Carol Anne Costa: Inauguration 2015 - epiphany

Carol Anne Costa: Inauguration 2015 - epiphany

I witnessed a collision on Inauguration Tuesday - January 6, 2015. I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears a coming together of ideas, truths, and challenges. Flanked by the bronze statues of Oliver Hazard Perry and Nathaniel Greene and beneath the Independent Man, our historic first female Governor, Gina Raimondo, as is her style, met the past and the future with a force that matched the thunderous sounds of the 19 gun salute which could be physically felt to the core. Donned in the ceremonial gorget, Raimondo’s tone resembled a warrior ready to march ahead and rally each of us to the cause. Her call to arms was simple, poignant, and compelling, “We need new politics and new ideas. Too many interest groups have crowded into this building for too long, putting their short-term, self-interests before the long-term interests of all Rhode Islanders.” I think I saw the Independent Man shine a bit brighter.

A New Optimism

Lately our statehouse has become a source of angst and unease.  Let’s face it, the dome has lost its gleam, as the tarnish of scandal, special interests, and bitter politics have taken their toll. As the dome has dulled, so has the attitude of the average Rhode Islander. Raimondo did not shy away from that realty, as she identified the pessimism in part, stating, “we've witnessed a growing acceptance that this is Rhode Island…it's just the way things are. So we've lowered our expectations, deferred our dreams, and allowed corruption to take root.” She is correct, so many days over the past decade have been filled with the news of high unemployment and our propensity to finish dead last in nearly every quantifiable category. These facts have weighed heavily on our collective shoulders and the stress and doom that prevail in the news cycle, at the grocery store, and in the workplace have worked to create a deep cynicism in government and in our public servants, often undeserved. As the distrust in our system and officials spread, it too made us more apathetic and skeptical, as we shuffled our way through another day, another week, another month. Even Pharrell Williams' “Happy” proved feudal.  

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On Tuesday, as the snow fell on the south portico it perhaps brought with it a cleansing. The marble appeared brighter, the Independent Man’s golden gloss glimmered fiercely atop the beautiful and unmistakable dome, even the Commodore Perry and Governor Greene statue stood out more boldly. The obvious presence and participation of children and youth was a clear sign that the election of these new young reformers has changed the political dynamic. And, it felt good. Change for the better was palpable in the cold air and it could be felt right from the start and somehow the Cumberland Little Leaguers made the Pledge of Allegiance seem even more meaningful.   

Epiphany

The symbolism on display at the inauguration was not lost, as Governor Raimondo asked the Speaker of the RI House and Senate President to join her on the dais, knowing full well it will take a village. Looking around at the elected officers and the newly elected mayors, legislators, the young girls and boys and citizens scattered among the tremendous crowd, I was uplifted, proud to be a Democrat, proud to be of Italian descent, and so very proud to be a woman. Although, I have remained a supporter of Raimondo, the imagery, ceremony, her historic election, her speech, and the crowd willing to endure the bone chilling cold and falling snow converged to hit me like a ton of bricks, yes, an epiphany. According to Miriam Webster’s definition, epiphany - a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something: an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking: an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure. Looking up the stairs toward our new leaders, I realized it is a new chapter and verse.

In religion, Epiphany is the Christian festival held on January 6 in honor of the coming of the three kings to the infant Jesus Christ. I believe in signs. For me, the intersection of Inauguration 2015, the Epiphany, and the cleansing snow is a sign that we are ready to change the direction, the attitude, and the politics of the past.  “We need that eternal optimism shown by our founders… who believed in divine intervention, good fortune, and yes, providence – the idea that through God's grace, all things are possible. Because they are.” Thank you, Governor Raimondo, you made it clear, “we're all in this together”... 

Carol Costa is a public relations and community outreach specialist; she has experience in both the public and private sectors. She is the Chairwoman of the Scituate Democratic Town Committee and has extensive community affairs and public relations experience. She previously served in the Rhode Island Judiciary for nearly 17 years. Carol also enjoyed a successful development stint at the Diocese of Providence as Associate Director for Catholic Education and is currently the Executive Director of the Warren Housing Authority. Her work has been published in several local outlets including GoLocal, Valley Breeze, The Rhode Island Catholic, and Currents Magazine.