Former U.S. Rep Jamaal Bowman joind Reclaim Rhode Island to endorse David Morales for Providence Mayor

"David is the leader that we need in this moment to help us take our country back,” said Representative Bowman.

Reclaim Rhode Island, a leading progressive and tenants’ rights organization, announced its support of Representative David Morales’s campaign for Mayor of Providence, citing his long history of fighting for tenants and his support for rent stabilization.

“At a time when the affordability crisis is squeezing Providence residents and remains threatened by Trump’s deportation machine, our city needs a fighter,” said Daniel Denvir, Reclaim Rhode Island co-chair. “Someone who won’t bend to developers but will fight for all of us. David has been that fighter in the State House, and Reclaim Rhode Island can’t wait for him to bring that fight to the Mayor’s Office.

“We will be working on many campaigns this cycle. This is a cycle where, around the country, we’ve seen working-class champions beat establishment corporate democrats,” continued Denvir. “We’re going to be seeing the same thing here in Providence and across Rhode Island. We will take on incumbents who prioritize rich and powerful real estate interests over working-class tenants, whether in the Providence City Council or the state legislature.”

On hand to endorse David Morales was former U.S. Representative Jamaal Bowman (Democrat, New York).

“Why would a two-term member of Congress be here in Rhode Island supporting a local mayoral race?” asked Representative Bowman. “Let me explain: Our country is going through a reckoning right now. Washington is broken and has been broken for many years. Donald Trump is the latest example of that, but he is a symptom of a bigger problem. Our country, for far too long, has left working-class people behind and has ignored the marginalized and vulnerable in our society. That’s how you create the pathway for someone like Donald Trump to take power in the first place.

“One answer to this is what is happening at the local level: Organizing from city to city, town to town, village to village, block to block, building to building,” continued representative Bowman. “These are the people who are going to help us take our country back and save it from the oligarchs who are trying to destroy it. David is the leader that we need in this moment to help us take our country back.”

“I’m honored to have the support of the largest tenants’ rights organization in Rhode Island,” said David Morales. “Reclaim Rhode Island has been fighting the affordability crisis for years. We worked together to win my first campaign, a successful primary challenge against an incumbent, six years ago. I have been so proud to watch them grow into a powerful force in our state’s electoral process. Together, we are going to knock on every door in Providence to share our vision of a Providence for All, one that all our neighbors can afford and where everyone feels safe and welcome.”

Reclaim Rhode Island’s Andres González emceed the event. Here’s the video:

“We are proud to endorse David,” said kimika ross, who is leading Reclaim Rhode Island’s Rent Stabilization Organizing Committee. “He understands that our housing affordability crisis cannot be solved without rent stabilization, which will keep people in their homes and protect tenants from predatory rent increases.”

ross continued:

“Since 2020, Reclaim Rhode Island has been organizing on issues including just-cause eviction protections, taxing the rich, and rent stabilization. David has been there supporting us. He’s made the fight for rent stabilization a pillar of his campaign. He understands that this movement is personal. It’s about keeping people in their homes. Providence has been facing some of the largest rent increases in the country, and unsurprisingly, we’ve seen increases in homelessness and a targeting of some of our most vulnerable populations. These are our neighbors.

“Housing costs are outpacing wage growth, and when working people and families face utility and food price hikes, evictions become a reality. For example, Reclaim members and families who have experienced $600-a-month rate increases on short notice have had to make the difficult decision to go without heat and hot water to cover rent. They’ve tried to organize with fellow tenants to demand better housing conditions and have faced retaliation from landlords.

“We cannot wait five or 10 years for land renovations or new housing construction. We demand bold action now. Our city faces an important choice in September’s primary election: Continue to support the interests of corporate real estate developers with Brett Smiley, or elect David Morales, a mayor who will not only keep you in your home and your community, but will ensure corporate interests won’t push you out or displace your neighbors.

“Our current Mayor, Brett Smiley, is backed by major corporate real estate interests that prioritize profits over keeping people in their homes. Olneyville, where I live, has more out-of-state and corporate landlords than Rhode Island-based homeowners. If we re-elect Smiley, we can expect more of the same.

“The continued destabilization of our communities has been galvanizing. It is about what we want our city to be, and what we want is a city where all of us - young people, working people, immigrants, seniors, everyone - can live with dignity, not a city where we all get squeezed so the rich can get richer.

“People all over Providence and across the country are grappling with the police state, affordability crisis, and so much more. We need a leader who understands the issues and can defend our community. This is why Reclaim Rhode Island is endorsing David Morales.”

