Maria Rivera sworn in as 33rd Mayor of Central Falls

Mayor Rivera becomes Rhode Island’s first Latina mayor and City’s first woman mayor

CENTRAL FALLS, RI – Today in a virtual Inauguration ceremony, Maria Rivera was sworn in as the 33rd Mayor of the City of Central Falls, making her the first Latina mayor in Rhode Island history and first woman mayor in city history.

“Living in Central Falls now for more than 25 years, I know that we have come incredibly far from our city’s dark days of corruption and bankruptcy,” said Mayor Rivera during her Inauguration speech. “The Central Falls we know today is a place worth celebrating. It’s a city of hope and a city of dreams. I hope that the work of our administration and our leaders will help individuals and younger generations in our city realize they can do anything, regardless of what they look like or their background.”

Mayor Rivera was sworn in by Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea, proudly and humbly accepting the challenge of leading the city to its highest potential.

“Thank you to the City of Central Falls for all you’ve shared with me for the last eight years, I know you’re in good hands under the leadership of Mayor Maria Rivera,” said Mayor James Diossa. “I wish her administration the best of luck in this next chapter.”

Today’s 3pm Inauguration ceremony included the swearing in of members of the Central Falls City Council, including Councilwoman Meaghan Levasseur (Ward 1), Councilwoman Adamaris Villar (Ward 2), Councilman Hugo Figueroa (Ward 3), Councilman Franklin Solano (Ward 4), Councilwoman Jessica Vega (Ward 5), Councilwoman Glendaliz Colon (Council-At-Large), and Councilwoman Tatiana Baena (Council-At-Large).

The ceremony was live-streamed on the City of Central Falls Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/CityOfCentralFallsRI) and a full recording is now available on Vimeo: (https://vimeo.com/493486115/8b9111213a).

“My vision for our city involves every single person here and those watching. This work is our work. This city is our city. This future is our future,” continued Mayor Rivera in her speech. “Thank you to the people of Central Falls for trusting me as your new Mayor. I will do all I can to make you proud to be part of our community.”

Mayor Rivera’s full inauguration speech she delivered is available below:

First, I’d like to thank God and all of you for being here or tuning in today. Standing here, in front of my children, my family, my friends, fellow elected officials, and my beautiful city as your new Mayor, I’m filled with immense gratitude. But my heart aches as well.

Before I begin, I’d like to ask that we all share a brief moment of silence for our neighbors and loved ones who are no longer with us. I would be no where without this community – this is a bittersweet day for me knowing there are beloved members of our community missing this moment.

[MOMENT OF SILENCE]

I have hope.

I have hope because of the incredible people in Central Falls, who have helped me recognize what’s important to fight for.

To my children, my mother, my siblings, my dear friends – thank you for your unwavering support. I know my late father is smiling down at us today. You all have been at my side since day one. I have hope that our relationships will only grow deeper with time, and that I can be just as valuable of a support system for you as you have been for me.

To my transition team and incoming staff, thank you for your hard work during this transition. Your knowledge, leadership, guidance, and unrelenting work have been invaluable. You have also designed this inaugural celebration for our city, and although it has to look a little different than we would have hoped, I thank you for keeping us safe and organized. I have hope for all we will accomplish together in the coming weeks and months.

To our outgoing leaders and staff members in our city government, thank you. Your hard work, especially over this last year, has not gone unnoticed, and allowed our city to prioritize our families and small businesses during a time when it was needed most. I have hope that your work will leave lasting impacts on our city.

To my fellow City Council members and new City Council members sworn in for the first time today, congratulations. And to our elected officials in the General Assembly representing Central Falls, thank you. I know you all love this city and the promise it holds. I have hope that our work together will bring new success to our great city, and directly improve the lives of our residents and small businesses.

Mayor James Diossa, you have been a tremendous force for Central Falls, and your support has been invaluable during my time on the City Council and path to this position. Everywhere I look in our city, I see your impact. From our new paved streets, green spaces, and train station district to new business storefronts, new affordable housing, new Neighborhood Health Station, and so much more, we have so many beautiful reminders of the important progress our city has made under your leadership. I respect both you and your work, and thank you for all your contributions to the greatest little city we know. You put Central Falls on the map and I promise to keep moving us forward.

Being the first female in this role in our square mile, it wasn’t always easy to see myself standing here. As I take the oath of office today, I recognize that it’s my village and this community that made me realize this dream could become a reality one day.

Coming from humble beginnings, my Puerto Rican parents moved to the U.S. in hope for a better life. I know stories like these are not uncommon in our community. Because my parents spoke only Spanish at home, I had to take ESL classes to keep up with my schoolwork. Another common experience here in our community. I still remember being a Senior at Central Falls High School and working multiple jobs while balancing my academics. Today, if you walk into any number of our local businesses after school hours, you’ll likely see many of our high school students doing the same. I’ve come to realize all that hard work is a blessing.

Living in Central Falls now for more than 25 years, I know that we have come incredibly far from our city’s dark days of corruption and bankruptcy. The Central Falls we know today is a place worth celebrating. It’s a city of hope and a city of dreams. I hope that the work of our administration and our leaders will help individuals and younger generations in our city realize they can do anything, regardless of what they look like or their background. Central Falls is a city for everyone, filled with rich culture, diversity, and greatness.

In November, Central Falls voted overwhelmingly to continue the important progress of our city and the promise of our future. As your new Mayor, I proudly and humbly accept the challenge to lead our city to its highest potential.

Where do we start? First and foremost, we need our residents to have access to critical health measures, like more COVID-19 testing and rapid increases of the vaccine. We need greater support for our small businesses struggling through this pandemic, and more economic development opportunities. We need more affordable housing and home ownership opportunities. We need safe streets and community policing that works with our residents. We need public schools that continue to improve, and more programs to keep our youth engaged. We need more programs and services that work with and support our beloved seniors. We need more green and recreation spaces for all of our residents to enjoy. And we need our city government to be extremely accessible, transparent, and helpful for our residents.

I know this won’t be easy. But I’m ready.

My vision for our city involves every single person here and those watching. This work is OUR work. This city is OUR city. This future is OUR future.

Thank you to the people of Central Falls for trusting me as your new Mayor. I will do all I can to make you proud to be part of our community. God bless, and stay safe. CF, we’ve got work to do.