Pawtucket’s Barros to lead Statehouse black and Latino caucus
PROVIDENCE – District 59 State Rep. Jean Philippe Barros will continue the tradition of local elected officials leading the Rhode Island Legislative Black and Latino Caucus, as the three-term state representative was recently elected as the caucus’ new chairman.
Barros, who was first elected to the General Assembly in 2014 after having served as a member of the Pawtucket City Council, was elected by his fellow caucus members to succeed the pair of local representatives who previously cochaired the Legislative Black and Latino Caucus – District 56 (Central Falls) State Rep. Shelby Maldonado and District 58 (Pawtucket) State Rep. Carlos E. Tobon.
“I am humbled and honored to serve as the new chairperson and I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance the causes that impact the communities we all represent,” Barros said in a statement emailed on Friday.
The Rhode Island Legislative Black and Latino Caucus represents and advocates for the interests of disadvantaged people throughout the state, officials said in a press release. It seeks to increase a diverse participation and representation in all levels of
government. The goal is to close, and ultimately to eliminate, disparities that still exist between white and non-white Americans in every aspect of life.
Barros is in his third term in the General Assembly, having run unopposed in general elections in 2014 and 2018. He emerged victorious in a three-person race in the 2016 general election, top- ping a pair of independent candidates – Lori J. Barden and Andrew E. Maguire – by collecting 73.4 percent of the vote in the three-way race.
Barros serves on the House Committee on Finance and is the chairman of its Public Safety Subcommittee. He is also the first vice chairman of the House Committee on Municipal Government.
Barros will lead the new- est iteration of the caucus as they welcome in five new legislators, which includes three state representatives and two state senators. The caucus was originally formed decades ago with only three members but has since grown to its current membership of 15 legislators.
In addition to Barros, Maldonado, and Tobon, the caucus includes Rep. Anas- tasia P. Williams (D-Dist. 9, Providence), Rep. Grace Diaz (D-Dist. 11, Providence), Rep. Joseph S. Almeida (D-Dist. 12, Providence), Rep. Raymond A. Hull (D-Dist. 6 Providence, North Providence), Rep. Karen Alzate (D-Dist. 60, Pawtucket), Rep. Marvin L. Abney (D-Dist. 73, Newport, Middletown), Rep. Marcia Ranglin-Vassell ( D-Dist. 5, Providence), Rep. Mario F. Mendez (D-Dist. 13, Providence, Johnston), Rep. Liana M. Cassar (D-Dist. 66, Barrington, East Providence), Sen. Ana B. Quezada (D-Dist. 2, Providence), Sen. Harold M. Metts (D-Dist. 6, Providence), Sen. Sandra Cano (D-Dist. 8, Providence), and Sen. Jessica de la Cruz (R– Dist. 23, Burrillville, Glocester, North Smithfield).