The Providence City Council, for the first time a majority woman city council, unanimously passed a resolution in favor of passing the Reproductive Health Care Act (RHCA), legislation currently before the Rhode Island General Assembly that would codify Roe v Wade into state law.
Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune
“it is so important for us to value women’s reproductive rights,” said Providence City Councilor Nirva LaFortune (Ward 3). “And it’s important for our state to codify Roe v Wade, especially with what’s happening at the national level. No person should have the right to tell anybody, a woman or person, however they identify, what to do with their reproductive organs, with their body.”
Councilwoman Helen Anthony
“I would like to state that [the RHCA] will also repeal outdated state laws that are no longer enforceable,” said Providence City Councilor Helen Anthony (Ward 2). “Such as mandatory spousal involvement, possible imprisonment of abortion providers and no insurance for abortions. So this is critical.
The resolution was introduced by City Councilors Anthony, LaFortune, Katherine Kerwin (Ward 12), Rachel Miller (Ward 13), David Salvatore (Ward 14) and Seth Yurdin (Ward 1), but was immediately cosponsored by the entire city council once brought to the floor.
Providence City Councilor Sabina Matos (Ward 15) is the current President of the Providence City Council.
“The simple fact is that Rhode Islanders are not content to watch our rights be trampled on or taken away at the federal level or ignored in our own state. We are speaking up and coming together to leverage our collective power. We do not want to sit back and wait to see if the Supreme Court continues to protect this important right. The women in our state deserve more than a waiting game where their rights and their health are on the line,” said Jordan Hevenor, Co-Director of The Womxn Project, in a statement.
“We are grateful to the members of the Providence City Council for making Seth Yurdin, Helen Anthony, Nirva LaFortune, Nicholas Narducci Jr, Joann Ryan, Michael Correia, John Igliozzi, James Taylor, Carmen Castillo, Luis Aponte, Mary Kay Harris, Katherine Kerwin, Rachel Miller, David Salvatore, Sabina Matos, Providence City Council, Reproductive Health Care Act, RHCA, Rhode Island General Assembly, Roe v Wade, The Womxn Project, Jordan Hevenor, Jocelyn Foye,it clear that the time is now. The RHCA will protect and affirm our right to abortion access. Voters have made it clear that the people of Rhode Island want to see this bill enacted. We are thrilled to work with our state’s leaders to see this through!” said Jocelyn Foye, Co-Director of The Womxn Project.
To read the full City Council Resolution, please visit the Open Meetings Portal: RHCA Resolution
City Council Pro Tempore Michael Correia of Ward Six extends his gratitude to the first responders who acted quickly and diligently to put out last night’s fire at the Hasbro Children’s Hospital.
“The men and women who serve as first responders in the City of Providence are the best in the nation,” stated City Council Pro Tempore Michael Correia. “The fire at the Hasbro Children’s Hospital could have been catastrophic, but because a young visitor to the hospital noticed the flames, our city’s firefighters were able to act and put it out quickly. As always, I’m grateful for the work of all our first responders.”
The fire at Hasbro Children’s Hospital was a 2 alarm fire and did not impede the work of the hospital’s staff.
Providence City Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan, Ward Five, was elected by her peers as Majority Leader for the 2019-2023 term.
Majority Leader Ryan was first elected to represent the fifth ward in 2014. During her time on the Council, she has served as the Council’s first Majority Whip and served on the Committee on Finance; Committee on Ordinances; Committee on Public Works; Committee on Public Property; Committee on Urban Redevelopment, Renewal, and Planning; the Special Committee on Women and Healthy Communities; Special Committee on State Legislative Affairs; and is the Chairwoman of the Special Committee on Municipal Operations and Oversight.
“I am humbled to have been chosen by my colleagues to serve in this important role,” stated City Council Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan. “I plan to work earnestly with every Council member so that we can serve every neighborhood of Providence. There is much to be done to get our economy on track and to move Providence forward, and I have every confidence in my colleagues that we will meet this endeavor head on.”
Ryan continued, “As a senior manager in the financial industry for over 30-years, I have a unique appreciation and understanding of the financial challenges facing the City. During my tenure on the Council, I have taken on many difficult issues: I have worked to reform the Board of Licenses, I have crafted legislation that addressed student housing, illegal ATVs, and worked tirelessly to encourage new business development.”
As a member of the Committee on Finance Ryan worked to hold the line on borrowing, streamlined operations and delivered a balanced budget which resulted in the City re-establishing its rainy-day fund for the first time in almost a decade. During her tenure on the Council, she has also secured more than $6 million in investments to improve Ward Five neighborhood schools, parks, library and opened the Armand E. Batastini Jr. Recreation Center, the first in Ward Five.
