With the exciting news that Kate Brock is moving on from Ocean State Action to take a policy position in Governor Chafee’s administration, I was thinking about who could be the next Director of Ocean State Action.  I say this because Ocean State Action is probably one of the most important, if not the most important, progressive organizations in the state.  Over the years, they have been able to shape the debate in Rhode Island, elect progressive candidates to the General Assembly, and push for more progressive policies that benefit all Rhode Islanders.  Admittedly, they have not been 100% successful, but more often than not their success lies in advocacy, movement building, and adding the progressive perspective to policy debates.

Here are some of my thoughts about who (in alphabetical order).

• Sam Bell – Currently the State Coordinator for the Rhode Island chapter of the Progressive Democrats of America (taking over after I went to grad school), Sam is young and smart and has really jumped into his role at the RIPDA.  He’s also a student at Brown University.
• Kristina Fox – Currently the Organizing Director at Ocean State Action, Kristina is super energetic and has been a workhorse of progressive organizing.  Kristina was an organizer for UNITE HERE! Local 217 and helped win contracts at the Westin Hotel and the Dunkin Donuts Center.  She just recently took over as one of the organizers for Drinking Liberally as well.
• Mark Gray – Currently the “Where’s the Work?” Project Organizer at Ocean State Action, Mark looks into why there is such a dire lack of jobs in the state.  Previously, Mark was with Clean Water Action, handling recruitment and training of community organizers.
• Libby Kimzey – Currently Director of Programs at Capital Good Fund, Libby runs their tax assistance site and develops financial coaching curriculum for low-income Rhode Islanders.  Libby is a tireless advocate and her energy was instrumental in getting Teresa Tanzi elected in 2010.  She also worked with Ocean State Action and Common Cause.
• Zack Mezera – Currently an Organizer at Providence Student Union with Aaron Regunberg, Zach is also a Student at Brown University studying education policy.
• Aaron Regunberg – Currently the Director at Providence Student Union and Organizer for IDEA, Aaron is a great strategist and thinker about education policy.  A case in point, Aaron helped organize the fantastic student-led NECAP testing that brought out about 50 people, and most of them failed it.  This is reshaping the entire conversation about testing in the state.
• Marti Rosenberg – Marti is one of the most revered progressive activists in the state, working on numerous campaigns in the state for as long as I can remember.  She was Executive Director of Ocean State action until she stepped down in 2006 to work for U.S. Action in DC.  Back in RI, she became Director at New Roots.
• Ray Sullivan – Currently the Campaign Director at Marriage Equality RI and RI United for Marriage, and with any hope he’ll be unemployed when the session ends (because we’ll have marriage equality).  Ray has a wealth of experience, having worked as Communications Director for the RI Democrats, RI State Director for Obama for America, and representative of Coventry from 2005 to 2010.

This is not at all a full list, and I’m certain that potential candidates will come out of the woodwork for this important position.  What’s top of mind for me is that I hope the next Director does NOT come at the expense of the good work being done at another organization.  Whoever the next director is, we need to keep building the Progressive movement in the state.

Today, John Lombardi announces his candidacy for State Representative of District 8. Mr. Lombardi has served on the City Council for almost three decades, and I thank him for his years of service to the City of Providence.  But it is time to look forward.

It’s time for new ideas and new leadership – that’s why I’m running. Our neighborhoods deserve better, and with your help, I know we can turn it around

The fact is that there’s really no difference between John Lombardi, and our current state rep, Michael Tarro – they’re both political insiders, with a stake in the old way of doing things, in City Hall and on Smith Hill.

For years, all of us in Federal Hill, Olneyville and Valley have been let down by poor leadership. And for too long, elected officials have been making short-sighted decisions in order to reward friends and get re-elected. Today we’re all living with the results. Since April, I’ve knocked on hundreds of doors and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. People are ready for a new direction, they’re tired of politics as usual, and I’m in this to fight for all of us who know that Providence can do better. I’m in this to win.

I need your help. Please donate $100 or $10 today, or sign up to volunteer.

Though the number of people seeking to represent District 8 changes today, our campaign does not.

I look forward to working with you to build a stronger Rhode Island. Please feel free to email me and let me know your concerns, to learn more about my campaign, and how you can get involved.

Libby Kimzey, a rising young progressive star in Rhode Island, kicks off her campaign for a seat in the House representing Federal Hill and Olneyville tonight at 6:30 with a fundraiser at the Phoenix Dragon restaurant, 256 Broadway. Tickets are $20 for individuals and $100 for supporters.

Kimzey, a former Brown student who stayed in the city, works for the Capital Good Fund, a nonprofit that offers financial planning services to low income people. She’s best known for managing Rep. Teresa Tanzi’s successful upset over David Caprio, but she’s also been advocating for issues at the State House since 2006.

