Political Profile: Zakary Pereira is a Candidate for State Representative in District 22

Political Profile: Zakary Pereira is a Candidate for State Representative in District 22

Zakary Pereira is a Democratic candidate for State Representative in District 22. Here is what he has to say.

1. What do you think is the biggest political issue this campaign season in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island’s affordability crisis. The cost of housing, healthcare, groceries, and energy are all up and families are feeling it in their pockets. I’ve talked to seniors on fixed-incomes who are not sure how to pay for heating this winter, young families who have had to put off starting a family due to housing costs, and people all over the state who feel that our government is not working for them. Companies and politicians who profit from these crises would have us believe we have no agency and that our situation is up to the market. In reality, the status quo is the way it is because we have the same revolving-door of people in charge who are willing to redirect funding towards themselves and the power players in the room (or the general fund), not the hardworking people of our state who have earned a hand-up. It is time to remedy the mistakes of the past and finally build 10,000 green affordable housing units, raise the minimum wage to a living wage of $19 adjusted to inflation, pass healthcare reforms that save patients money, and once again make Rhode Island an affordable place to live, raise a family, and retire. 

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2.  What do we need to do to improve Rhode Island's economy?

We can lean into the Blue/Green economy, prioritize working people and small businesses, and end the backroom dealing at the Statehouse. We should be looking towards the long term and focus on investing in our small businesses and universities, and lifting up innovators and entrepreneurs who will make, create, and innovate right here in Rhode Island. We need to ensure the minimum wage is a living wage and tie it to inflation, and fully fund our public schools with a focus on creating a 21st-century education system for our students with college, vocational, and workforce pathways after graduation. We can further improve our economy and create middle-class jobs by investing in our public transportation infrastructure and fully finding the RI Transit Master Plan 2040. Add to that the building of 10,000 green affordable housing units to fix our housing crisis and the RI economy is ready to boom. 

 

3. What is the greatest challenge facing Rhode Island as a state?

The greatest challenge facing Rhode Island right now is the rising cost of living and wages that aren’t keeping up. We know that corporate lobbyists, luxury developers, and backroom influencers are whispering in the ears of lawmakers. For too long, our state government has prioritized the interests of themselves and their buddies at the expense of you and your family. That is why we haven’t built more housing, causing rents to rise 10%. It is why the minimum wage is $12.25/hour, second lowest in New England. It is why our electric rates are 12% higher than the national average. And it is why we need to elect a whole new government this year, because many of the people up at the Statehouse are not working for Rhode Islanders, they are working for their own political interests and the backroom dealers funding their campaigns, and it is hurting the people of our state.

 

4. Why are you running for office? What makes you uniquely qualified?  

I am running for office because I believe I bring a needed perspective and expertise to the Statehouse that is missing in our current representation. I grew up the son of a public school teacher and a grocery store worker, the youngest of four in a middle-class family. I know what it is like to struggle to pay bills, face housing insecurity, and go broke because of an unexpected car repair. I understand the pressing issues facing people in our state like housing, wages, healthcare, and education. I am a man of, by, and for the people. I never set out to get into politics, or had any relatives serve in public office. I am in this race not for my own gain, but to fix the issues impacting everyday Rhode Islanders and improve the quality of life of people in our state.

I am uniquely qualified for this position because of my background and lived experiences, and because of my work in higher education, the Salve Regina University Department of Business, where I recently earned my M.B.A., and my ability to work across the aisle and think of new and innovative solutions to improve the lives of Rhode Islanders. 

 

5. Who is your inspiration?  

I have many people that have inspired me along the way, but one of the bigger inspirations in my life in recent years has been Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). I first learned of Senator Sanders in the 2015 Presidential Debates, and from then on, I felt that he was someone who would speak truth to power and focus on lifting up working and middle-class people like my family and me. He remains annoyingly consistent, but only because the big structural issues in our country have yet to be fixed. While we do not agree on everything, he has inspired me to focus my efforts on reviving the American Dream and improving the lives of everyday people in our state, not the wealthy donors and corporate lobbyists on the cocktail circuit. 

 

Biography: 

Zakary is the son of an immigrant grocery store worker and a public school teacher who grew up the youngest of four in a middle-class family. He graduated from North Kingstown High School in 2012 and Rhode Island College in 2016 with degrees in History and Political Science. Today, Zakary works as the Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Salve Regina University and graduated in 2022 with his M.B.A. from their school of business. He lives in the Riverview neighborhood of Warwick with his partner Aaron, and is running for state representative to end the corruption at the Statehouse, protect the civil rights of all Rhode Islanders, and to make Rhode Island a more affordable place to live, raise a family, and retire.

 

Campaign Contact Info:

 

Website: zakaryforri.com

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: www.facebook.com/zakaryforri

Twitter: www.twitter .com/zakaryforri