“I’m a grad worker at Brown University and the vice president of Local 6916 under the American Federation of Teachers (AFT),” said Victoria Antonetti. “I’m here on behalf of our members, who are student workers and postdoctoral researchers who do research, teaching, and support work for the university. They keep the university running every day.”

Antonetti continued:

“I’m proud to express our support for David Morales’ campaign to become the next Mayor of Providence. We have managed some big wins at the table as a union, yet, for our members, living in this city is still a challenge. We face rising rents, skyrocketing cost of living, and threats from the federal government to our labor rights and the rights of non-citizen workers. Many of us, both locally and nationally, feel that our representatives are not doing enough. They’re not meeting at the moment. We need bold leaders who are prepared to stand up and fight for us, our communities, and for Providence.

“David is that leader.

“This is not our union’s first time supporting David. He’s been a consistent friend to labor in Rhode Island for years now. We’ve seen him in action at the State House in the House Labor Committee, where he has proposed and supported legislation to protect the rights and safety of workers in Rhode Island. We have also seen him stand up to our employer, calling on Brown to pay his fair share to the city and give back to the Providence community. Most importantly, we’ve always been able to depend on him. When we’re in a tough spot, we know that he’ll be there for us when our employer doesn’t treat us with the dignity that all workers deserve. And when push comes to shove, he’ll be on the picket line with us.

“When our community coordinators, for example, went on strike in 2024, we didn’t have to ask twice. David was with us, demanding that they be paid a fair wage for their work and that housing be covered, which is standard for RAs at other institutions. None of this should be a surprise, though. David being on the picket line isn’t exactly a rare sight in Providence, but it speaks to his character.

“David doesn’t just support labor and abstract. He gets out there, he fights for us, and he’ll continue fighting as the Mayor of Providence. We face real challenges. In the next few years, our members are deeply concerned about ICE in our communities, the repression of our rights, the cost of living, and getting rent stabilization passed in Providence this primary cycle. We’re going to put in the work to elect leaders who address these concerns just like we did in Ward 2 in the fall.

“Workers run this city. Every one of us does the work that makes Providence what it is and what it can be. We deserve dignity at work and in our communities. That’s why we’re proud to be backing David for Mayor of Providence.”

“I stand before you today, truly proud to be among the very first local elected officials to endorse David Morales for Mayor of Providence,” said Providence City Councilmember Justin Roias (Ward 4). “I did not make that decision lightly. I made it because I’ve seen David’s leadership up close. I’ve seen his heart, and I’ve seen what he’s willing to do when our city needs him the most.”

Councilmember Roias continued:

“Last year, during the polar vortex, Councilmember Sanchez and I organized an emergency response plan. We proposed converting the city-owned DaVinci Center into a volunteer-run emergency shelter so that our unhoused neighbors wouldn’t freeze to death in sub-zero temperatures. The Mayor’s office refused to approve the plan, citing liability concerns. We acted on Tuesday, January 7th of last year.

“Despite direct orders, we turned the Providence City Council chambers into an emergency shelter. We coordinated volunteers, collected donations, and served food. We opened the doors because people’s lives were at stake. The action put pressure on City Hall, and the Administration agreed the very next day to open the DaVinci Center as an emergency shelter through the end of the code snap.

“That night also sparked something bigger: Shortly after our action, just six days after turning the City Council chambers into a pop-up shelter, nearly 50 Rhode Island state legislators called on Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee to declare homelessness as a statewide public health emergency.

“While we were proud of what we did, who was with us through all of that? David Morales. And David didn’t just tweet about it. He didn’t send a carefully worded statement. He showed up. He signed up for shifts at the pop-up shelter in the council chambers. He worked shifts at the DaVinci Center once the city finally opened it. He stood shoulder to shoulder with volunteers to keep our unhoused brothers and sisters alive. To me, that is not a branding exercise and certainly not optics. What that shows me is the pure conviction in his heart.

“Let’s be honest about something that’s happening right now. Right now, the posture out of City Hall, when it comes to ICE and federal overreach, is don’t rattle the fences and keep your head down. Maybe if we’re quiet enough, we won’t get noticed.

“To me, that is not the leadership we need right now. We’ve already seen how that strategy plays out with the Trump Administration. It does not reward caution - it tests and exploits it. Providence doesn’t need a mayor who hopes to avoid conflict. We need a mayor who’s ready for it. David has been clear and vocal about standing up to ICE’s intimidation. He understands that protecting immigrant families isn’t optional, it’s moral, and he understands that courage at City Hall sets the tone for the entire city.

