| Joshua J. Giraldo (D) was elected in March 2020 to the seat in House District 56 in Central Falls to fill a vacancy left by the resignation of Rep. Shelby Maldonado, and then won re-election to a two-year term in November 2020. He is a member of the House Education Committee, the House Health and Human Services Committee, the House Small Business Committee and the House Special Legislation Committee.
During the 2021 session, he sponsored a law that authorized the City of Central Falls to issue bonds of $5.76 million to finance the construction and renovation of schools in the city. Central Falls voters later approved the referendum.
He also sponsored a new law that prohibits the waiving of rules and regulations relating to minority-owned businesses involved with state contracts during periods such as a declared state of emergency. He also sponsored a law that prohibits discrimination against a potential organ transplant recipient based solely on a physical or mental disability.
Representative Giraldo is the Director of Human Capital for Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy. He served as chief of staff for Central Falls Mayor James Diossa from October 2015 to July 2020. Before that, he worked as a teacher at Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy and as a family literacy instructor at Dorcas Place Family Learning Center. He also served as director of the Central Falls Department of Parks and Recreation for two years before becoming chief of staff.
A graduate of Central Falls High School in 2004, he earned a bachelor's degree in elementary and secondary education from Providence College in 2008.
Representative Giraldo, who was born on November 18, 1986, resides in Central Falls with his wife Maite and their daughters, Valentina and Catalina. |