WHY I’M RUNNING
WHY I’M RUNNING // WHAT WE BELIEVE
BIO
Tiara is a formerly low-income Black, queer, educator and activist. In 2020, she ran and won her state senate race, unseating a 30 year incumbent to become the state's first openly queer Black elected state legislator. As a directly impacted person, she understands that we need bold, visionary leaders to center real people and stories in every piece of legislation.
In her time in office, she had been a champion for LGBTQ+ rights, working families, housing and tenant rights, and expanding abortion access in Rhode Island. Since 2021, she has passed bills that have expanded abortion access to Medicaid recipients and state employees, a process to seal eviction records, critical childhood lead safety bills, and made Juneteenth a paid state holiday.
She is the youngest Rhode Island State Senator and is the Senate Commerce Committee Secretary and a member of the Housing and Municipal Committee and the Education Committee.
She is a Board Member of Women’s Health and Education Fund (WHEF), Rhode Island's only abortion fund, and Time To Advocate, a civic engagement organization for marginalized communities.
WHY I’M RUNNING
When I moved to the Providence 8 years ago to attend Brown University I thought things would be different, being that Rhode Island is a deep blue state. I found many similarities between my new home and where I grew up in the conservative South.
I began to realize that my District has been represented by a Democrat in Name Only since the District was founded and has been represented by someone who uses the Bible as an excuse for his consistent right wing policies that harm the LGBTQ community and impact access to reproductive health.
As a reproductive rights activist I was really disappointed by the way he not only voted against the RPA last year but the way he puts his own personal beliefs above the rights of women.
I am running to make sure that we can continue to make progress with Women’s reproductive rights, and also continue to make progress in other areas in our state.
I am running to make Rhode Island the best place it can possibly be not just for the rich, or the privileged, instead for EVERYONE, including people who look like me.
Instead of listening to fossil fuel donors or corporate PAC lobbyists, I have pledged to not take a single penny from them.
I am running because I know now is the time we need to pass a Green New Deal here in Rhode Island and to help move our State forward.
I am running to be a true Democrat representing EVERYONE'S interests on Smith Hill, something that hasn’t happened for my District in decades.
I hope you will join us on our grassroots campaign today!