The third of four interviews with candidates vying for East Boston's open House of Representatives seat is with Gloribell Mota. The 31-year-old mother of two sits on the board of the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center and the Neighborhood of Affordable Housing. She has worked for City Councilor Felix Arroyo, as well as being involved in many community issues.Mota and I spoke last week at her campaign headquarters. Click on the headline above or on "comments" below to see the entire interview, which I recorded and transcribed in whole.
32 comments:
A conversation with Gloribell Mota, interviewed by your humble Hubster correspondent Jim Correale, at her campaign headquarters on August 28, 2007.
Jim: First of all, in a lot of materials I’ve read and you’ve probably read you’re referred to as “the Latina candidate,” and I’ve heard you in some of those articles try to fight back against being boxed in like that. Why is it important for you to dispel that myth and how are you reaching out to other communities in this neighborhood?
GM: It’s not dispelling that myth. I am Latina. I’m from an immigrant family. My mom is from El Salvador and my father is from the Dominican Republic. I was born here. I went through the public school system, I was raised in a community that predominantly spoke English and this is what I know. And I’m a parent. I’m dealing with the same things as other parents, the health center, taking my kid to Little League, all the things that most of us have in common, so I want people to see all of that about me. I’m a woman, I’m a mother, I’m a daughter, I’m a parent, and I have that richness and experience in addition to the professional experience that I have. And I also am a Latina, which also brings another asset into my bag, but I’d like people to see beyond that. I’m talking to people on the things that we most care about: safe communities, good quality schools, healthcare, and just wanting our elected officials to be accountable. That’s what we’re talking about, and I think everybody can agree on that.
Jim: When we read things about the campaign, we often see Basile and Drago referred to as “the inside candidates” or “the connected candidates” in the political system, but you’ve been working for City Councilor Felix Arroyo for a while, and you’ve seen the inner workings of city government, but you’ve also been a community activist. How have those experiences helped you be a better candidate?
GM: I think what we’ve seen is that the elected officials know me. I’ve worked in Councilor Arroyo’s office, and I bumped into Councilor LaMattina all the time and spoke to him and there were great ideas that came out of that. I know Senator Petruccelli as well. I guess what you’re saying is that I have what that access to the establishment brings, but I am a community activist. I’ve worked in this community. My professional life has had me working with a broad base of people.
My son goes to the O’Donnell Elementary School, and I’ve worked with the teachers there and I’ve worked with the principal. I’ve worked with the parents and these are people who live in East Boston, so I have a wealth of experience. I think that’s what you need to do to become an elected official, to understand the community that you live in and that you represent, bit also there are other elected officials and you have to work with them. I think I can do that. I know what it means to be a community candidate, and I know what it means to work with elected officials.
Jim: What would you say are the one or two most important issues in this race?
GM: Well, I would say that public safety is a huge issue. I am a huge supporter of community policing and officers walking the beat. I’ve walked the beat with Officer Hernandez, just trying to get a sense. Commissioner Davis has a commitment to do this, and of course it’s going to take resources to have officers walking down your main streets, getting to know the small businesses and getting the residents to know these officers and establishing that trust. It’s something that I hear used to happen. People would say, “Oh, I used to know officer so-and-so,” and that’s important. That’s your sense of community. You start building that safety connection. As Sgt. McCarthy would say, or even Officer Hernandez said, “The community also has to be the eyes. They have to report things. We can’t be everywhere.” We have to take ownership so we can prevent small crimes so they don’t develop into big crimes.
I totally support investment in community policing and prevention programs. I think we need to prevent at the earliest age as possible so we can have options, instead of cutting after-school programs, and we’re seeing this every single year in terms of options for our youth, while we should be investing in our youth if we want them to be productive adults and that’s what I totally support. So public safety is one of my top issues,
Education is another. As a parent I was very active in my son’s education. I see firsthand the importance of family and community involvement, and also the importance of our schools having the research and support to teach our kids. I want to see concrete ways that these schools can strive and that can only happen if community and families get involved to get the resources needed at schools, and I support that. There are other issues as well, but those are two that we need to address.
Jim: To pay for increased public safety, better schools, more youth programs and other stuff like that it becomes an issue of raising taxes or tightening corporate loopholes or some other initiative. Do you have some thoughts on how to do that?
