![[picture of young Denise Provost]](portrait-old.jpg)
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The Politics of Raisins and Juice... |
My introduction to the bad side of politics happened 28 years ago. I was teaching in the
Headstart program in Vermont. It was a great program, but instead of wholesome, nutritious
food, my always-hungry Headstart kids would get things like the liquid poured off canned fruit
cocktail, passed off as "juice," and old, spoiled raisins that were sugared to cover up their thick,
reddish crust. Why? The food contract had been awarded to a politically-connected vendor.
I asked the program administrators what we could do. They shrugged and said, "You can't fight
City Hall." I decided that my Headstart students, whom I loved, were going to need strong
friends. That was when I decided to go to law school.
When I moved to Somerville in 1981, I was a young lawyer with experience in city government,
including the laws governing public contracts. The city solicitor, Tony Sullivan, convinced me
that Mayor Eugene Brune was committed to genuine reform, and I went to work as assistant city
solicitor in 1984. I met my husband at City Hall. Our first child, Emma, was born in 1989,
and soon after I became involved in the public schools.
Since coming to Somerville, I have done a wide range of community work. I helped the Council
for Children develop a proposal for a child abuse prevention program, which is still running
successfully and has been copied in other communities. As one of the original members of the
Friends of Hoyt-Sullivan Playground, I worked from the start of fundraising to the creation of
our first community-built playground.
I have also worked on a number of political campaigns. Politics is the path to government. For
me, good government is too important for politics to be a spectator sport.
I love living in Somerville and believe I can make a contribution on the Board of Aldermen.
You can call me at (617) 628-1130, or visit my website at www.provost-citywide.org. I would
appreciate your vote for Alderman-at-Large.
Sincerely,
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