Dear Neighbor,

My name is Jessica Gomes, and I am running for State Representative in District 18 in Cranston.

I grew up in Providence, right on the Cranston line, in the Reservoir Triangle. I went to Reservoir Avenue Elementary School, Gilbert Stuart Middle School, and graduated from Classical High School. 

During my school years, I worked and volunteered at John Hope Settlement House, where I learned early how much community matters and how important it is for people to have support, guidance, and opportunity close to home.

I was raised in a full house with my grandmother, my mother, my aunts, my sister, and my cousins. Like many families in our community, the women in my family carried a lot. My grandmother did what she believed was best for us with the tools and information she had. We had love, strength, and family, but we did not have any financial literacy, civic education, or guidance on how the systems around us really worked. 

That experience shaped me. It taught me responsibility, resilience, and the value of showing up for the people around you. Looking back, I realize that it also taught me how much changes when people are given the information, structure, and opportunity to build something stronger. 

After high school, I went to Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, with plans to become a forensic pathologist. While I was in college, I met my bonus daughter and became pregnant with my own. Without the support system I needed in Pennsylvania, I made the decision to leave school and come home to my family to be a present mother. That decision changed the direction of my life, but it also gave me my greatest purpose.

With no degree, I worked in restaurant management. I worked hard, learned how to lead under pressure, and carried a lot of responsibility. But over time, I realized I wanted more for my life and more time with my daughter. I knew I was capable of building something different.

I left the restaurant industry and started my first business, Sanous Sweets, with my best friend. We had passion, creativity, and work ethic, but we did not have the financial knowledge we needed. When COVID happened, we lost the business. I lost everything and had to depend on my family to help me rebuild.

That season humbled me, but it also changed me. I decided I was going to learn about money, business, and financial systems so I would never be in that position again.

That decision led me to start my notary business. I chose notary work because it was low cost to enter, had a short learning curve, and provided a service people would always need. I wanted to build something stable, useful, and portable. That business became what is now Pasgrove Notary Services.

While building my notary business, I entered the insurance industry and fell in love with helping individuals, families, and businesses understand protection, planning, and financial security. The more I learned, the more I wanted to teach. I wanted people in my community to understand the same information that was helping me rebuild my own life. I realized that had I known these very simple financial concepts, that I may not have lost my bakery business. I became obsessed with bringing that information to my community.

I failed a lot. 

And then, I started winning.

That obsession eventually grew into Pasgrove Group, where my work now centers around education, financial literacy, community resources, and helping people make informed decisions.

Through that work, I discovered that my true passion is teaching. I love sharing information in a way that makes people feel capable, not overwhelmed. The more I learned about money, the economy, business, and policy, the more I began to understand government differently. I started to see how laws, leadership, and state decisions affect what families pay, what businesses face, and what opportunities our children have.

That is why I am running.

I am not running to tell people what to think. I am running because I believe people deserve access to information, resources, and honest explanations that help them understand what is happening around them. When people have the bigger picture, they can make better decisions for their families, their businesses, and their community.

Cranston needs someone at the State House who understands that state policy affects local life. Our utility bills, our schools, our small businesses, and our cost of living are all connected to decisions made in Providence.

My goal is to bring a practical, community-first voice to the State House. I want to help make Rhode Island more affordable, support parents and families, strengthen small businesses, and make sure residents have the information they need to participate with confidence.

This campaign is about service, accountability, and helping people see the bigger picture so we can make choices that lead to a more affordable Rhode Island and a more prosperous community.

Thank you for visiting my website, learning more about my story, and considering how you can be part of building a stronger Cranston.

With gratitude,

Jessica Gomes
Candidate for State Representative
District 18, Cranston