Pichardo's Candidacy Speech

Family, Friends, Neighbors; Welcome and thank you for coming. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE…THANK YOU, GRACIAS!!! GRACIAS A TODOS POR SU APOYO EN ESTA TARDE. I am here today because of you! Your encouragement and support has brought me before you TODAY. This day is an important day for these neighborhoods, and for my family and i. For several months, I have been meeting with many friends and neighbors, Activist,

advocates

and

leaders.

People

like

My

good

friend…

_________________________________….. These conversation led me to reflect on my life and my future. This has been my home for 20 years. I enjoy living here, it is really a great place to raise a family. I am proud of my community. Yet, it can be so much better. You know, as I look back at my life, it has not been easy. It has been a struggle from the day that my mother decided to leave Santiago, and come to the United States to be a Nanny. She worked hard and sacrificed to provide for me for nine years until she finally realized her goal of bringing me to the United States for a better future. Her sacrifices have been my driving force to make her proud and provide the same example to my family! Today, I along with my wife Janet strive to raise our son, Cristian, with the same values and principles of hard work, dedication and respect that my mother taught me. These are lessons that have brought me here today. I am willing to work hard for my family and I now want to sacrifice and work hard for the improvement of our district. THAT IS WHY TODAY, I AM HERE TO ANNOUNCE THAT I WILL BE RUNNING TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE RHODE ISLAND STATE SENATE -- AS YOUR SENATOR FROM THE 10TH DISTRICT. I am seeking the State Senate because: I believe that I can make a difference for this district. The people of Elmwood, the West End and the Reservoir Triangle can truly elect a person who they can truly depend on, and someone that can represent US ALL.

1

A person who will fight and

advocate for the right issues that will benefit the entire district and the State of Rhode Island. I am running for the State Senate because I want to work towards making a better future for my family, my son Cristian, for my neighbors and their children. Like all of you, I want the best for my family and our district. I want District 10 and the state of Rhode Island to move forward together for a better future. Our current Senator is not doing the job! He has not done the work necessary to improve our quality of life. Our Senator has not been able to respond to the changing needs of our neighborhoods, and this is apparent in the lack of trust and loss of faith from our youth and families. I believe our system can work. I am a firm believer in our government and our country! For the last 11 years, I have been a member of the military because I am willing to fight and defend our country. This is the type of leadership our district deserves. Someone who realizes that the trust placed on it's elected official should not be taken lightly. They expect their civil servants to protect their freedom and rights. Our Senator has not. The reality in our district is that we need a Senator who will fight to bring resources to our neighborhoods and our current Senator has not been successful in doing that along with us. We can no longer live isolated in a system where only a few reap the benefits of one of the longest lasting economic booms in our state and country has seen. This must stop and our current Senator is tired and cannot deliver any longer for our youth, for our families, for our elderly and for us. Together with you, I want to do something about making the future a healthier, Safer and better environment to live in. As Martin Luther king said " we must continue to strive to achieve the beloved community" As we stand on the gateway of a new century, we are also standing on the threshold of a point of reflection. John F. Kennedy once said, " Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."

2

We must reflect on our past while at the same time contemplating our future. If we as citizens do not take appropriate political action, we will have ignored the lessons that the past has taught us, and we will be blind as we move forward in this new century. I am running because growing up in the Southside and the West End provided me with valuable insights of this diverse community.

My involvement in little league,

Quisqueya in Action, Elmwood Foundation, Providence Civic entrepreneur and Leadership R.I has shaped my personal and professional development. As an advocate for the people in our neighborhoods, I have become a more proactive person. I am not afraid to express concerns that affect the quality of life for the people in our neighborhoods. Just as I fought the building of new school on a toxic dump site last year.

My experience-as a family man, as a father, as a Soldier, as a patient

advocate and as a community activist---have given me the leadership skills to lead this district. As a former President of the Elmwood Foundation, I was able to help increase home ownership and affordable housing in the Elmwood neighborhood. I fought for expansion of programs that benefited our neighborhoods. Today, we see other sections of Elmwood being developed. It is no longer just the historic district. I always stood up for equal economic opportunity so that we all can enjoy a better quality of life. At the same time, as a Patient Advocate at Rhode Island hospital for the past 10 years. I see everyday the difficulties people face in getting access to health care they can afford. I see first hand the need that the elderly, the young and the newly arrived have. Everyday, I assist and I guide the most needy and helpless through a system in need of change. Change that I will FIGHT to bring about. So that every person can enjoy quality health care. That is why I will support and present legislation that will protect the uninsured. Everyone deserves and has the right to obtain quality health care.

