Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos

SABINA MATOS Lieutenant Governors State of Rhode Island

Editor Tomás Alberto Ávila

© 2021 by Tomás Alberto Ávila. All Rights Reserved. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed or by any means or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written of the publisher.

First Printing April 2021

Published by Milenio Latino Institute, Inc. Providence, Rhode Island tavila@mileniolatinoinstitute.org

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: Pending

ISBN ----1--------14-8

Printed in the United Stated of America.

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Tomás Alberto Ávila Testimony _________________________________ 5 Lt. Governor Sabina Matos Statements _________________________ 6

Senate Advice & Consent of the Appointment of Sabina Matos As Lieutenant Governor of the State of Rhode Island ____ 7 April 13, 2021 ______________________________________________________ 7

Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos Official Swearing in By Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea ___________________________________ 27 April 14, 2021 ____________________________________________________ 27

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Tomás Alberto Ávila Testimony April 6, 2021 Honorable Senator Cynthia A. Coyne. Chair Senate Judiciary Committee I submit my written testimony in support of my Friend Sabina Matos’s nomination to become the next Lieutenant Governor of the great State of Rhode Island.

I met Sabina in 1999 as a sophomore student at Rhode Island College at the Center for Hispanic Policy & Advocacy (CHisPA) where I was Deputy CEO, and she became an intern under my supervision assisting me planning, coordinating, managing the execution of our Hispanic Heritage Month many activities, and the research and preparation of report in preparation of the 200 anniversary of the building of our headquarters at 221 Elmwood Ave. Since that moment when our paths crossed, I could see In Sabina a passion to hard work, and aspirations to keep improving herself and our communities as well as lots of potential to advance in the State’s competitive sociopolitical scene, rooted on her eagerness to learn and her commitment to change.

My next experience with Miss Matos was in 2002 as a founding student of the Rhode Island Latino Political Action Committee' inaugural “Latina Leadership Institute” contributing her learning about the state civic and political scene, while forging a new network of friend and allies and becoming the first LLI graduate to seek elected office in 2006 and she has continue chattering the sociopolitical fiber of the state as follow: She was first elected to the Providence City Council in 2010 as Councilwoman for Ward 15, which covers Olneyville as well as parts of the Silver Lake and Valley neighborhoods.

Sabina was reelected Councilwoman to the Providence City Council in 2014, solidifying her leadership and advocacy for her constituency.

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In 2015, Matos became the first Latina elected as Providence Council President Pro Tempore in Providence’s and state history and served in that role until her 2018 reelection.

In January 2019 Sabina Matos was elected City Council President, the first Latina to hold the position in the city’s history.

In March 30, 2021 Sabina Matos was tapped to be lieutenant governor out of group of seventy candidates by Governor Dan McKee to replace him.

When approved by the Senate, Sabina will become the First Latina, First Afro Latina, First Woman of Color, and Second Woman to hold the office in the State history, and by default, the second highest ranking Rhode Island Statewide General Officer after Governor Daniel J. McKee, joining Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, elected in 2014 as the first Latina statewide officer in New England until now.

Finally, I end by informing you that Sabina accomplished all of the above while successfully establishing her professional career, raising a family and she is ready to successfully serve as Lieutenant Governor to the residents of the State of Rhode Island and I ask your approval of Governor McKee’s nomination to become Rhode Island next Lieutenant Governor.

Lt. Governor Sabina Matos Statements After her swearing she said. “I know the responsibility that I have because when you are the first, sometimes if you make a mistake, it’s going to reflect on the rest of your community, which isn’t fair, right?” Matos, who is Afro-Latina, said. “So, I promise my community that I’m going to work really hard to make them proud. I am going to do the best I can.”

She also noted that state leadership is becoming more diverse. For example, this year’s General Assembly is the most diverse in Rhode Island history, with 21 people of color in the 113-member legislature.

“We are getting there,” Matos said. “But there is always room for improvement.”

