So definitely I feel like I do this because I live by what's called the two greats, the great commission and the great commandment. The greatest commandment is that in order to love God I must love neighbor. I can't profess to love the God I serve without really loving neighbor. That doesn't mean I love you with conditions, I’m not there to ask you what you practice for religion, I’m not there to ask you who you live with, I can’t. I’m not asked to love you with any condition I’m just asked to love you. And so understanding the importance of being on that Jericho Road even though that Jericho Road was obviously very difficult, right? Because the guy on the Jericho Road is the story of the good Samaritan who was on the Jericho Road and gets beaten and obviously that's a really tasking road. And so definitely my service in council is like a calling for me.
Sarai Rivera was born and raised in the Worcester area and currently serves on the Worcester City Council. In addition to her work in local government, Sarai is a minister at local churches and works for global partnerships at churches abroad in Burundi, Rwanda, Haiti. She earned her master’s degree in clinical social work and her doctorate in urban ministries and is a visiting professor at Assumption College. Her three roles often overlap in her pursuit of equity in society, be it racial, social, sexual, educational, or economic. As a self-professed workaholic, Sarai balances her busy professional life with self care through family time with her husband and nine sons.