“Simply put, we need our legislature to actually LEAD – for the good of our families and our communities.”

---

Statement by The Womxn Project‘s Jocelyn Foye calling for Rhode Island lawmakers to take action to provide relief to families in our state:

“While candidates and their volunteers work to get out the vote, activists are endeavoring to ensure that our current members of the General Assembly and the State Supreme Court reflect our values by advancing policies and decisions that protect our health and rights, instead of hoarding power or rolling back important gains previously achieved. We support female leadership that fight for the advancement of womxn’s rights, not the status quo and look forward to a transparent election for these leadership positions.

“The Womxn Project fully supports the Rhode Island Democratic Women’s Caucus in calling for the election of candidates to represent people who have been pushed to the margins and left out of conversations about and crafting of policy. The simple fact is that we need more women appointed to positions that will shift leadership and thereby build power in the Rhode Island Senate and House of Representatives and at every level of local government.

“Studies have shown that when women are elected, and especially when they lead councils or committees, that the issues of importance to our families receive more attention. Paid leave, reproductive healthcare, nutritional assistance and housing receive the consideration, attention and acknowledgement such issues deserve.

“We will no longer accept the status quo allotted to us by the same old hierarchy. We are finished with the political games played year after year in the Rhode Island legislature where egos and personal agendas are placed ahead of the needs of real people. It is time for a real change.

“The Womxn Project is committed to supporting those whose voices are lost amidst individuals in public office who sit at the tables where key decisions are made. We will advocate to hold elected officials accountable to the constituents they serve and mobilize activists to leverage our collective power to push for the positive change we deserve and the policies that Rhode Islanders need to live with health and dignity.

“Our objectives are to address economic and health disparities for womxn, particularly women of color, raise income to a living wage for essential workers, continue to dismantle systems of oppression, and advance racial justice.

“To begin this move forward, the General Assembly must end their leave and return to work. The pandemic shined a light on existing problems and created truly disastrous consequences for people across our state with disparate impact, most extremely to those who were already suffering.

“We must identify a way to safely meet to develop thoughtful and strategic solutions to the problems that were raised or exacerbated by the pandemic and the lack of an approved FY’21 budget. The families in our state who are struggling to pay rent, put food on the table and get care after losing their health insurance simply cannot wait any longer.

“Simply put, we need our legislature to actually LEAD – for the good of our families and our communities.”