Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Cedric Huntley, a community leader who dedicated his life to improving the lives of young people and making Rhode Island a safer place to live. Cedric, known by many as ``Mr. Ced,'' was a powerful force for good. He served as site director of the South Providence Recreation Center, located right where he grew up on the south side of Providence and wore many hats as counselor, mentor, and listener to members of the community. It was through his life experience and empathy for others that he connected with Rhode Islanders from all walks of life to build relationships for positive change. He came out of retirement to lead the Nonviolence Institute as executive director to break cycles of violence that plague too many neighborhoods. The Nonviolence Institute does crucial work in greater Providence to serve as a bridge between community members at risk from violence, social service agencies, and law enforcement to reduce crime and support victims. When I served as Rhode Island's general treasurer, I ran the State's crime victims compensation program and had the privilege of working with Cedric and his team to help hundreds of Rhode Islanders who were victims of violent crimes get the compensation that they needed to get back on their feet. During this time, I saw firsthand the work he did as a peacemaker and how he worked to prevent acts of violence before they occurred. Mr. Speaker, it was an honor and a privilege to work with him.…”