Deep Democracy 3.0 Strategy & Listing Criteria Organizations & Endorsement Criteria
MASSACHUSETTS
Roberto Jiménez Rivera
July 2022
Massachusetts House of Representatives Candidate, 11th Suffolk District
Roberto Jiménez Rivera’s multicultural upbringing and his extensive involvement in community organizing propelled him to run for public office leading successful, inclusive campaigns. Jiménez Rivera was born in Norwood, Massachusetts to Puerto Rican parents and throughout his academic and professional path he has championed quality education for all. As a current at-large member of the Chelsea School Committee, he has been the highest vote-getter in that city for the last two elections. Roberto is an organizer with the Boston Teacher’s Union and his political project is motivated by his role as a parent and his commitment to building a better future for his 2-year-old son and every other member of the community.
POLICY
Jiménez Rivera comes from an extensive background in education policy which gives him a sharp perspective of the needs of his community in terms of education and the actions required to satisfy those needs, nevertheless, his policy goals are comprehensive and include other key issues.
Education: The Jiménez Rivera campaign lists three key actions to ensure quality education in Massachusetts. The first is to continue funding the Student Opportunity Act and to make sure the state stays on track in terms of compliance. Roberto recognizes the importance of addressing the current educator and social worker shortage and proposes expanding the pipelines for these professions as well as aiming to achieve free college for all, starting with education and social work students. Finally, Jiménez Rivera advocates for an educational curriculum that empowers students, especially students of color, to better understand their stories and how they fit in the broader narrative of the United States.
Housing: One of Jiménez Rivera’s policy priorities is housing; his campaign proposes to invest in existing public housing and to think of the affordable housing crisis in a more regional way. Roberto sees Chelsea and Everett as communities that have been contributing to the number of affordable housing units in a larger scale than other cities in the state and he advocates for making sure that communities across Massachusetts are doing their fair share to face the crisis.
Transit and Environmental Justice: Roberto sees the improvement of the transit system as a holistic solution that positively affects environmental and housing issues. Jiménez Rivera prioritizes the transition to renewable energies and highlights that by giving people better opportunities to use public transit, it is possible to reduce pollution and reduce the pressure on the housing system by connecting more communities.
DEEP DEMOCRACY DYNAMICS
Roberto is committed to incorporating voter education around the Fair Share Amendment to his door-knocking efforts. Jiménez Rivera highlights that voters in his district need to be aware that the FSA would not signify higher taxes for people in their bracket and that it could improve the public investment in areas that need the resources. Jiménez Rivera sees value in making sure that the next governor of Massachusetts is a woman and a democrat and plans to work from his position at the State House to make sure that the people of this community who are most hurt by the injustice are heard.
CAMPAIGN TEAM AND THE FIELD
Language justice has been key in hiring the current campaign staff and Roberto highlights the importance of having a campaign manager that speaks Spanish. Jiménez Rivera has focused on door-knocking to discuss his political project directly with his electorate. Roberto recognizes that his district is a new one that unites Chelsea under the same district for the first time in decades, giving the city the opportunity to have a representative with extensive knowledge of the community’s need. Additionally, Jiménez Rivera has made efforts to reach the Everett electorate informing voters about the results of the redistricting process and making the commitment to build together regardless of where the voters are from.
Roberto has been widely endorsed by the local education ecosystem including the Everett School Committee Members Samantha Lambert and Marcony Almeida-Barros, the Boston Teachers Union, the Chelsea Teachers Union, among others. Additionally, he has been endorsed by Chelsea City Councilors Damali Vidot and Enio López as well as Senator Jamie Eldridge and Senator Erika Uyterhoeven. Other organizations that endorse Roberto are the Sierra Project and the Environmental League of Massachusetts, Progressive Mass, Mass Alliance, UFCW and SEIU Local 888.
FUNDRAISING & OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIVING
The Jiménez Rivera campaign has raised close to $50k. Donate