THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2020 Page 9 ~ OP-ED ~ Showing up and doing the work W By Joe Gravellese, candidate for State Representative hen 2020 started, I never envisioned running for offi ce. My involvement in politics has always been behind the scenes – from organizing for candidates, to working on legislation at the State House, to working on the nuts and bolts of making city government work more eff ectively at the Mayor’s offi ce in Revere. But as I speak to voters around the district, it’s clear that we need leadership in government for whom politics isn’t about having their name on a sign or appearing at photo ops – it’s about showing up and doing the work. Over the last fi ve months, I’ve used this space to speak with you each week about the specifi c things I want to fi ght for if elected. From transportation, to education, to job training, I’ve laid out an ambitious agenda to stand up for the residents of Revere, Chelsea, and Saugus. But leadership isn’t just about saying the right things; it’s about translating words into action. And I have a history of showing up, digging deep, and working behind the scenes to fi ght for change. At the State House as legislative director for Rep. Lori Ehrlich, I mobilized a group of workers from all over Massachusetts to share their stories about how they were exploited by “noncompete” agreements – from sandwich shop workers, to a summer camp counselor, to people working in technology and scientifi c research whose opportunities to start businesses and pursue new ideas were limited by bad policy. By making the case directly to REVERETV | FROM PAGE 2 RevereTV has included this year’s Revere High School virtual scholarship awards and sports awards. In light of this year’s International Sand Sculpting Festival being cancelled, the Revere Beach Partnership (RBP) was able to pivot its eff orts towards keeping beachgoers safe in the midst of the pandemic. RevereTV covered the announcement of RBP’s Ambassador Program last week. RBP passed out Revere Beach–themed face masks and set up hand-sanitizing stations all along the beach. There will also be a group committed to keeping the grounds of the beach clean and safe. other legislators and to the public, we were able to build support for a bill that eventually prevented the worst kind of abuses of noncompete agreements. I was also involved in organizing a coalition that fought for a law holding utility companies accountable for gas leaks. I was in meetings with powerful legislators and staff , directly making the case for why certain language was needed in the bill to make it eff ective. The end result was a bill that led to the repair of thousands of gas leaks, and further raised the profi le of this important issue. Turning the page to my time at the City of Revere, the work I did was also not glamorous, but it was important. The day after Mayor Arrigo's victory was confirmed; I sat down for a meeting with members of Revere’s Healthy Community Initiatives offi ce. In that meeting in the basement of City Hall, the plan was hatched for the new Substance Use Disorder Initiatives offi ce, which brought the city’s work to tackle addiction under one roof and gave it proper funding and support. In the fi rst months of the Mayor’s administration, I pushed every day in meetings to move this project forward, to apply for the grants needed to fund it and to work with city staff to roll it out to the public. The end result was a new, vital city offi ce that has contributed to a 40%+ drop in overdose deaths in Revere. I was also involved in relaunching Revere’s Commission on Disabilities. The Commission hadn’t met for years, and had no clear direction. So I put out a call to hire new commissioners, and recommended the appointment of Ralph DeCicco to head up this work. Watch RTV’s coverage of this announcement on Facebook and YouTube. Starting today and throughout next week, RevereTV is airing coverage of the 2014 Sand Sculpting Festival on its community channel. This is 8 and 1072 on Comcast and 3 and 614 on RCN. Playlists of individual daily coverage from past festivals are always available on RevereTV’s YouTube page; however, RevereTV’s TV package is one cohesive video of coverage that happened throughout the entire festival from start to fi nish in 2014. RevereTV’s celebration of past sand sculpting festivals will continue each week through the summer, with each week showing a diff erent year. dine drink Working with Ralph, we energized the commission and set it on a path toward ensuring ADA compliance at city facilities, creating more programming and support for youth with disabilities, such as Special Olympics and programs at Revere Recreation, and created a transparent and fair process for applying for handicapped parking spots. My willingness to show up and do the work is also refl ected in how I’ve run my campaign. Even as COVID-19 has upended traditional campaigning, I’ve worked hard to adapt. I’ve done over ten hours’ worth of virtual town halls and interviews where I answer questions and speak directly to voters. I’ve published a series of policy papers both in print and online for you to review. I’ve spent time in all three communities in the district, dropping literature and getting to know community leaders. The series of endorsements I have received in this race – from trade unions, to the Massachusetts Teachers Association, to environmental advocates like the Sierra Club – stem from the fact that when these groups meet with me, they know that I’ve done my homework on the issues, have a deep conviction to do what is right, and have a work ethic that pushes me to keep on fi ghting for change, even when it’s hard. When I started this campaign, I knew that nobody owed me anything – I’d have to work hard to earn each and every vote. I’ve tried my best to do just that, and I hope to earn yours by September 1. gather enjo y Two Amazing Nights One Legendary Band! FORTUNE Thursday, July 30 & Friday, July 31 Saturday, August 1 at 9PM MOJO SLIM LIVE MUSIC ON THE PATIO EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT! AUGUST 6 - Freddie G's Happy Hour Band It's a WILDFIRE WEEKEND! Friday, August 7 & Saturday, August 8 WILDFIRE Friday, August 14 at 9PM Ultimate Kenny Chesney Show NO SHOES NATION Pizza “2 for Tuesday” Indulge in our Pizza "2 for Tuesday" every Tuesdays at Breakaway. A deal that you can't resist! You have the option to dine in or pick up! To learn more, call us at 978-774-7270. 221 Newbury Street, Danvers For Tickets call (978) 774-7270 or www.breakawaydanvers.com For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers at 781-286-8500 or Info@advocatenews.net
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