Rich Laliberte (Motif): Can you tell our readers about your journey, from youth and how it brought you to this moment in local politics?
Yulyana Torres: I was born here in Providence to two Dominican immigrant parents who are also educators in the Providence Public School system. I was very fortunate to grow up around the very vibrant Dominican community here and attend elementary school at Henry Barnard which is a satellite school on the campus of Rhode Island College. I was exposed to so many different cultures and backgrounds in that school and they really encouraged us to participate in every holiday and be mindful of every religion. It really solidified my sense of community and belonging, and as I grew up I attended Classical, went to URI and eventually went to law school.
I had seen so many injustices growing up, from the struggles that my parents faced trying to improve the public school system, to the barriers that my little brother faced as an autistic youth trying to get access to education, healthcare, social services, and community support. After graduating college, I started a youth and community outreach program, The Domestic Violence Resource Center in Wakefield, and it really struck me how many families and youths were experiencing domestic violence and didn’t feel like they had somewhere to turn. During law school I really had a focus on public interest and I now serve as the first and only staff attorney at Sojourner House. After doing this work for about two years, and being involved in other community initiatives like the Central Falls Domestic Violence Task Force and the Rent Stabilization Initiative, I felt like there were other opportunities for me to better my city and give back to my community, and that’s what really inspired me to get into politics at this moment.
Rich: Ward 3 is a very diverse area on every level, from race to socio-economic classes. What ward-specific issues are you anxious to address?
Yulyana: I think first and foremost we do have to address the housing affordability crisis, even in Ward 3 there are a mix of renters and homeowners, and it’s crucial to me that all of those people that live and work in that community feel like they can stay in that community, without crushing financial hardship. I also think Ward 3 has a wealth of amazing local businesses, Frog and Toad, Cafe Zoe, all of these places that really give back to our community and I would like those businesses to have an expectation as to whether their costs are going to increase, or their rents are going to increase. So addressing rising rents, rising property costs, is a top agenda point of mine. Another point that I know is important to people on North Main Street, and that I am very grateful to Sue Anderbois for, is the creation of the North Main Street Task Force. After many accidents and four fatalities there, the Task Force has been very dedicated to making sure that community input is used to improve safety and accessibility on North Main. I look to continue the work of the Task Force to keep that road as safe as possible, but to also revitalize that area, make it more of a destination so more businesses like Crib or Parlor could really thrive there and our neighborhood can come together as a community.
Rich: What city-wide dilemmas are you drawn to tackling?
Yulyana: The school’s return to local control of the city is a big issue, how the school board is going to have involvement, what checks and balances are going to be imposed to make sure that there is an equitable distribution of power in that process. I am very fortunate to have a good relationship with the school board and really believe in a way to collaborate with the board to establish a way to balance out whatever power they have for the good of our students. I am also a huge proponent of dual language education, special needs education, increased resources for special needs students, so as the schools return to local control, really paying attention to what resources we have to give students and have them tailored and efficient for every student’s needs.
Domestic violence and mental health resources are also at the top of my agenda. As I have been serving on the Central Falls Domestic Violence Task Force, I’ve seen how effective it is when a city publicizes its relationship with community organizations, with other domestic violence organizations, and makes itself as a destination for constituents to be funneled towards those resources. The Task Force has gotten people from out of state and from outside of Central Falls, looking for advice for family members they know are in this city; or they used to live in Central Falls and now they don’t know what their resources are, and if someone can help them. I think it’s incredibly important to have literature, or someone that can be a resource, and direct constituents to the different agencies available in this state.
I think affordability is also a city-wide issue. There are a lot of areas that are suffering from displacement. I grew up on the South Side and it looks very different now then it did when I was young. Gentrification and displacement are real threats to areas in this city. As someone who is fortunate enough to have grown up here, and stayed here as an adult, I would be remiss to not do anything about keeping our communities together, here in Providence. One PVD!