politics

Scott appoints diversity, equity, and inclusion activist to fill House vacancy

https://governor.vermont.gov/sites/scott/files/Garofano_Photo_HouseCH8-1.jpg
Golrang (Rey) Garofano

Governor Phil Scott has appointed Golrang (Rey) Garofano, Democrat, to fill the Chittenden-8-1 House District vacancy. Garofano replaces former Representative Marybeth Redmond (D-Essex) who resigned last month.

“Rey is a dedicated public servant with a proven track record of commitment to her community and state,” said Governor Scott. “Her experience working on diversity, equity and inclusion issues will provide an important perspective in the House, as will her time with the Department for Children and Families (DCF). I’m confident she will hit the ground running.”

Garofano has been a public servant at the State of Vermont for 16 years, serving in various leadership roles supporting Vermonters, including the most vulnerable. She currently serves as a child care quality program administrator at the DCF. She has a deep personal commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and has been actively engaged in multiple community projects over the last decade to promote racial equity and inclusion in and around Essex.

“I am truly honored to be appointed to represent Essex as a state representative,” said Garofano. “I know that many of our community members struggle with access to affordable housing, high health care costs and earning a living wage, and I will work hard on behalf of Essex to address these challenges in Montpelier.”

Garofano is an active participant on the Essex Westford School District  Board (EWSDB), serves on the board of Voices for Inclusion Essex and Westford and is also on the EWSD Equity Policy advisory committee, which is tasked with implementing the Board’s equity policy.

Keeping with tradition, because former Representative Redmond served as a Democrat, Governor Scott made the appointment from a list of candidates submitted by the local Democratic committee.

11 replies »

  1. She appears to have an Italian surname……just NOT diverse enough whatsoever, after all, Italian-Americans were solely responsible for nearly ethnicity in the U.S. to thoroughly embrace and enjoy their foods – thereby creating culinary conformity and having their fare brazenly become a part of “Americana” today! Italian-Americans are also known for immigrating into the U.S. legally, not speaking the English language initially but learning it quickly and with vigor, and the worst? Most Italians were never noted for partaking in riots, being traitors to the government, or chronically violating laws en mass despite being openly discriminated against upon their arrival here.

    It looks like the governor never took a long, hard look at these facts in his feeble attempt to choose candidates with “unusual” sounding last names in order to impress the radical leftists in VT.

    As an aside though…..with VAST majority of dimocrats serving the VT public, WHY is the supposed GOP governor asking for candidates to fill yet MORE positions from the democrat party???? How about appointing candidates from your own minority pool of republicans Scott….if you truly want “diversity”???????? What a RINO this guy is. Shameful.

    • Playing the race/ethnicity card doesn’t work for Conservatives anymore than it does for Progressives. I don’t care if you’re pro Italian or not. Please cut it out. If you’re going to complain about the appointment, choose a legitimate reason.

      • Doesn’t work for progressives??? It’s ALL they do….have you seen or heard of Biden’s cabinet choices? Did you hear “Biden’s” criteria for choosing the V.P. of the USA – “She will be a WOMAN OF COLOR”??? Do you hear the cheers of the progressives as they fall on their knees because a candidate is black or gay or “trans-gender” or whatever???

        Sorry, ignoring the reality that people are being placed in places of authority in healthcare, in government, in education, etc. simply because of race or some other unusual personal proclivity or persona as opposed to merit is NOT going to cool their jets. Calling it what it is: Discrimination — which is illegal, may eventually…..

        And btw, the first post was not “pro-Italian”, it was meant to describe in a sarcastic manner the utter idiocy of choosing people for careers based upon superfluous, meaningless characteristics.

        Though Italian food does rock. Egyptian? Not as much, sorry. Take a poll.

      • Vermont was built by Indians, Frenchs, Irishs, Scotish, Italians. All who came here legally, except for the Indians we were already here.Many of these people are still here, well their families are.. Then the out of staters moved here and took over and wanted to change Vermont into the state they left. I have no problems with out of staters BUT don’t come here and take over and tell us what to do. Vermont use to be a great Republican state. I am a 8th generation Vermont. I grew up here. There was no racist, we were all the same. Americans Vermonters. we cared about our country, We cared for each other, we cared about our children. Vermont is not the same. I want the Vermont I know and grew up in back.. it’s time to TAKE BACK VERMONT!!!

  2. No conflict of interest here….. Garofano earned $76,668.80 in 2021 plus benefits as a State employee at the Department for Children and Families (DCF). What do you bet that she votes to more efficiently fund her department with lower budgets and increased accountability? …let alone vote to impose that common sense approach on other government departments?

    Not.

  3. Scott is so blinded by the money, the liberals democrats he has forgotten he was a republican. He is controled by the left. the out of staters. I truly believe he foroot he’s a Vermonter. all those years with ole shummy made him a democrat. I voted for him once and after all the lies and stabbing in the back he has don’t to True Vermonters he is a disgrace to Vermont.

Leave a Reply