Platform: Fighting for the Working People

Fighting for Fair Wages

Enrique knows that working people across Providence and Rhode Island are struggling to make ends meet. He’s furious about the record levels of income inequality we are experiencing and determined to secure financial security for all his constituents.

In his first term, Enrique introduced bills to eliminate exceptions to the minimum wage for teenagers and tipped workers and require all workers to be paid weekly. He also cosponsored and advocated for a bill to raise the minimum wage to $20.

Enrique will keep fighting for all Rhode Island workers to be paid the wages they deserve and against the corporate greed that is responsible for the horrors of poverty.

Fighting Against Corruption

Enrique knows that the lobbyists who run the State House are more concerned with their own wallets than the needs of the people. He’s committed to doing what’s right, even when it means going against the party line.

In his first term, Enrique opposed the Citizens Bank tax cut, arguing that corporate tax breaks are always wrong but especially when our state is struggling to fund the services on which our vulnerable neighbors depend. He called for the repeal of the 2006 tax cuts for the rich, which have similarly lined the pockets of the prosperous while undermining our ability to support struggling families.  He fought against the change to the campaign finance laws that doubled donation limits, giving special interests more power to buy elections. And he was the only Representative to call for the resignation of RIDOT director Peter Alviti in the wake of the Washington Bridge crisis, demanding accountability from the Raimondo appointee responsible for the disaster.

Enrique will keep fighting to expose and root out corruption at the State House, working for his constituents instead of the lobbyists.

Fighting for Better Public Education

Enrique knows from his past experience as an educator in the Providence Public Schools that chronic underfunding harms students and unfair wages lead to teacher burnout. According to a 2022 report, the Providence school district receives 13.5% less in funding than wealthier districts in Rhode Island.

In his first term, Enrique introduced bills to guarantee all public school students free meals, expand access to vocational training for interested high school students, and increase mental health support systems for all our youth. He also distinguished himself as the only representative to publicly criticize the House Speaker’s opposition to proposed increases in education funding. As a result of Enrique’s activism, the Speaker was forced to reverse his position and pass the increases.

Enrique will keep fighting for quality public schools and teachers for all, to ensure that no student is left behind.

Fighting Against the Housing Crisis

Enrique knows that his constituents are more concerned with the housing crisis than just about any other issue. He believes that no one should have to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table. And, as a renter, he feels this pain personally.

In his first term, Enrique made housing justice one of his top priorities. He called out and advocated against special favors for luxury developers and opposed a bill that reduced the percentage of units required to be affordable in new developments. He also introduced legislation to authorize municipal rent stabilization ordinances. He voted and advocated against the law that prevents the City Council from undoing the Mayor’s changes to the tax code, which will shift the burden of property taxes away from big developers and toward ordinary homeowners. And he was an outspoken critic of the Mayor’s cruel move to clear two homeless encampments.

Enrique will keep fighting for our city and state to prioritize affordable and low-income housing, and for our neighbors experiencing homelessness to be treated with the dignity they deserve.

Fighting for Better Healthcare

Enrique knows that healthcare is a right and that no Rhode Islander should be put into debt over a hospital visit.

In his first term, Enrique not only resisted further Medicaid cuts but also pushed for an expansion of Medicaid to guarantee healthcare to every resident, including children. Building a stronger healthcare system also means taking care of the dedicated workers in the industry, which is why Enrique introduced and championed legislation to eliminate exemptions that prevent them from being paid fairly for work on Sundays and holidays.

Enrique will keep fighting for high-quality, accessible healthcare for all Rhode Islanders and against the industry lobbyists who care more about their corporate clients’ bottom line than about the wellbeing of the patients whose lives are at stake.

Fighting Against the Climate Crisis

Enrique knows the realities of environmental racism because he’s experienced them firsthand. As someone who was born next to the 6/10 in Olneyville, he refuses to sit back and let the state government continue to allow our most vulnerable communities to be exposed to pollution and unclean water.

In his first term, Enrique supported and voted for a law requiring landlords to register their properties as lead-safe.  Because he believes that a strong public transit system is necessary in terms of both pollution reduction and accessibility for Rhode Islanders without access to a car, he played a key role in the Save RIPTA campaign that blocked proposed service and staffing cuts. He also attended rallies and RIPTA board meetings to demonstrate his opposition to the proposal to move the bus hub out of Kennedy Plaza, which would make transportation far less accessible for the working people who depend on it.

Enrique will keep fighting against measures designed to undermine the progress we have made towards tackling the climate crisis and for the further, transformational investments we need to protect us all from its catastrophic effects.

Fighting for Our Immigrant Communities

Enrique knows the struggles our immigrant neighbors face because his grandparents experienced them firsthand when they came to Providence from Mexico. He’s committed to ensuring that all Rhode Islanders, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, are accepted, welcomed, and safe.

In his first term, Enrique cosponsored a bill to ban landlords from investigating the immigration status of current or potential new tenants and discriminating against undocumented immigrants. It passed the House but died in the Senate. He also introduced legislation to allow undocumented immigrants who pay taxes to vote in local elections and joined a team of Representatives working to block ICE from expanding its presence in our state.

Enrique will keep fighting to ensure that our immigrant neighbors have the rights and protections they deserve, especially freedom from the fears of discrimination and violence.

Fighting Against Discrimination

Enrique knows firsthand the realities and consequences of bigotry. He believes that we must make stopping the hatred fueled by right-wing operatives a top priority.

In his first term, Enrique introduced legislation to prohibit insurance companies from discriminating based on race, gender, disability status, or education level; increase the diversity of workers assigned to state public works projects, and ban weight discrimination. He cosponsored and advocated for bills that would repeal the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights (which protects police officers who break the rules and engage in brutality) and prohibit anti-LGBTQ+ book bans. And he proudly voted for the Health Care Provider Shield Act, which strengthened protections related to reproductive and gender-affirming care.

Enrique will keep fighting against the rising tide of vitriol against the most vulnerable members of our community and working to ensure that everyone is safe and free to be themselves in Rhode Island.