Twenty-eight-year-old Amaad I. Rivera was sworn-in Monday as one of the newest members of the Springfield (Massachusetts) City Council, reports ABC40 and MassLive.
"Rivera was sworn in as the new Ward 6 councilor by City Clerk Wayman Lee, replacing the former ward councilor Keith W. Wright, who resigned in mid-term. ... Rivera, who is half black and half Latino, became the sixth minority to serve on the current 13-member council, and said he is the first openly gay member of the council to his knowledge. He listed his priorities as including open and transparent government and listing to the concerns of all residents."
Rivera took his seat despite some questions that arose over his eligibility based on his second-place finish in the 2009 municipal election. Rivera's eligibility was upheld by the election commissioner ... but a fellow councilor demanded an on-site physical inspection of his address. "It was a sad moment in an overall positive process," Rivera said. "It was more about people's personal issues and politics than about the city."
After being sworn in, the Brandeis doctoral student and new city councilor added: "Petty politics can’t take away from something that is historic and positive."
Springfield is the largest city in Western Massachusetts. Rod 2.0 readers will recall this is the former home of Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, the 11-year-old boy who hanged himself after months of relentless homophobic and anti-gay taunts. Carl's "bully-cide" became the inspiration for Massachusetts' tough anti-bullying law.
Watch WWLP'S report AFTER THE JUMP ...
this is so inspirational, i grew up not far from there. go springfield!
Posted by: Webb | 07 January 2011 at 16:57
Bravo!
Posted by: ReggieH | 07 January 2011 at 18:03
Excellent. They got a four-fer. Educated/gay/black/latino. Niiice.
Posted by: FREELEO | 07 January 2011 at 19:53
Rod, Latino is not a race.
LOLz. Never said it was. -RM
Posted by: terrell | 07 January 2011 at 22:38
One of our future leaders. Bravo!
This is a great story and as usual, only place you'd hear about it is here. Handsome, successful and a PD student. And we can get married in Massachusetts too lol. I wish him the very best of luck.
@ Terrell, You really do "major in minor things". You come in post after post trying to play hall monitor about who is "black" vs "biracial" or whatever. Kamala, Obama, now this man. You're the same one who was arguing that Chicago gaybashing pastor Meeks had a "right" to run for mayor. And he had a right to vote against our rights and civil unions. A mess.
Posted by: Greg G | 07 January 2011 at 23:45
I am so proud of this new generation. They are out, proud and all about the business!
Congratulations, Mr. Rivera!
Posted by: 405 S | 08 January 2011 at 00:18
Yes we can yes we can!
Congratulations Springfield and Councilman Rivera!
And I'll pass on Miss Terrell's latest attempt to hijack the thread. It's too early chile. Sat down!
Posted by: South Side | 08 January 2011 at 08:08