and safe access to reproductive healthcare facilities.
In New Hampshire for the New Hampshire Democratic Party.
In 2014, he backed the State Treasurer‘s bid for Governor, who received the Massachusetts Democratic Party endorsement, but would ultimately lose in the Primary. He also supported a candidate for Attorney General, Treasurer, Auditor, and Secretary of the Commonwealth. He would support the Democratic candidate for Governor, who’d lose to the Republican opponent. Though his work on a coordinated campaign, he’d also help re-elect the fifth woman elected to Congress from the Massachusetts delegation, and a first-time candidate. During this time, he would also travel to New Hampshire to help a US Senator (first woman to serve as Governor and US Senator in history) against a former Massachusetts politician. He would also support a candidate for Congress (first woman to serve in Congress for the state), Governor, and an openly gay Executive Councilor in New Hampshire.
Matthew with a Boston City Councilor at the Boston Pride Parade 2013
Matthew is also a member of these organizations:
- Young Democrats of Massachusetts
- Greater Boston Young Democrats
- Bay State Stonewall Democrats
- Jewish Alliance of Law & Social Action
- Progressive Massachusetts
- Boston Ward 17 Democratic Committee
