Lorne Adrain announced his candidacy for Mayor of Providence
Lorne Adrain announces bid for mayor of Providence
(Feb. 3, 2014) – Fox Point resident and community leader Lorne Adrain
announced his candidacy for Mayor of Providence today at the Friendship
Café. In front of family, friends, community leaders and supporters.
Adrain said, «Today is about returning potential, possibility and promise
to everyone in this great city. I will focus on rebuilding our economy and
create new and better paying jobs, turn our schools into places that ignite
a passion for learning, opening and build a safer and more vibrant
community not just for the next eight years, but for generations to come.»
Like many Providence residents, Adrain’s parents came to America seeking
work and opportunity. His parents left Canada to find a job and a place to
raise a family. He is the second of their 8 children and grew up in the
Rocky Point neighborhood of Warwick. Every summer from age 14 to 21 he
worked at Camp Yawgoog. He attended URI and paid his way through college by
driving a school bus every morning. He later went on to earn his MBA from
Harvard Business School.
Dr. Antonio Barajas who served on the Board of Governors of Higher
Education when Adrain was Chairman of the Board said, «Lorne was a
courageous leader in our effort to make historic change in opportunities
for undocumented youth. This issue had been kicked around without action
for over twenty years and needed real leadership to move it forward. Lorne
took up the interests of immigrants as his own and helped make their dreams
of a better life come alive.»
«The biggest problems are the ones that we must run toward – not away from and
here in Providence that means stepping up to some big challenges,» said
Adrain. But for far too many children and families, potential and
possibility remain a distant dream and the Promise of Providence is
unfulfilled. I will work to
Jason Coakley, a chef at Friendship Café spoke at Adrain’s launch. Mr.
Coakley spoke to Adrain’s ability to bring not just people together, but
also hope and reality. «I wish there were more Amos Houses and Friendship
Cafes in Providence. It would make a big difference. But in order to make
that happen we need Lorne Adrain.»
«To achieve these goals, we need a City Hall that works as hard as the
people of Providence. A City Hall that gives taxpayers a great value for
their investment and a City Hall that is always getting better at
everything it does. When I am Mayor, that’s what you will have.
The plan I’ve outlined today is just the start. We will need to rely on
the creativity and commitment of our entire community to succeed.
A Mayor’s job is to serve and to lead – and I am asking you for the
opportunity to do both,» said, Adrain.