GM: Right now our state budget is in a structural deficit, and we really need to address that. At the same time we’re not closing the opportunities for corporations to evade paying their fair share of taxes. So do we cut more programs? Do we disinvest in communities? Or do we address fair taxation. There are corporations that don’t pay their fair share in taxes, and I would support closing those loopholes. It’s a fair way to raise revenue, and it’s something we should be addressing at the state level. That’s one of the things I’d like to see.
Jim: Let me throw some issues at you, and you can respond in a few sentences. Casino gambling in Massachusetts?
GM: People are saying it can raise revenue, but I also go back to closing corporate loopholes. That’s a way to raise revenue, too. You raise money at casinos from a lot of working and middle class folks. Is that a fair way, or should we be looking at other options as well? I know that East Boston has been mentioned as a site, but I think we should be looking long term to see if there are negative implications to bringing a casino to this area. If there are, then we should look at other options.
Jim: So if the state moves in the direction of allowing gambling and the mayor pushes for a casino at Suffolk Downs, how would you approach that issue?
GM: I think we should be thinking about what we want to see at Suffolk Downs. Certainly a casino brings jobs, but what jobs are they? Will they be well-paying jobs? Living wages with good benefits? And is that the only option for sustaining Suffolk Downs? There are jobs there now, but how do we make that grow? We also need to think of long-term implications, and at the end of the day, East Boston -- us -- we’re going to have to deal with whatever is built there, so I don’t want to see anything pushed on us until we have a comprehensive look at our options. What would be our long-term strategy to develop good jobs and what would be the negative impact?
Jim: Capital punishment?
GM: I oppose it.
Jim: The MCAS has been controversial in Massachusetts since it was created. Do you think it’s working the right way now? Are there some changes you would suggest?
GM: Well, I believe the MCAS has demonstrated the disparities in our education system. We’re seeing that with special education, English-language learners -- the inequalities in the way our kids are being taught -- so we need to address that. We need to have high standards for our children, but the MCAS shouldn’t be the whole graduation requirement. We should look at developing the whole child, and teachers should have flexibility with their curriculum. We should be investing in enrichment programs. I’m a strong supporter of the arts and music, culture and theater that we should be having in our schools. Ultimately this standardized testing is only hurting our children, and that’s just not the way to educate.
Jim: East Boston’s relationship with Massport … we’ve been at each other’s throats for 50 plus years.
GM: I hear it every time I doorknock. Massport, Massport and everything we’ve lost in East Boston. My thought is, What do we do now? How do we hold Massport accountable? We’ve got some parks, but we have to make sure that whatever Massport does, the community is always involved, and have we seen that? People are disillusioned. They’ve protested and they’ve shouted at the top of their lungs. Massport is here and they have to address environmental issues, high rates of asthma, respiratory problems, and we need to be sure those things are addressed and that Massport will help with that. The airport isn’t going to relocate any time soon, but I also think it shouldn’t be expanding when homeowners and residents don’t want it to. You have to say, “Enough is enough.” I would be a strong advocate of that, and I will continue to work with the residents of this community to advocate on their behalf.
Jim: In the Globe article last week, there was somebody who was quoted as saying about you running in this campaign that “it’s not your time yet.” What did you think when you read that?
GM: I disagree. My professional experience, my community experience, you cannot touch. I have the experience, and I’ve been working toward this. This is something I know I could do and I could serve the people of East Boston -- all of East Boston. It is my time and this is something that I chose to do. No one runs just because they woke up and decided it. This is something I’ve been preparing for, and I am a public servant at heart. I believe in the things that I have to offer. I would represent all of East Boston, and I would address the issues that we all care about. So I totally disagree with that comment. It has no merit, and at the end of the day the voters will decide whose time it is, and I will respect that. I’m very optimistic that it will be me because they’ll see that what I bring and what I want to do is unmatched.
Jim: Thanks, Gloribell.
GM: Thank you.
After the rcent assaults, we need those officers walking the beat. The issue has come a few times on this blogg and I appreciate you stance on this. I was at the meeting the other night and I appreciate the Mayor's initiative for more beat cops but they need to be permenant.
