ROSY BAGOLIE for NJ STATE ASSEMBLY LD 27
PERSONAL BACKGROUND
My family’s history of resilience, escaping Nazi persecution as Dutch Jews to find refuge in the Dominican Republic, inspires me. At age eight, my family immigrated to the U.S. for a better life, settling in Elizabeth, New Jersey. I earned my master’s at Rutgers and a doctorate at Seton Hall. My husband, Ricky Bagolie, is a former Passaic-Clifton UNICO president, and together, we are blessed with three remarkable sons. Frank, our eldest, is a 17-year-old high school junior, while our twins, Jacob and Aaron, are 14-year-old freshmen. I’ve dedicated my life to education, starting as a public school teacher, advancing to Director of Special Education and building principal, and now serving as Superintendent of the East Newark public school district. I’m committed to hard work, perseverance, and education’s transformative power in our community.
POLITICAL BACKGROUND
My lifelong journey in Democratic politics began as a student at Elizabeth High School when I dove into the world of grassroots campaigning in Union County, working alongside Senator Lesniak and Mayor Bowllwage. From that moment, my dedication to the Democratic Party’s ideals only deepened, propelling me into the realm of public service. In 2022, I took the bold step of running for Livingston Town Council, emerging victorious in a fiercely contested race. Endorsed over four other exceptionally qualified candidates by the West Essex Tribune, they said, “….her work as a (superintendent), principal and director of special education elsewhere in the state may be similarly valuable. As a certified business administrator, her experience with balancing budgets and writing grants would certainly prove useful. Through public debates and statements, she has shown her knowledge on the issues that affect this town (and those that do not).” Winning this election marked a historic moment as I became the first-ever Latina-Jewish woman to serve on the Council and the first woman to do so since 2014. I am now running for Assembly on the Democratic Line in New Jersey’s 27th Legislative District because I see a need for a reasoned voice and diverse perspective, like mine, to actively participate in the process to shape policies and decisions that impact our lives and the lives of future generations.