2020 Election Profile: Melanie DuPont, RI State Senate District 22
GoLocalProv Political Team
2020 Election Profile: Melanie DuPont, RI State Senate District 22
Read what she has to say about why she is running for office.
This is part of an ongoing series by GoLocal featuring each of the candidates for House and Senate.
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Questions
What do you think is the biggest political issue this campaign season in Rhode Island?
In this election cycle, our state is deciding something more fundamental than policy. We are choosing the character of our government. Throughout this pandemic, one crisis after another, we’ve seen our General Assembly do absolutely nothing. From housing, to unemployment, to the election, the General Assembly has waited from the Governor or the Courts to take action, and has let major moments of change pass them by. And, as a lifelong Rhode Islander and Democrat, it breaks my heart. We have a choice now. We can choose to vote out the career politicians who have decided that power and money is what politics is all about. We can choose to vote in a new wave of representation that cares more about people than party. The General Assembly leadership has failed. The question that every voter needs to ask themselves is, “what does real leadership look like?”
What do we need to do to improve Rhode Island's economy?
My platform is based on five key policy points:
I’m going to fight for a living wage, and equal pay for equal work.
I’m going to fight for everyone’s right to have a quality, affordable place to live.
I’m going to fight for decoupling health insurance from employment.
I’m going to fight to turn Rhode Island into a model state for green-energy employment and production.
I’m going to fight to destigmatize and expand mental healthcare for survivors of domestic violence.
Each of these is a crucial component in getting our state back on track economically. From making sure that working families can actually support themselves in the face of a major economic downturn to making a state-wide investment in our energy infrastructure, taking care of people and our environment are permanently linked to the economy. We can’t have a strong economy without a secure middle class and we can’t have a growing economy when we spend $3 billion a year on energy when we could be earning that money from other states.
What is the greatest challenge facing Rhode Island as a state?
I’ve heard from our neighbors that they’re done with corporations like Invenergy who are trying to mortgage our health for profit. I’ve heard from our neighbors that they want to work just one full-time job and be able to spend the rest of their time raising their families. I’ve heard from our neighbors that they want houses they can afford so they can put down roots. I’ve heard from our neighbors that they want quality healthcare they can afford, without cutting into their grocery budget. When I’m at the State House, all my decisions will be motivated by compassion for the people, and the courage to do what’s right. I see too many people in our district struggling to make ends meet. I’m going to address that every chance I get.
Everything I just mentioned has been made even more urgent by the COVID crisis. Folks in our district need relief, and they need it now. The General Assembly chose to take a vacation instead of facing up to their responsibility. As our State Senator, the urgent needs of the people give me the courage to take a principled stand, pick a side, and take action. I will not be bought. I don’t accept donations from corporate PACs, lobbyists, or the fossil fuel industry. Instead, I will always keep the needs of our community in the front of my mind.
Why are you running for office? What makes you uniquely qualified?
I am running for State Senate because I have trust issues. I don’t trust our current representation to make a meaningful difference in our neighbors’ lives. For the past eight years, our representation has made an active choice to sit idly by. Even when it’s been easy, they’ve chosen to do nothing. And let’s be clear, inaction is not neutral. I’m running because we need a State Senator who is courageous enough to take bold, compassionate, decisive action to help our neighbors. And I know that I’m that person.
I know I’m the best person for this job because, as a professional communicator, I listen to people. I hear and understand their needs, I ask them questions, I do my research, and I work to find the best solution -- and then I take action to implement that solution. I’ve been doing that work for 25 years. It’s really my life’s work, and it’s what I’m best at.
Who is your inspiration?
My parents are an incredible inspiration. Growing up in Smithfield, I saw my mom making tipped minimum wage for 27 years working at the Greenville Newport Creamery, and my dad was unable to find work in town that matched his skill set. I learned from them how to work hard and continuously improve my skills. But when I was ready to begin my career in technology, I had to leave Smithfield to go find work and find affordable housing. And it gutted me to have to leave my home, but I didn’t have another choice. My parents taught me the value in making tough choices. After 20 years I came back, because I love it here. I wanted to save and thrive, instead of scraping by like I watched my parents do, but despite working full time, I still can’t afford a house here. I want to make it possible for families to start building intergenerational wealth. I haven’t seen our General Assembly make significant strides in this direction in 20 years. Certainly not for the past eight.
Contact:
Website: MelForRI.com
Email: [email protected]
FB: https://www.facebook.com/MelForRI/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelForRI
Insta: https://instagram.com/MelForRI
Bio:
Melanie grew up in Smithfield, at the end of what started out as a dirt road. Dad and Mom both worked, but money was tight, so the DuPonts conserved, and Mel wore mostly hand-me-downs and too-big shoes with wads of newspaper stuffed into the toes.
She graduated high school, studied at Northeastern University, and transferred to Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Unfortunately, Mel had to drop out, become a nanny to make ends meet, and take a moment to think about what she wanted to do next.
Mel took her ear for listening and her analytical skills and entered the technology workforce as a Help Desk technician. She practiced clear communication as a tool for relieving and preventing suffering, then turned her twin passions of writing and helping others into a Technical Writing career that took off.
Two decades into her career, Mel took a break from her job and lived for a year in Canada and graduated with honors from Vancouver Film School's writing for film and television program. She was just starting to build a local career in film when the 2016 election happened.
Melanie realized that she had not been paying close enough attention to politics. She became an activist and got hooked on making big change through sharing know-how, inspiring folks, and fighting hard for the laws that reduce suffering.
Working within a team, Mel gave her first testimonies at the State House and helped legislators see that banning conversion therapy is the right thing to do to protect children. As she learned how state legislation works, Melanie sat down with her State Senator and realized he did not have the community's interests at heart in passing the bills that mattered most. In 2018, she primaried him.
As a strong, smart leader and first-time runner, Melanie got 38% of the vote, but that wasn't enough to win.
Unfortunately, she was right: her State Senator still doesn't vote with the community in mind. In the past two years:
He has been fined $60,000 by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management for destroying acres of freshwater and riverbank wetlands – and now he's on track to endanger an entire reservoir
He voted against the bill that he promised voters he would pass "expeditiously"
He could not be bothered to vote on simple things like barring employers from forcing you to sign a noncompete clause and protecting pets from domestic abusers.
We the people must complete the task of building a compassionate and courageous government, especially our state legislature. For all our sakes, it's time to try again. And this time, with your help, Mel can and will win.