Up until today, I strongly supported you. However,after your remarks against Basile, I was saddly dissapointed. I had moved from Drago to you, he presented himself very well today, but his bitter tone about Healey and Basile are just not welcome anymore. This race is not about Healey it is about you and just like Drago you sound good and educated on the issues, which is good, but bitter and diviseive when it comes to Basile. I would suggest you do learn, ironically enough, from Healey, she lost not becasue she was not educated and articulate on the issues, but because she went negative on Deval. I like you but I think there is still a lesson for you to learn and that is that there are no good votes to be won by attacking and those you might gain by doing so might not be the ones you want. As far as what I will do, I have now moved to undecided status, and in the upcoming days I will seek to reconcile the fact that I do not like republicans or their supporters vs the fact that I also do not approve of negativism and bitterness in MY representatives. I will seek further information on Basile and his positions and if I do not like him, I am afraid I will have to seat this one out.
Best of luck,
Lucia... Orient Hights
Lucia,
I second what you said. I think the remarks Gloribell made were calculated and well planned out. I think her true colors were shown at the debate. While she is a well educated and an experienced woman. She doesnt come off as the welcoming and embracing candidate everyone claims she is. Also, not related to your comment, I want to know why Mrs. Mota proceeds to bring up the fact that she is very involved in her childerns lives? Like any good parent she should be involved and help her children along. The picture she is trying to paint is one of an over achieving parent. But shes not, she does what any good parent should be doing and she is getting active in her two childerns lives and if she wasnt then what kind of parent would she be. Now back to you Lucia, why would you just look to Mr. Basile? There is one more person you can look to for information. Im pretty sure from what I heard today that she was one of the the best, if not the best candidate on the stage today. I think you should look into Mary Berninger as well. Shes the only person out of the four who is articulate enough to get her points across without a pre-packaged answer in front of her. She is the only one who has put her issues out for all of East Boston to view before any of the other candidates did and up until today I didnt know where some of the candidates stood on the issues; except for Mrs. Mota. With her professional background which includes some of the most liberal organizations this community has seen in awhile, you could know ahead of time where she stood on some of the issues. But without knowing her background you wouldnt know where she stood on the issues. But Mary put them right out there. So Im not saying dont go speak with Carlo, because like Mary, he has a firm understanding of the greater East Boston community; and he has deep roots here like Mary.They both listen to what the citizens want and plan to work hard for each citizen. So I would urge you to speak with both candidates and not exclude Mary from your consideration. She has a firm grasp of what East Boston needs and wants.
Mota is all about the Latino people and no other people matter.
She can't win and she won't win because people know and its so transparent that she is only concerned about one issue
I have heard some backlash against Gloribell Mota for being the only one at the debate with the guts to publicly bring up the fact that Carlo Basile is a Republican. Drago would only hint at it, but didn't have the guts to follow through and tell it straight.
I am disappointed because I think she should be commended for speaking the truth - not criticized. Merely stating the truth about an opposition candidate is not considered negative campaigning. Negative campaiging is about personal attacks and innuendo based on little truth.
With 4 so-called Democrats in the race, they have to start comparing each other at some point as in any campaign. As compared to the horrible negative campaign that the Basile-backed Kerry Healy ran last year, Mota's comment was nothing.
In fact, if you are so upset about perceived negative campaning, how about bringing up the fact that Carlo Basile worked for one of the most negative, spiteful, and rather racist campaigns in the history of this state. That is pretty negative to me.
I presume you originally changed your vote from Drago to Mota because of her stance on the issues and independence from city hall. The fact that she was the only candidate strong enough to inform the public of Basile's hidden Republican identity doesn't mean that she is a bad person; just a smart campaigner who spoke the truth.
That makes me want to support her more knowing that she is the only one standing up to Basile's rather offensive strategy of jamming his signs down our throats so that we forget he is really just a Republican with no depth on the issues.
You know, i have never votd for anyone who wasn't Italian. But I like the way she handles race. I like the fact that she isn't trying to get votes just becasue she is spanish. When she talks about taking her kid to little league games and being on the school parent council at the O'Donnel, I see she is like me. I'm not on my daughter's school parent council but i attend school events and check homework EVERY night. We need people who want to earn our votes and don't feel they deserve them.
You blew it Mota! You were very,very unlady like and now I will vote for the only lady in the race.
Gloribell, you're probably better served staying in your current position under Felix. Your comments at the Forum towards Carlo basile were totally inappropriate and disgraceful. If you claim to be so intelligent, then why would you stoop down to Drago's level and take a jab like that. It just proves that you don't possess the skills to be EB's next State Rep. If you ever attempted to take Carlo head on in a debate, he would swallow you for breakfast. I would suggest that you address the issues and not the Presidential candidate for 2008.