That is

why I support the efforts of the Rite Care Program. I also support the expansion to allow small business to buy in to the Rite Care program. I am running because I will fight for: Higher quality standards and more resources for all of our children in the public school system. I will strongly encourage our community centers to become more active, and create new programs and community activities for our children. I will make sure that

3

they have the proper resources to do so. Implementing these types of ideas will prevent our youth from trouble finding them. The issue of education is not one of the suburbs vs. the city schools…it is an issue of CHILDREN, THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY, OUR STATE AND COUNTRY! We need to support educational reform and fund it at a level where all children can succeed. I will be the Senator that will say YES to Diana Lam when she comes to the State House to ask for more funds to improve our school system. Because this is not an expense, this is an investment in our future. In addition, I can guarantee you that if we invest in education we will see tremendous returns when our youth succeed. I will also fight for economic development opportunities for small businesses and micro-enterprises by supporting programs that will benefit the business community in this district and the state of Rhode Island. This district is in an Empowerment Zone. When businesses are established or relocated here, they qualify for tax breaks. Why haven't our businesses in the district actively participated? If residents in the Zone are employed then the Tax breaks are increased. This promotes job opportunities for our neighbors. We have companies moving in and out of our district and the current Senator is not aggressively reaching out to the community that has brought these tax incentives. We are being shortchanged and we can not continue to allow this to happen. We too contribute a lot to the economy of this District and Rhode Island. The West End deserves better. Elmwood deserve better. And the Reservoir Triangle deserves better. Our district needs leadership and it needs a strong voice. And our Senator is not providing that! I am willing to be that voice. I am running because I want this District to change. I believe change is possible in district 10--but it will not come from the current representation. It will come because we will work hard together to elect a senator, a leader who will respect and represent all three communities as one. A leader who wants to move forward together for a better future. We are tired of our communities getting all the bad news. It is time that we take our destiny in our hands, this district has Roger Williams Park, which has the great zoo and is one of the most popular tourist attraction in our state.

Broad Street Marketplace, the Elmwood Little

4

League, the Industrial Park and a great diversity and ethnic representation from all corners of the world. We are ready for a new leadership in District 10. I intend to be a leader that will work hard with you to lift this community to new heights. I want to be a member of the Rhode Island State Senate because I bring with me Integrity, Sensitivity, Respect, Trust, and most importantly Leadership. I firmly believe in service before self. I seek to represent AND SERVE the residents of the Elmwood, the Reservoir Triangle and West End. As a state senator, I believe that the experience I have gained in the community and the knowledge I have attained as an active member will make me a stronger & positive voice for District 10. I cannot do this alone. My family, my friends and neighbors are currently helping in my campaign. However, believe me this is a lot of work. The more volunteers a campaign has the stronger it is. That is why I want your help, I want your financial support and most of ALL I WANT YOUR VOTE; AND THE VOTE OF YOUR FAMILY AND THE VOTE OF YOUR FRIENDS AS WELL! Before I end, I would like to take this opportunity to present my team so far. Campaign manager, Melba De Pena, Treasurer, Vernon Brown, and janet, finance director. Yamil Gomes, Rafael Martinez, Jenny Mercado, Marilyn Cepeda, Tomas Avila. I need your help in this campaign for change. We can do it. Cesar Chavez, an activist, a leader for better working rights said that the way can we make change is by contacting each person " one by one." "uno por Uno"

5

"MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER FOR A BETTER FUTURE" is a promise I plan to keep.

I will be that person who will make sure that the three neighborhoods

within District 10 are treated and represented EQUALLY. Remember on September 12 and November 7 of this year. I need your vote. Vote Juan Pichardo for state senate. Muchas Gracias a todos and come September and November we will win this election as we move forward together!

6