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Senate Advice & Consent of the Appointment of Sabina Matos As Lieutenant Governor of the State of Rhode Island April 13, 2021 00:00 Okay, that brings us to our consent calendar. Senator McAfee moves to consent calendar second by Senator LG have a clicker please unlock the machine. Every member has recorded their vote. Please lock the machine. There are 35 votes in the affirmative, none in the negative and the consent calendar is adopted.

That brings us to today's regular calendar. Item number one is the appointment of the honorable Sabina Matos as Lieutenant Governor of the State of Rhode Island.

Chairwoman Coyne 00:02 Thank you, Mr. President. I rise in support of the appointment of Sabina Matos to serve as Lieutenant Governor, Miss Matos will bring a wealth of crucial firsthand experience to the office of Lieutenant Governor. She has served for several times on the Providence City Council, working her way through leadership roles to the position of President when in 2019, she became the first Latina and fourth woman to ever hold the post.

This experience in municipal government will be a tremendous asset to the lieutenant governor's office should Miss Matos appointment earn senate approval today she will be the first Latina and first woman of color to serve as Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island. In addition, she will be only the second woman in history to serve in that role. In testimony before the Judiciary Committee, Miss Matos was universally praised for being a devoted, knowledgeable, and tireless public servant. She has earned the reputation of being dedicated to improving the community and for working to better the lives of all those she serves.

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Most recently, Miss Matos was recognized for being a leader in Providence’s effort to navigate through the covid 19 pandemic. She went above and beyond her duties on the council to help seniors, business owners and nonprofits steer through the difficult and uncertain times. Her leadership ability to act decisively and focus on a common goal was absolutely paramount during the course over the past year.

I am pleased to report that the Senate Judiciary Committee voted last week in unanimous support of this appointment. I move the nomination and ask that the Senate join me in granting advice and consent to Sabina Matos.

01:55 Senator Coyne moves the advice and consent of Sabina Manos as Lieutenant Governor of the State of Rhode Island. Is there a second? seconded by leader McCaffrey, Senator Goodwin, Senator Gallo Senator Lombardo, Senator Anderson, Senator Felix Senator Ciccone, Senator Lombardi, Senator Burke, Senator Coleman, Senator Larson, Senator Mack, Senator Damaris, Senator Costa, Senator Quesada, Senator Pichard, Senator Miller, Senator Dela Cruz, Senator Rogers Senator Bell, Senator Ashford, Senator Cano, Senator Raptakis, Senator Murray, Senator Goldin, Senator Markey. discussion on the nominee.

Senator Bell. I am sorry, Senator Ciccone.

03:03 Thank you, Mr. President. I am honored to rise the second the nomination of my constituent Sabina Matos to serve as a governor of Rhode Island.

03:12 Senator, excuse me is your mic on?.

03:17 I believe it is. Good. I would like to start by echoing some of what Chairwoman Coyne just said. This matters experience make it uniquely qualified. For the position. She worked her way through the 8

ranks and eventually became the first Latina to serve as president of the Providence City Council. In addition to her work on the council, from which he has earned an excellent reputation. Miss Mattos also garnered praise for her work improving the community and her professional capacity with the Office of Diversity and Equity, and letters of support submitted to the Judiciary Committee. Miss Mattos was universally praised. She was called the epitome of a public servant, whose desire to serve the public good has never wavered. She commented for her. She commended she had she was commended for her tireless dedication to community service and commitment to justice, fairness and equity. I am confident that Miss Mattos is the ideal individual to serve as Lieutenant Governor. I asked my colleagues to join me in granting advice and consent to Sabino to Sabina Mattos, my constituent for the district of Silver Lake and Olneyville.

04:43 Thank you, Chairman Ciccone. Senator Bell.