Why doesn't anyone talk about Mota's stance on giving Illegal licenses to Ileegal immigrants? Do you forget that driving is a priveledge and Not a right?
Vote for Jeff he wouldn't allow illegals to drive
Unlady-like?
And what exactly did you find unlady-like? The fact that she was the only person up there with the guts to be honest about Basile's background for the benefit of the rest of us who didn't know it (and yes it is relevant)? Or perhaps the fact that she was up there and held her own?
Do we live in the Victorian era or something? I don't know what you are looking for, but women no longer have to be quiet or nice or stay in the kitchen any longer. They can go to school, go to college, leave abusive partners, have high powered jobs, and even run for office. I know it might come as a shock, but women can even raise children and hold office at the same time.
I do not believe "Former Mota Supporter" anything but an act of desperation.
Very disappointed,
Be serious. The Chamber of Commerce structured the rules of the forum precisely for the benefit of Carlo Basile. They knew that if it had been a real debate, Carlo would have had to answer questions about his past political affiliations. If anything, it appears to me that Carlo was the one who benefited from the way the forum was held. If it had been a proper debate, I believe both Drago and Mota would have come out shining and Carlo and Mary would have lost what little support there is here in East Boston for Republicans and extremists.
Mota has a better chance of hitting the lottery than winning this election!
I'm sure she won't even beat Mary!
If anyone wants to know what Gloribell Mota really thinks about East Boston go to her comments online. The Boston Indicators Project at The Boston Foundation was held on 10.25.05. Gloribell represented NOAH at the meeting. She was all about community development. I thought East Boston was developed. Maybe not to her liking and she doesn't seem to like the people she calls "gatekeepers"
An earlier comment was partially on point. A woman can run for office, and win even. However, the District 1 seat will be taken by a man (Carlo, maybe Jeff). Truthfully, the two lovely ladies do not have a chance.
Mota just plays to the latino's and no one else matters! Well, I have news for you.......this community isn't just made up of latinos or any one particular group. You need to understand that we are one community with one message and you are trying to divide us.
I am totally insulted by the comment at 12:30. I'm supporting Mota and I'm not Latino. She is the only one of the candidates that I believe does speak for all East Boston residents. Mary is obviously against immigrants, Drago is too close to the old political machine for my taste, and Basile's history is with the Republicans.
It seems to me that it is people like you who are dividing the community. Blacks, Latinos, Asians, even African immigrants live here too now. Get over it.
Mrs mota did an outstanding job at the debate, she is by far, proved to be the most articulate on the panel, too liberal though, I think people in East Boston have 2 weeks to make up their minds, women voters will give her the vote,she will be someone to watch out for in East Boston's future.
Mota is a divider not a uniter!
Look at her past everything is for the latino's and only latinos!
She can't win if she was running against mickey mouse.
I'm a lifer here in eastie and if she ever won I would put my house for sale the very next day. Go drago
I have lived here my whole life and never and I mean never did I hear the name Mota!
Gloribell why did Mr. Arroyo put you up as a candidate? I think he wasn't prepared for what you would face by forcing his agenda here. Check out his website. He wants to name a street The Avenue of the Americas and have all the flags from other countries fly there. He wants noncitizens to vote. He was at Saturday's debate but he didn't look very happy. He cant come here to redo our town any more than Mayor Menino can come tell us what to do.
Mota made a big mistake by aligning herself to Drago. WE thought that she was on her own but we learned that she isn't!
What ashame we thought she was bright, I guess we were wrong!
Let me understand this. Gloribell is now aligned with Jeff. So both couldn't win on their own, so Arroyo and Menino said join forces. Is anyone embarrassed that they supported either one or is it any liberal will do? God help East Boston
People of East Boston Satnd Up!
On Sept.25 if you want East Boston to go back the way it ways 25 years ago please vote for the only candidate that will stand up to the embeddeed politicians. Its not Drago so you figur it out!
EastBostonRules
Says to
YETTO
Sorry,No Coprende.
Dare to translate!I dont think so.
Bella Amore Per Voi!
