Narragansett Election Profile: Ethan Farrell

NARRAGANSETT, RI — Ethan Farrell is running for a seat on the Narragansett School Committee. The 29-year-old is a newcomer to elected office.

Farrell has deep family roots in South County. His father, Jeffrey, was raised in Narragansett, while his mother, Suzanne, grew up in South Kingstown, both coming from agricultural backgrounds. His grandmother, Virginia, was raised on a dairy farm before attending college, settling in Narragansett in the early 1960s, and working as a home economics teacher at South Kingstown High School for more than three decades. He graduated from Narragansett High School and studied at Johnson and Wales University.

Occupation

Farmer and landscaper by trade. Before moving to Sunset Farm at 8 years old I worked the farm stand on Stanton Ave restocking veggies and talking to customers. I have been in the market helping customers at Sunset Farm for 21 years. This is also where my green thumb education began. After college, I made my dream of a farm to table food truck a reality. Utilizing meats and produce from the farm at festivals of all sorts in the South County area all the way to Providence.

Why are you seeking elective office?

Narragansett is a very special place that I was lucky enough to have grown up in. I think what makes it most special and unique is not only the views but also the wonderful community it has provided. Thanks to having such an involved and caring community the school systems have been able to provide unmatched attention and care to all students in a way that has been impactful for generations. In High School I won back to back state championships for wrestling which I feel I owe a great deal of that success to the teachers, coaches, and overall community for their immeasurable support. For the last several years I have provided donations and done fundraisers in order to give back mostly focusing on athletic programs with children in need. In addition, I have been an active member of the Narragansett Lions Club since 2017. My ambition is to be able to do even more for the community I feel has given me so much in order to fuel my success. This is why I feel it’s time to take my efforts to the next level and run for School Committee in order to allow me to have a more hands-on approach and to make an even bigger difference.

What do you believe should be done to contain the coronavirus pandemic, and what would you do to lessen its economic impacts?

Obviously you would want to put in place preventative measures and safeguard such as hand washing machines, masks, social-distancing. All the previously identified safeguards which are known to reduce the spread of COVID-19. In addition to that implement a testing program to ensure that folks at risk have easily accessible testing and expanded targeted testing and be able to identify outbreaks early and reduce the potential for spread of COVID-19 throughout the community. That way we can try to minimize the economic and health risk associated with COVID-19. By doing the right thing and taking the appropriate measures you can lessen both the risk to people’s and economy.

Do you believe systemic racism is a problem in America generally and Rhode Island specifically, and if so, what would you do to combat it?

I think when looking at an issue such as racism whether you’re looking at it from a general problem that is nationwide or a from a smaller town perspective it is unacceptable. Any policy that puts others at a disadvantage due to their heritage or ethnic background should be further addressed. The best thing we can do is to focus on ensuring equal opportunity for necessities like education, jobs, housing, and healthcare.

Should the words "Providence Plantations" be removed from the state's name?

Yes

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am born and raised here and have a personal desire to see the Narragansett School System continue to thrive. I feel as though I understand what’s important to most residents of the town and look forward to being a part of it.