It was a busy, beautiful Sunday. Joanna and I built our sukkah, a temporary booth in our backyard where we'll eat meals during the week-long celebration of the harvest holiday of sukkot (which starts Monday night, at the full fall harvest moon). I took a break to go to the vegan food festival, Veg Fest, in Kennedy Plaza. Downtown was hopping today! There was so much good food there. I've been a vegetarian since I was 7. I don't remember ever walking around a food festival and just eating samples everywhere without asking "what's in it"? All the food was delicious - we have so many vegan options here in Providence. Here I am dancing with folks from Casa Azul on Allens Ave - they had great music and were so much fun! Great food too!
See below for information about community forums and voting in the Senate District 3 special election, as well as a zoom constituent meeting I'm hosting on September 30 and some other community events I know about. Also, House commissions and task forces are meeting this week, take a look at the agendas for the redistricting commission and the taskforce looking at how we will spend $1.2 billion of federal COVID relief funding, and more, here.
As always, please follow me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or write to me at info@rebeccakislak.com. You can also call or text me at 401-400-2338. I look forward to hearing from you!
Special Election Senate District 3
Senator Gayle Goldin has resigned and begun working for the Biden administration. I'm excited for her for this opportunity. That leaves her seat open, and there will be a special election to fill it, with a primary on October 5 and general election November 2. If Sen. Goldin was your Senator, please make a plan to vote by mail*, in person early at city hall or in person on election day at your polling location. All information will be at vote.ri.gov.
The candidates are: Democrats Hilary Levey Friedman, Bret Jacob, Geena Pham, Ray Rickman, Sam Zurier and Republican Alex Cannon.
Here are some important deadlines for this upcoming election:
Sept. 15- Oct. 4 - Early in person voting at city hall
(if you cannot get to city hall you can still apply for an emergency ballot)
October 5 - Primary Election
Tues. Oct. 12 - Deadline to apply for mail ballot for general election, application here*
Oct. 13-Nov. 1 - Early in person voting at city hall
Nov. 2 - Election Day
*note, if you are planning to vote by mail, please know that you will need two witnesses to sign the envelope, or one notary. (This requirement was waived through COVID-related executive orders which have expired. It worked really well for the 2020 elections, and we should reinstate this by passing the Let RI Vote Act. Many of us are working on this, but it will not pass before this special election.)
There will be community forums where we can hear from the candidates. I'll start collecting the list here (and please let me know if you hear of any so I'll add them):
Jewish Alliance of RI, 401 Elmgrove, candidate forum
Sunday Sept. 26, 10 a.m. event information here.
LGBTQ+ Candidate forum hosted by Dion Sage of the Progress Report
8 p.m. Sept. 28 on-line here: https://fb.me/e/2qQTBXatR
Providence Journal Q & A with candidates, article here.
Boston Globe Q&A with the candidates, article here.
Rebecca's Events
District 4 Community Meeting
Thursday September 30 - 7 p.m. - Zoom Registration Link Here
Come here about what the General Assembly passed last year, Rep. Kislak's priorities for the next year, and share what is important to you.
Community Events
The Friends of the North Burial Ground is holding a meeting on Tuesday, September 21 at 6pm in Lippitt Park. It is seeking new members to advocate for the NBG and Randall Park, the strip of land between the NBG and North Main Street. Bring a chair or a blanket and a mask and look for the group somewhere near the center of the park. All are welcome.
Women's March for Reproductive Rights
October 2, 2 p.m. - Meet at Providence Place Mall- Facebook event here
North Main Street Corridor Study
October 4, 6-7:30 FB event here. Join the Providence Planning Department and Councilwoman Nirva Lafortune for an analytical presentation of existing economic and urban design conditions of the corridor and a community Q+A.
PVD Fest has lots of other events on their calendar, here.
Community Resources for COVID-19
General Information
Vaccine Information It is wonderful that there are vaccines that work well to protect against COVID and are fully approved for use in the US. Everyone over 12 is eligible for free COVID 19 vaccines. There are vaccine clinics planned at Providence schools all week long. There is also information here for people eligible for a booster 3d dose. Here is the main RI Department of Health information page for vaccination. There are multiple ways you might schedule your vaccine appointment, below. If you haven't been vaccinated yet, now is the time! State run vaccination clinics.
Make an appointment at CVS or Walgreens. Information if you or someone you know is homebound.
RI Department of Health has current information, guidance, links to announcements about openings and closings and more here: health.ri.gov/covid
The COVID-19 hotline is 401-222-8022 for any COVID-related questions.
Sign up for testing (whether you have symptoms or not) at portal.ri.gov It's really easy and often same day appointments are available. It's good to get tested if you have symptoms. Even though I have been vaccinated, my allergies have been awful. I get tested from time to time just to be sure it isn't a COVID breakthrough case.
Rent Relief - There is funding available for tenants who need help paying the rent. You can call 2-1-1 or visit RentReliefRI.com to apply for rent relief funds.
