MARJORIE DECKER: CHAMPION FOR THE CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY
Marjorie, like her parents and grandparents, grew up in Cambridge public housing. Marjorie’s work is rooted in deep gratitude for the city of Cambridge and its programs, resources, and opportunities. Having a safe place to live, a strong educational system, access to good health care and afterschool programs all contributed to her breaking the generational cycle of poverty. Growing up, Marjorie saw firsthand the power of community. Her mom Cathy worked more than full time and her father Tim was a disabled Vietnam veteran who was not always able to hold onto a job. In spite of all their work, it was not always enough to put food on the table. Yet, her earliest memories are of her parents and neighbors showing unwavering generosity in showing up for each other, whether that meant sharing food, offering child care, or handing down clothes. This taught Marjorie that what you have to give isn’t determined by your wealth.
As the first in her family to graduate from CRLS, college, and graduate school, Marjorie’s service is a love letter of gratitude to the community that has given her so much. Marjorie’s story is one of listening, caring, and taking action to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Caring is important, but action and outcomes create impact. That is why she works so hard and continues to deliver on our values.
After graduating from UMass, Marjorie taught first grade and special education with Teach for America in Shreveport, Louisiana, before returning to run a youth center in the Rindge Towers for low-income housing residents. She served as a legislative aide to former Representatives Alice Wolf and Ellen Story, gaining experience in the state legislature before becoming the Executive Director for the Equal Justice Coalition, which works to secure funding for civil legal aid in Massachusetts. Her background in education, legal services, and workforce development has allowed her to effectively fight for those who need access the most to those very resources. From running a youth center to serving seven terms on the Cambridge City Council, she has been a tireless advocate for housing and homeless families, labor rights, early education, and anti-poverty programs.
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Marjorie’s drive to seek policies that ensure families have the tools they need to raise healthy children with economic security and safe housing is deeply rooted in her family history. Both of Marjorie’s parents grew up in Cambridge in poverty and were raised in public housing. Marjorie's father, Timothy J. (Murphy) Decker, was orphaned at the age of seven and drafted to fight in Vietnam at seventeen. After serving two tours in Vietnam, Tim, like many veterans, has an unrecognized disability that made it difficult to build a functional life due to trauma and the guilt of having survived the war. Tim spent most of his life unemployed and suffered from undiagnosed acute PTSD until he found himself living in a homeless shelter for Vietnam Veterans. Marjorie shares this personal pain of her father’s journey so that her constituents can understand the history that fuels her work to ensure that everyone has the resources they need.
Her mother Cathy (Curley) Decker, the second of six children, dropped out of school in the tenth grade to care for her sick mother and siblings. She worked as a Nursing Assistant for decades, signing up for double shifts to support her family, coming home each evening to have dinner with her kids before heading back to work nights. When SEIU came knocking, Cathy jumped into the opportunity and learned the importance of union organizing. She became a shop steward and would take Marjorie with her to union rallies. The nursing home owners successfully union busted, letting go and firing many of the organizers. While Marjorie’s mom was one of the last ones standing, she too was unfairly terminated. This event sparked Marjorie’s lifelong passion for supporting legal services and collective bargaining. When workers organize, they can have a better life for their families
Marjorie is serving in her 12th year in the House of Representatives and is currently the Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health. She has also served as Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health as Substance Use, successfully authoring and passing the most significant children's behavioral health legislation in over a decade.
Marjorie Decker is a partner and a fighter for the families and communities she serves. She believes in the power of community engagement and works hard to ensure that all voices of her constituents are heard and valued. You can read more about her accomplishments here.