“Let’s talk housing for a second. We’re in a pretty obvious crisis, and pretending we can build our way out is a fantasy. Working families are being squeezed by rising rents.

“David supports rent stabilization. He supports the draft introduced by the Providence City Council. But here’s the key difference: He has committed to enforcing the law if he is mayor, because a law without enforcement is just a press release, andProvidence is tired of press releases.

“Let me get personal: I have a 4-year-old at home, and my wife just gave birth to our second daughter. She turned one month recently. When I hold her, I don’t think about polling numbers. I think about what kind of city she’s growing up in. Will she grow up in a city that shrugs when people are freezing? Will she grow up in a city that whispers when immigrant families are being targeted? Or will she grow up in a city that stands up, loudly, for its people? I want my daughters to navigate a city that is compassionate, not performatively compassionate, but actively compassionate. A city that acts, a city that fights, and a city that protects. And yes, a city that still believes in joy, because here’s the thing about David: He fights hard, but he hasn’t let politics make him cynical.

“Every year, David dresses up as Spider-Man at the library for our kids. Some people might roll their eyes at that. I don’t, because my 4-year-old doesn’t see a political candidate. She sees a hero. Leadership matters at that level, too. Showing up, being human, and making a kid smile in a world that can feel heavy and uncertain, David understands that a city needs both backbone and heart. It needs a fighter in City Hall and a neighbor in our community.

‘That’s the balance I want for my daughters. That’s the balance Providence deserves. I was proud to be one of the first to endorse him. I’m even prouder to stand here today and say, ‘David Morales should be the next Mayor of Providence.’”

“A shout out to the supporters on the stage,” said former U.S. Representative Bowman. “The energy, vibes, joy, and love for this campaign are palpable. I felt it as soon as I stepped off the train. I felt it when I got into the car, when we stopped at a local coffee shop, and when we connected with a local business owner. The vibes are strong and high in this city. People are excited about David Morales, and when you learn about who he is, what he stands for, and his background, it’s very clear to see why they are so excited.“

Representative Bowman continued:

“David Morales was raised by his mom, who worked super hard to give him every opportunity to be his best, and he took full advantage of that. How many people have graduated from college at 19 and from grad school at 20? I can’t even fathom how he did that. And then right after that, he says, ‘You know what? I’m going to run to be a Rep in the State House.’ He ran for office and won the seat. Because of his character, integrity, and values, he’s exactly the kind of person we need to be the next Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island.

“Why would a two-term member of Congress be here in Rhode Island supporting a local mayoral race? Let me explain: Our country is going through a reckoning right now. Washington is broken and has been broken for many years. Donald Trump is the latest example of that, but he is a symptom of a bigger problem. Our country, for far too long, has left working-class people behind and has ignored the marginalized and vulnerable in our society. That’s how you create the pathway for someone like Donald Trump to take power in the first place.

“One answer to this is what is happening at the local level: Organizing from city to city, town to town, village to village, block to block, building to building. These are the people who are going to help us take our country back and save it from the oligarchs who are trying to destroy it.

“And David is the leader that we need in this moment to help us take our country back.

“I had the privilege of supporting and endorsing Zohran Mamdani from day one. When he was polling at 0%, I supported Zohran Mamdani. I gave him my formal support and endorsement when he was still 20 points down. But like with David, I believed in Zohran, and I got behind him. Then the city got behind him. We made history in June when he won his primary, and again in November when he won the general election.

“I got involved in Katie Wilson’s campaign all the way in Seattle, Washington, across the country from New York City. Why did I get involved in that campaign? Because I believed in her. I believed in her leadership, integrity, and values.

“But the thing they all have in common - yes, they’re young, vibrant, energetic, and brilliant - but they also create space and open up space for everyone to be a part of the campaign with them. This is not David running by himself. He is running with all of Providence, and we need all of Providence to stand up, knock doors, make calls, donate, come out to vote, and make history by making David the next Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island.

“I’m here, all the way from New York, specifically representing Yonkers and not just the Wu-Tang Clan, but The Lox, Jadakiss, and Styles P, representing the Bronx, New York, but also representing the national progressive movement because we need the national progressive movement to pay attention to this race as well. I’m here to offer my full endorsement and full support to David Morales to be the next Mayor of Providence. You have my support, brother.

“I want to say one thing as I pivot and put on my candidate hat. We have until September. Do not take one day for granted. If there is something you can do to help this campaign, you have to do it. Make a call, knock on a door, give five bucks or whatever you can afford. Every little bit matters so that we can reach the crescendo at the right time at the end. Get involved, tell your neighbors, tell your family, tell your friends. Let’s elect David Morales to be our next mayor.”

