Chelsea School Committee member Roberto Jimenez Rivera hosted a reception Tuesday at Chelsea Station kicking off his campaign for a councilor-at-large seat on the Chelsea City Council.
Jimenez Rivera delivered the following remarks at the event:
Thank you all so much for joining us tonight!
Everyone here knows that education has always been at the core of my work. I was an admissions officer, now I work for a teachers’ union, and I’m on the School Committee. One thing they don’t tell you about running for School Committee is that oftentimes you have to convince people who aren’t parents why it’s important to vote for School Committee.
However, last year I learned what it’s like to run on every other issue when I ran for State Representative. People really open up when you can talk to them about the issues affecting them, like the cost of healthcare or rising rents. So, it becomes much more about how we can use our position to help people.
As a City Councilor, I can help tackle the issues facing all of our residents: a housing crisis, a severely underfunded transit system, and environmental injustice, just to name a few. Last year we continued building a movement that has been growing for years, on the shoulders of people who have been in this city for decades. I felt a sense of urgency then that is driving me now to run for City Council, to make sure our City Council is fighting for everyone in our city. Let’s make sure the people of Chelsea can continue to live here. Let’s make sure our air is clean and that we don’t have lead raining down on our kids. Let’s find a way to grow more opportunities for everyone in our city. That’s why I’m running for Chelsea City Council and that’s why I hope you’ll keep supporting this campaign. Thank you!