Council Majority Leader Ryan grew up the Elmhurst neighborhood of Providence where she still lives today with her husband, Attorney Thomas Ryan. They have two adult children, Attorney Brendan Ryan, and Megan R. Lynch, MBA, TCRG, both of Providence.
Ryan represents the Elmhurst, Mt. Pleasant, and Manton neighborhoods of Providence.
Providence City Councilwoman Sabina Matos, Ward 15, was elected City Council President after today’s installation of the 2019-2022 City Councilors. She has the distinction of being the first Latina to hold this seat.
Council President Matos began her first term as the Councilwoman for the fifteenth ward in January 2011. During her tenure on the Council, she has served as Council President Pro Tempore from January 2015 until her election as President. She also served as Acting Council President from May 2017 until December 2017. During her tenure she has served on the Councils’ Committee on Finance, Committee on Municipal Operations and Oversight, Rules Committee, Committee on Women and Healthy Communities, Committee on State Legislative Affairs, and serves as Chairwoman of the Committee on Urban Redevelopment, Renewal, and Planning.
“When my family emigrated from the Dominican Republic in 1994, we did so for better opportunities, and as an immigrant, I understand the unique challenges that the majority of today’s Providence population faces,” stated Council President Sabina Matos. “Today, women and minorities are not only the majority of the city’s population, but we now make up the majority of the Providence City Council. Now, more than ever before, the Council’s leadership reflects what our community truly looks like. Today the City of Providence has made history by swearing in a majority women-led Council. Women have not always had seats at the table, but one-by-one Councilwoman Carolyn Brassil, Councilwoman Josephine Diruzzo, Councilwoman Carol Romano, Councilwoman and former Acting Council President Balbina Young, Councilwoman Patricia K. Nolan, Councilwoman Rita Williams, Councilwoman and former Council President Eveylyn Fargnoli chipped away at that glass ceiling, and today our City Council represents those that have elected us to serve.”
Matos continued, “It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the residents of Ward 15, and I look forward to the next four years of serving all residents of our great city. I believe that my colleagues and I have a great deal of work to tackle the issues of our time. But, I have complete faith that we can come together and continue to make Providence an even greater place to live, work and play than it already is.”
Council President Matos’ election comes after the majority of the Democratic members of the City Council held a caucus in November of last year, to seat new leadership. The positions are as follows:
Michael Correia – Ward Six, President Pro Tempore
Jo-Ann Ryan – Ward Five, Majority Leader
John J. Igliozzi – Ward Seven, Majority Whip
Nicholas J. Narducci Jr. – Ward Four, Senior Deputy Majority Leader
Mary Kay Harris – Ward 11, Deputy Majority Leader
The Council’s newly seated leadership teams’ legislative goals for this term will focus on housing affordability, economic development (especially in support of local small businesses), and a continued focus on the city’s financial health. They will also continue to address the quality of life issues that face every neighborhood, which will include public safety, infrastructure, improved city services, and finally working towards making Providence one of the cleanest cities in America.
Sabina Matos was born in the province of Barahona in the Dominican Republic and moved to the United States in April 1994. She is a graduate of Rhode Island College with a BA in Communications and Public Relations. She is also a graduate of the Latina Leadership Institute and Leadership for a Future.
In 2014, Sabina Matos was named to the Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership program as one of two dozen emerging bipartisan leaders from across the country.
The Aspen Institute is a nonpartisan forum for values-based leadership and the exchange of ideas. Its Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership program seeks to enhance democracy by identifying and bringing together the nation’s most promising young political leaders who have demonstrated an outstanding ability to work responsibly across partisan divisions and bring greater civility to public discourse.
Council President Matos is also the past President of the Rhode Island Latino Political Action Committee and has served on numerous community-based boards including the Olneyville Housing Corporation, the United Way of Rhode Island and ECAS Theater. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, most recently she was honored by the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council with their first annual “Fred Lippit Award.”
Council President Matos lives in the Olneyville neighborhood of Providence with her husband Patrick, and their two children, Diego and Annemarie.
Since the early hours of this morning, I have heard from multiple neighbors regarding their concerns for their safety and that of their families after a man was shot and killed outside of the Steam Tap bar on Andem Street. Unfortunately, this is not the first violent incident that has occurred in relation to this location.
Rest assured that I am working with the Providence Police Department, the Providence Board of Licenses and community members to ensure that the Steam Tap is closed until a full hearing can be had by the Board of Licenses.
The safety of the residents in my community is paramount, and I will work to protect our quality of life at all costs.
Please keep an eye on the City Council website at www.council.providenceri.gov for more information as it becomes available.
