ABOUT ME

My name is Alana DiMario, and I am running for State Senate in District 36 as a Democrat to ceate the kind of conversation in North Kingstown and Narragansett that can move our communities and our state forward.

If I have a superpower, it’s that I can have a conversation with anyone, about anything – and I love to do it. Conversations are so powerful: sharing ideas, listening for new information, and challenging yourself to move forward is an essential part of progress, whether on a personal or societal level.

This is what I do, this is who I am. As a Licensed Mental Health Therapist doing outreach work with some of our most vulnerable children and families across the state, in my private therapy practice in Wakefield, as a group facilitator helping families get off to the best possible start with their new babies, as a mother to my own three children, in my role as a wife and friend, and as a member of every community I am a part of – this is who I am. I am a strong believer in the power of identifying areas for change and growth, building on what is already good, seeking out paths forward, and pushing until we get there. Whether on an individual level or a community, state, or national level, I believe we must always be looking for ways to challenge ourselves to do a little better.

In a time when people are looking for leaders who are willing to stand for what they believe is right, every candidate must be willing to challenge themselves to have that conversation. I am proud to call myself a Democrat, and I believe the future of the Democratic Party, the future of Rhode Island, and the future of our country lies with engaging and mobilizing the people who right now look at our political process and don’t see themselves as part of it.

Our community is full of hard working people who care deeply about their neighbors and their state, and are willing to criticize it relentlessly to make things better. This is why I fell in love with Rhode Island and have made it my home for the last 18 years, choosing to raise my family and start a business here.

I also know the struggles that Rhode Islanders face, from economic insecurity to finding safe and appropriate education settings for their children with developmental differences to the anxiety faced by our seniors when navigating resources for housing and healthcare. Our young adults who want to make their home here need to feel like this is a state where they can put down roots and thrive.

Every Rhode Islander should have access to the healthcare they need, no one should go broke because they, or their child, get sick. Women should have the same control over their healthcare decisions as men without restriction or qualification. Our kids and the teachers who work tirelessly for them should be safe going to school every day, and the condition of our schools should reflect the priority that a good education is to the people of Rhode Island. We should continue to expand policies that protect the hard-working people of our state, assure them a wage on which they can thrive, and encourage our locally owned businesses to flourish - and know that these are not mutually exclusive. Voting access should continue to be improved and expanded so every Rhode Islander can have a voice in our political process. Our political process should be free from the influence of money and should serve all Rhode Islanders no matter what faith or creed. Improved transparency and communication from the General Assembly would send the message that ours is a government that is truly working for the people it serves and welcomes the participation of as many people as possible.

Progressive policies lift up people as well as the economy. We can and must protect our beautiful and valuable natural resources here in the Ocean State. We can and must use evidenced-based information to inform policy on everything from healthcare and help for people with addictions to the environment to child welfare to infrastructure investments.

We can do better, and I would be honored to be the voice in the State House fighting for my neighbors and all of Rhode Island. Let’s start that conversation, I’m listening.