04:52 Thank you so much, Mr. President. I'm honored to rise to second the nomination of my friend. Council President Sabina Mata. For the Office of Lieutenant Governor when Governor McKee was lieutenant governor, he transformed the Office of Lieutenant Governor by focusing on one of its key roles, which is as the chairman of the Small Business advocacy Council.

And so what I want to talk about is some of the work that Sabina Matos has done for the small business community work that shows that she is the right person to serve in this role, the role of being the chief advocate for small business in the state of Rhode Island. Sabina Matos works tirelessly, whenever the business community of only Ville has problems that need to be solved, and there are many. running a small business in the city of Providence is not easy, particularly when there are language barriers, complex regulatory issues, and a bunch of complicated challenges that need to be solved.

And Sabina Matos is always there to solve the challenges and help advance the cause. The business community in only time after time I 9

have heard from business owners in my district, about how much the worksheet has done to help them navigate the difficult process of starting a small business made it possible when otherwise it wouldn't be as Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos will have to take this work statewide. And it's not going to be an easy job. It's a difficult time for our small business community. And it's a difficult mandate that's forced on this office. It's not an easy job. But I'm confident because I have seen the work she's done in only Vale in Silverlake in the city of Providence, that she will do a fantastic job advocating for the business community, small business community, all across our state. So I urge all the rest of my colleagues to vote to support her nomination and make her lieutenant governor.

07:14 Thank you, Senator bow. Further discussion on the nominee. Senator Cano.

07:29 Thank you, Mr. President, I to rise to second the nomination for city council. President Savino matters for lieutenant governor. I think that as he has been said, already, it is a historic moment for Rhode Island, not only for woman preferred the minority community. So I congratulate her and I very looking forward to working with you.

Thank you.

07:54 Thank you, Senator Carr. no further discussion on the nominees.

Hearing none, will the senate provide its advice and consent on the nomination of the honorable Sabrina Mattos as Lieutenant Governor of the State of Rhode Island, the clerk will please unlock the machine.

08:29 If all members have voted the clicker please select the machine. Give it 34 voting affirmative and non in the negative. And the advice and consent of the Senate is granted to Bina Mattos as the governor of the state of Rhode Island. If we can revert back to introductions, I want to call on Senator Quezada.

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Thank you, Mr. President. For me, it's a great honor to be here today and to be able to present Sabina matter, as a fellow Dominican, as a woman of color as a politician, as a leader in the community. I know Sabina for many years. And I know and I do not have no doubt that you're going to do a wonderful job. Now I would like to introduce our new lieutenant governor Sabina Matos.

10:03 I want to introduce her Son Diego, her daughter Anne Marie. Her husband, Patrick War, Her mom, These models work with you, our new lieutenant governor Sabina Matos.

10:44 Thank you, Senator Quezada. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you to the members of the Senate.

It is truly an honor for me to be here in front of you. And I wanted to thank you for your trust and your confidence on me. I'm here with my family who I want to thank them for all the support that they give me every day to allow me to do this work. That brings me so much joy.

But at the same time is take us as all of you know, take us away from our family a lot.

So, I just want to say thank you for all their support. I would like to thank Governor McKee, for his trust in me and giving me this opportunity is not lost on me that this is a historic moment and also the weight of the office and the challenge that is presented to me.

I promise all of you to work really hard to make you proud of this vote of this decision. I am looking forward to having the opportunity to sit down with each one of you. And to learn more about the issues that are happening in your communities in your district. I promise you that we you are always going to have someone that's willing to listen and to sit down and find common ground and common areas in which we can work together.

I also would like to thank my Senator Ciccone, for the wonderful introduction and for your support. It really means a lot to me to convey your support. Thank you, Senator Bell. We have been 11

working together a lot in debt not only for neighborhood. Thank you for those words. And I would like to thank the chairwoman Coyne and the members of the committee for their trust and support. Thank you.

It is truly an honor. And I promise you to work really hard to make you proud.

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Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos Official Swearing in By Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea April 14, 2021

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