“Reclaim Rhode Island is a powerful, progressive political organization and a tenant organizing project that works with renters to unionize and fight back against abusive slumlords statewide,” said Daniel Denvir, co-chair of Reclaim Rhode Island. “We stand here extraordinarily proud to endorse David Morales, joining his extremely impressive campaign to make him the next Mayor of Providence.”

Denvir continued:

“We’re here because we love this city and its working-class character, diversity, immigrant communities, arts, creativity, coolness, scholarship, and students. I live in Mount Hope. I know my neighbors. I hang out with them. I know the small businesses I walk to. I love this city, and everything we all love about this city is threatened by this extraordinary housing crisis that we’re currently living through. There is no single silver bullet to solve this housing crisis, but the City Council, under the leadership of President Rachel Miller, has put forward one extremely important idea: stabilize the rents.

“This rent stabilization ordinance is common sense and urgently necessary. Imagine if we had it in place six years ago, before rent started skyrocketing. Imagine where rents would be today. Imagine what it would have been like to be a working- or middle-class person in the city if rent stabilization had been put in place then.

“It’s not too late. We need rent stabilization now. Unfortunately, after the City Council passes rent stabilization, we’ve already heard from Mayor Brett Smiley that he will veto the bill. We support David because we know he will stand up for rent stabilization and other common-sense, urgent measures to address the housing crisis, such as establishing a new mixed-income public housing developer so that everyone in this city who needs a home has one.

“I first met David six years ago in a friend’s apartment on College Hill during a phone bank for Bernie Sanders. Reclaim Rhode Island was born out of that campaign, and that same year, alongside other groups in the city, we worked to help elect David to the state legislature. We’ve helped elect a lot of people since, including, most recently, Jill Davidson’s crushing victory in the Ward Two special election, an election that was run in Brett Smiley’s backyard, where rent stabilization was very much on the ballot.

“We will be working on many campaigns this cycle. This is a cycle where, around the country, we’ve seen working-class champions beat establishment corporate democrats. We’re going to be seeing the same thing here in Providence and across Rhode Island. We will take on incumbents who prioritize rich and powerful real estate interests over working-class tenants, whether in the Providence City Council or the state legislature.

“Alongside those campaigns, we will work with David to build a field operation unlike anything the city has ever seen. If you’re watching this and want to be involved, join our canvassing team. This is our year to win, and we’re going to win with David.”

“As we know, Providence is a city built on communities of tenants, artists, and working people,” said David Morales. “Yet in this moment, our community is under attack from escalating rents that are driving the affordability crisis, and the increasing presence of ICE violence in our neighborhoods. Many of our neighbors are being pushed out of the city they love. At this point, it is clear we cannot afford to maintain the status quo. In this moment, we need a political movement of working people, advocates, artists, and tenants, coming together around the vision to build a Providence for All.”

Representative Morales continued:

“Since launching our campaign in September, our team has successfully recruited over a thousand volunteers from all over the state, a movement that is being built right here in the creative capital, a movement that stands to stabilize the cost of rent, protect our immigrant neighbors, and ensure that all of our kiddos have the quality education that they deserve.

“This collective vision will be driven by the field operation we’re launching, anchored by our friends at AFT Local 6516, a labor union that has been on the front lines, fighting for dignity and fair wages for workers - a movement that’s going to be driven by the largest tenant rights organization in the state, Reclaim Rhode Island, an organization that recognizes just how critical it is that we stabilize the cost of rent now, because make no mistake, we are going up against a lot of corporate interests.

“We’re going up against the corporate polluters in the Port of Providence. We’re going up against massive slum lords and property management companies that don’t want us to stabilize the cost of rent. We are going up against a political machine.

“So, while Brett Smiley may have more money than we do, we have a workforce of working people who are ready to shift focus to the needs of our community. When elected mayor, our administration will work hand in hand with the Providence City Council to enforce rent stabilization laws. We’re going to guarantee that none of our neighbors have to stress about their rent going up by more than 4% a year. We’re going to use every tool at our disposal to protect our immigrant neighbors, and that includes working with the City Solicitor’s office to prosecute any fascist ICE agent who violates our Sanctuary City laws.

“We are committed to fighting for the working people who make Providence the special city that it is. Our administration will not be silent or neutral in defending our neighbors. Our administration will be front and center in the fight alongside this movement to build a Providence for all.”