Shelley Ciccia-Peterson is a Peruvian-born American living in Ward 14 for 18 years. As a child immigrant, Shelley understood early on the importance of adapting quickly, being the oldest in her family and needing to help her family acclimate and adjust to a new world. Living in poverty was a constant reminder that she wanted a better future for herself and her future family.
Shelley grew up in East Providence living in Riverside in her early years and moving to central East Providence in high school. Buying a home was always the dream for her parents. That home was pivotal as she began understanding the reasons why her parents wanted more for their children and the toll it took on them as working class people. She was the first in her family to graduate from college and the first to receive her Masters degree.
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MEET SHELLEY
About Ward 14
Ward 14 includes both Elmhurst and Wanskuck neighborhoods. Ward 14 is a strong middle-class community with great diversity of families, professionals, students and older generations. This neighborhood is the heartbeat of Providence. As one of the last places where you can see true middle-class, I remain steadfast in my commitment to keeping it that way.
