2020 Election Profile: Leonela Felix, House District 61
Friday, August 28, 2020
Meet Leonela Felix who is running for election in House District 61 (Pawtucket).
Read what she has to say about why she is running for office.
This is part of an ongoing series by GoLocal featuring each of the candidates for House and Senate.
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1. What do you think is the biggest political issue this campaign season in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island is grappling with more than just one big political issue -- we are dealing with decades of inaction in various fronts that have left working families behind. The pandemic and the current economic crisis tells us that we will need bold leaders with the empathy and foresight to do what is morally right to support working people and to address the numerous inequitable systems that exist from healthcare to childcare. Business as usual won’t cut it. Rhode Islanders deserve bold, innovative leadership and investments that will allow all working people to thrive, not just survive.
2. What do we need to do to improve Rhode Island's economy?
We can improve Rhode Island’s economy in two ways: superficially and structurally. Superficially, we can provide tax and other incentives for businesses to invest in our communities, providing some jobs at the expense of environmental and other long term consequences-neighborhoods torn apart, families displaced by luxury condos. If we’re interested in structural change, we need to ensure that ALL the people of Rhode Island are included. So long as there are teenagers working minimum-wage jobs because they can’t afford college, formerly incarcerated people who aren’t afforded an opportunity, or immigrants who can’t drive to work, Rhode Island is wasting the human and economic potential of its people.
3. What is the greatest challenge facing Rhode Island as a state?
I think the greatest challenge Rhode Island faces is pretty similar to the greatest challenge our country faces. The pandemic has definitely changed our world, and it’s unclear if things can or will go back to “normal”. But the pandemic hasn’t created new problems, it’s just exacerbated old ones that have remained unaddressed for decades. We have a healthcare system that prioritizes profit over people, a fundamentally broken economy where individuals can own houses, yachts and planes while veterans sleep in the streets, and a political system that doesn’t seem very interested in doing anything about it. So, I think our greatest challenge is to change the political system so that it works to solve the problems of the many, not the few. That means electing working people, women, people of color, people with the conviction to pursue change and the empathy to stay connected to the struggles of daily life.
4. Why are you running for office? What makes you uniquely qualified?
I am running for State Representative because right now we need bold leaders who will fight for working families. As an attorney and an advocate, I’ve dedicated my life to fighting for others. I’ve been an advocate for a $15 an hour minimum wage, good education, and taking on Trump’s cruel immigration policies. And I’ve seen again and again that at the State House, insiders get what they want while our communities get left behind. We need someone who will really fight for investments in our communities and in what our families really need. I know that I am that person.
5. Who is your inspiration?
My mom is the strongest person I know, and I draw on her example when I face challenges in my life. My mom had to work two and three jobs at a time to support my twin sister Gena, my brother Christian and myself, and I still can’t understand how she found the time to raise us and put food on the table. Like many families, we’ve had our struggles -- when she got sick, we lost our home. Despite the obstacles, she became a successful small business owner
Bio:
My story is common in Pawtucket: I’m the daughter of immigrants who worked tirelessly to give me a better life. My first job was at McDonald’s on Lonsdale Avenue, and in 2018 my mother cried as I graduated law school. The journey from a low wage job to a stable future represents the American Dream. Today, realizing that Dream is nearly impossible. That’s why I’m running for State Representative in Pawtucket’s District 61 - we need bold leaders fighting for working families.
I’ve dedicated myself to causes that are personal to me, yet impact everyone across our state. I worked at Progreso Latino, fighting against unjust systems. I fought for a $15 minimum wage, helped lead the Immigration Coalition of Rhode Island, and served on the Commission for Health Advocacy and Equity. Now I work for the City of Providence, ensuring transparency in government. However, I’ve learned that to win change for the people, we need change at the State House.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leonelafelixRI
Website: https://www.leonelafelix.com/