Joe Mason
Reciba un cordial y atento saludo, deseándoles muchos éxitos en su función que tan brillantemente desempeña en el dÃa a dÃa y aprovecho la oportunidad por medio de la presente para e informarle que soy ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos y vivo En East Boston y estoy molesto por los comentario que ustedes han hecho de mi Gran Amigo politico Mauro chinchilla en la webe-site sabemos que el distrito de east Boston esta poblado por nostros los latinos desde 1980 nostros los latinos que conocemos mr chinchilla apoyamos a Jeff Drago por su buena bonda con los chicos En la Copa Drago 2007
sabemos que mi gran amigo Mauro Chinchilla debe sacar a la gente a votar por Jeff Drago Como coordinador para la comunidad latina me gustaria que corriera Mauro en el futuro porque es muy famoso en east Boston y puede poner muchos sign
Acerca de Jeff Drago:
Gloribel, At one time, I really di dfeel bad for you because you were considered very much the underdog. As it stands today, not only are you an underdog, you're also a phony candidate. When you were at the so-called debate, we the Carlo supporters were the only ones that clapped for you because you only had 2 or 3 people out of 500 people there clapping for you. We felt bad and so we decided not to make you look bad we would clap since we thought this debate to be nothing more than answering questions. However, when you insulted Carlo with that Republican comment you seized to exist to all of us. Furthermore, you have the courage to come out in the final week and go on the attack again against Carlo in your flimsy looking flyers. I was under the impression that there were 3 other candidates in the race besides yourself. So can you please explain to me why you would attack Carlo only. Isn't it true that you need to beat out 2 other candidates to win this race.(Never in this lifetime!) Well, I have news for you, it's very evident as to what your motive is. It's clear to all that you are driven by a job that the Mayor and his cohorts have promised you. It's apparent that you could care less about the Latino community or the community as a whole. Your only ambition at this point is to solidify a nice cushy job for yourself. Guess what, I have just exposed you so hopefully with the Grace of God, you'll never have the chance to see that job. I really hope that you own a mirror at your home and take a good look at yourself. please write back and let me know what you see. I will be glad to respond and tell you what I see. It's incredible that you would sell your soul for your own benefit and take down the rest of the Latino community. I will end with letting you know that I'm a Carlo Basile supporter if you haven't noticed. In addition, I'm also a Latino. However, at this point as I write in this blog, I'm regrettably emabarrased to admit it.
I don't think I've seen a bigger load of crap on this blog than what Youshouldbeashamed just posted. Here's to free speech, but let's try to stay within reality.
I have never heard of anything more stupid in my life. I doubt youshouldbeashamed is even Latino. We don't lose our pride in our heritage because of the actions of others. Besides, I got a list of objectionable behavior among local Latinos that youshouldbeashamed should consider:
Youshouldbeashamed should be ashamed of people like Mauro Chinchilla going around the community calling himself the "mayor of East Boston" and charging people who want to hold soccer games in public parks for free permits he gets through the Mayor's office.
He should be ashamed of John Sepulveda having the gall to tell the newspapers "It's not their time yet." I'm not aware of a direct line between John and God. Who is he to think someone needs his permission to run for office?
He should be ashamed of Luis Vasco for running a restaurant like a club and making all Latino businessowners look like irresponsible destroyers of community life.
There's plenty of bad behavior among Latinos here in Eastie. Mota, on the other hand, has actually worked in coalitions and as an advocate to do something to make life better for Latinos and non-Latinos alike, which is something that none of the other candidates can say they've done.
Mota's working hard, but, before we throw our support behind her we need to know if she is working hand in hand with Jeff, or, if she's truly in it to win it.
Gloribell has always been in this to win. I have personally seen the work and the sacrifice she has made in this election.
It's interesting that someone is putting out the rumor that she is working for Jeff. It looks like Gloribell has been working for all of the candidates. One of the local convenience stores took their Mota sign down a couple of weeks ago because they received a visit from someone in Basile's campaign telling them that Mota was dropping out of the race. They were really upset to learn that they were lied to. They promptly put Mota's sign back up.
I had some respect for Basile before this. I wasn't going to vote for him because I think Mota would be a better rep. But I don't like this kind of corrupt tactics in campaigning. So much for running a positive campaign.
Now I read that someone is putting out the rumor that she is working for Drago. Well, I've been a volunteer and I know that is a complete lie, just like the other. It is really sad to see people stoop this low.
So far, Mota has been the only one to be honest and to run a clean campaign. I think I'm going to copy this on the other post because I don't think anyone knows about these lies that people are putting out there.
Mota was pretty aggressive at the debate.
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