Early Life and Family Background
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Michelle Coelho was born on May 10, 1969, in Queens, New York. She is a first-generation Cuban American, the daughter of Juan and Liana Anduiza, who fled communist Cuba in 1961. Michelle’s family has a rich history of political activism and artistic expression. Her grandfather, Silvio Fontanillas, was a renowned Cuban political cartoonist whose work for the Miami Herald captured the weekly struggles and aspirations of the Cuban people both in Cuba and in the United States. Silvio’s escape from Cuba was dramatic; he sought political asylum by sneaking into the Brazilian Embassy in a milk truck to avoid arrest for exercising free speech.
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Growing Up with Stories of Freedom and Oppression
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Michelle grew up hearing firsthand accounts of life under communism, often framed within the context of diversity, equity, and inclusion. These stories profoundly shaped her worldview. Her father, who was in his second year of college when the Cuban government replaced all professors with communist ideologues, shared heartbreaking stories of indoctrination in schools. One poignant story involved children being told to ask God for candy, only to receive nothing, and then being told to ask Fidel Castro, who would promptly produce the desired treat. This was a stark illustration of the regime’s efforts to instill loyalty in the youth by undermining parental authority and religious faith. Michelle was a young child when she first heard “They are not your children they are our children” something Michelle later heard in Venezuela and here during the Covid pandemic.
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A Glimpse of Venezuela
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At 15, Michelle accompanied her father on a business trip to Venezuela, where she witnessed a vibrant culture and thriving economy, largely due to the oil industry. However, she also observed the early stages of Hugo Chavez’s socialist policies. Over the following decades, Venezuela’s economy and society deteriorated dramatically, with the government seizing control of the oil industry, imposing wage adjustments to combat inflation, and creating severe shortages of everyday necessities. This experience reinforced Michelle’s understanding of the perils of unchecked governmental control.
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Personal Life
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Michelle is married to Michael Coelho and is a mother of three children. She has a son, Taylor Williams, from a previous marriage to a former NFL player. As a single mother, Michelle moved to Danbury, Connecticut, drawn by its affordability, safety, and good schools. Later, she married Michael Coelho, of Italian and Portuguese descent, and together they have two children: Christopher, 18, and Kate, 14.
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Education and Professional Career
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Michelle attended Northeastern University and graduated from the New York Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s degree in Arts and Sciences. With over 30 years of experience in residential development in the Greater Danbury and Westchester, NY areas, she has established herself as a successful small business owner and project manager.
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Public Service and Advocacy
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In 2021, Michelle was elected to the Danbury Board of Education, where she advocates for a broad spectrum of instructional education options, including public, private, technical, agricultural, homeschool, and Catholic schools. She also served as a Connecticut realtor and represents the Republican Connecticut State GOP for the 24th district.
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Recognition and Political Ambitions
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Michelle’s dedication to her community was recognized with the Mayor’s Citation for International Women Serving the Danbury Community in 2021. She ran as a candidate for State Senate in 2021 for the 24th district resulting in the closest senate district to flip republican state wide. receiving endorsements from the Fraternal Order of Police.
 
Michelle Coelho’s life is a testament to the values of freedom, resilience, and community service, drawing inspiration from her family’s legacy and her own diverse experiences.