Shirley Arriaga is an American politician serving as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the 8th Hampden district and is a Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Future Caucus. Elected in November 2022, she assumed office on January 4, 2023.
Shirley Arriaga | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 8th Hampden district | |
| Assumed office January 4, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Wagner |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Springfield Technical Community College (AA) Elms College (BA) Community College of the Air Force (AS) Western New England University (LLM) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 2010–2020 |
Early life and education
editArriaga was raised in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the fourth of five children. She earned an associate degree in liberal arts and sciences from Springfield Technical Community College, a Bachelor of Arts degree in legal studies and paralegal certificate from Elms College, an associate degree in aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering from the Community College of the Air Force, and a Master of Laws from the Western New England University School of Law.[1]
Career
editFrom 2010 to 2020, Arriaga served in the United States Air Force. She also worked as a veterans liaison for Congressman Richard Neal. Arriaga has since worked as an educator at Chicopee High School.[2] She was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in November 2022.[3][4][5]
In early 2023, Arriaga cosponsored a bill to allow Massachusetts prisoners to earn time off from their sentences by immediately forfeiting some of their vital organs and/or bone marrow to the state.[6][7][8]
References
edit- ^ "Endorsement: Shirley Arriage". New Politics. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ "Shirley Arriaga campaigns for election to Massachusetts legislature from Chicopee". WAMC. 2022-03-29. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ "News - STCC inspired educator Shirley Arriaga, a veteran and candidate for state rep. | STCC". www.stcc.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ "Shirley Arriaga". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ "Democrat Shirley Arriaga wins race for 8th Hampden state House seat". spectrumnews1.com. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ Medsger, Matthew. "Early release from prison for organ donations? Maybe in Massachusetts".
- ^ "An Act to establish the Massachusetts incarcerated individual bone marrow and organ donation program". The State of Massachusetts.
- ^ An Act to establish the Massachusetts incarcerated individual bone marrow and organ donation program (PDF) (House Docket 3822). Massachusetts General Assembly. January 20, 2023.