Her campaign message, according to her website is “to bring accessible, community-centered leadership to my home district in Providence’s Federal Hill, Olneyville and Valley neighborhoods.”

She’s a bike enthusiast and a public transportation advocate. She spoke on a panel at Netroots Nation on Saving Public Transportation:

She’s also an occasional RI Future contributor, and was a great help to me when I first took over this site.

Here’s the list of her host committee:

Ed Benson, Mary Bergeron, Kate Brock, LeeAnn Byrne, Tom Chen, Abel Collins, Kristina Contreras-Fox, Russ Conway, Pat Crowley, Scott Duhamel, Steve Durkee, Dawn Euer, Dania Flores, Alisa Gallo, Lauren Goddard, Greg Greco, Alma Guerrero, Marc Gursky, Paula Hodges, Nick Horton, Brian Hull, Stan Israel, Dan Lawlor, Joe Lazzerini, Carolyn Mark, Karen McAninch, Zack Mezera, Sara Molinaro, Alex Moore, Jef Nickerson, Hon. Lauren Nocera, Craig O’Connor, Dr. Jean Plover, Robert Preliasco, Aaron Regunberg, Marti Rosenberg, Tom Sgouros, Pat Smith, Hilary Sorin, Jenn Steinfeld, Hon. Ray Sullivan, John Taraborelli, Dr. Hannah Watson

Providence, RI – Libby Kimzey, a first-time candidate for office, raised $13,778.41 in financial contributions between Dec. 20 and Dec. 31, 2011.  “We set an aggressive goal of raising $8,000 by the end of the year, and far surpassed it,” said Kimzey.  “I’ve been overwhelmed by the support of neighbors in the district, friends and family.”

Libby is a candidate for State Representative in District 8, encompassing her neighborhood of Federal Hill, as well as parts of the Olneyville and Valley.

Kimzey currently works as Director of Programs at Capital Good Fund, where she works with low-income families and Rhode Island small businesses on growth and stability.  Kimzey is deeply involved in her local community, participating with organizations including the West Broadway Neighborhood Association, Building Futures, and the Rhode Island Foster Parent Association.

“There are connections between important issues,” Kimzey said.  “Families that are struggling need to be supported as they work on paying for education, gaining health coverage, improving the environment, and planning for a financially sustainable future.”

The success Ms. Kimzey’s campaign has enjoyed in raising over $13,000 in ten days will allow her to communicate directly and effectively with the Providence residents who live in District 8.

“I am looking forward to talking with all my neighbors,” said Kimzey, “I want hear their priorities and concerns, and what they expect of their state government. I will be the accessible, responsive State Representative they deserve.”

Biography

Libby Kimzey currently work as Director of Programs at Capital Good Fund, where she works with low-income families building credit, creating budgets and managing debt, while also issuing loans for citizenship applications and starting small businesses.  Kimzey is deeply involved in her local community, participating with organizations including the West Broadway Neighborhood Association, English For Action, Building Futures, Friends of Dexter Park, Urban Greens Food Cooperative and Rhode Island Foster Parents Association. Although a first time candidate, Ms. Kimzey is not new to the State House.  Over many years, she has been a voice for issues including public transportation, fair taxes and electoral reform, working with groups as diverse as Common Cause and Ocean State Action.

Her past work, like her current employment, reflects her commitment to working for a better future for all Rhode Islanders.  As one example, Kimzey managed ‘Project 20/20,’ a program that placed 71,509 energy saving light bulbs in over 5,300 low-income RI households.

Building off her professional history, she will prioritize several key issues in her campaign, and as a State Representative.  These include: economic development, quality public education, fair taxation, sustainable communities, and accessible and accountable government.

More information can be found at www.libbykimzey.com.

In the weeks since I’ve announced my candidacy for Providence’s State Representative District 8 (Federal Hill, Olneyville), I have fielded a lot of questions from friends, family and neighbors. One that keeps popping up, along with “are you nuts?” and “what do state reps even do?” is the one about my age: “aren’t you too young for that?”

Anyone who has worked with me knows I love a good spreadsheet. So I put one together on this question. I’m likely missing several examples of people under 35 elected to the RI General Assembly, but the list was more inclusive than I expected, and is certainly enough to prove a point – Rhode Island likes them young.

And at a glance, it even seems fairly representative of the larger General Assembly in terms of male/female and Providence/Northern RI/West Bay/East Bay.

I’d be interested to see someone else continue asking questions: are young people elected more or less often than their older peers? Who is the youngest person to successfully challenge an RI incumbent legislator? And of course, there’s all the data on the other end of the spectrum. In 2009 when I was around the State House a lot as a volunteer lobbyist for Fair Elections, Representative Peter Martin would joke with me that he was the oldest freshman that year, at 67 years old. What does the historical competition for that honor look like?