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On Tuesday, Sudbury native Ravi Simon was elected State Representative for the 13th Middlesex District, which covers Sudbury and parts of Lincoln, Concord, Wayland and Marlborough. He succeeds Rep. Carmine Gentile, his former boss and mentor, who has held the seat since 2015. Ravi graduated from Lincoln-Sudbury in 2015 and joined Rep. Gentile’s office in 2021 as his legislative aide. He later returned to his alma mater as a member and then chair of the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School (L-S) School Committee.
Although he ran unopposed, he knocked on thousands of doors across the district, and at 29 he is one of the youngest members of the incoming class of state representatives. Sudbury Weekly caught up with Ravi to talk about what L-S taught him, what surprised him on the campaign trail, and what he’d say to a current L-S student wondering if they could follow the same path.
You graduated from L-S in 2015, came back to chair its School Committee, and are now heading to the State House as Sudbury’s representative. Looking back at yourself as a student, was there a class, teacher or activity that first got you interested in public service, and did you have any idea then where it would lead?
L-S gave me so much, and serving on the School Committee has been a life-changing way to give back to the community.
L-S offers so many classes and activities that push students to think critically about the world and their place in it. I participated in Model UN, the Amnesty International club, and the Civics Bee, all of which fostered my interest in public service. I also want to give a shout-out to the History Department. Only at L-S could I have taken such a range of courses: Ancient Civilizations gave me an understanding of the classical foundations of our government, Philosophy gave me a language and lens for thinking about ethics, and World Crises broadened my understanding of American foreign policy.
I didn’t know then that I’d go into public service, but looking back, I can see that L-S gave me the foundation that made it possible.
L-S says it wants its students to be engaged global citizens. You’ve seen that from two sides, first as a student and later as chair of the committee that oversees the school. How will that unique perspective influence your approach as a State Representative?
L-S’s “Portrait of a Graduate” lays out the qualities the school hopes to foster in students, including being a global citizen: someone who is informed and engaged, but also empathetic. The school’s motto, “think for yourself, but think of others,” has always stuck with me. It’s fundamental to L-S’s values, and I think to our values across Massachusetts: we take seriously our duty to build a just and fair society. We’re literally a commonwealth. I’m bringing those values, along with my experience as a public school student and a School Committee member, to the State House.
L-S shows the power of well-resourced public education. But right now, school districts across the state are struggling to meet their students’ needs and to cover the growing costs of special education, transportation, and more. I want to make sure schools in the 13th Middlesex District have the resources they need without unsustainable property tax increases, and that every student across the state gets an excellent education like the one I received.
You were unopposed in your race, but opted to run a full campaign. What surprised you most while knocking on doors and meeting voters around the district? And what was your most memorable moment on the trail?
That’s right. Although I didn’t draw an opponent, I wanted to do everything I could to earn people’s votes, so I attended dozens of community events and knocked on thousands of doors. People were usually very friendly and really seemed to appreciate the effort. I was pleasantly surprised by how many wanted to talk for quite a while, or even invited me into their homes. One of my most memorable moments came at a door in the Conantum neighborhood of Concord, where the homeowner gave me a tour of her beautiful home! I think the thousands of conversations I had will be critical for doing a great job representing my constituents at the State House, and I hope that the relationships I built will make people feel good about reaching out to give me input and feedback, or to ask for help.
What does it mean to you to represent the town where you grew up? And what does it mean to succeed Representative Gentile?
It means the world to me to represent the district where I grew up and to succeed my former boss, mentor, and friend, Representative Gentile. I’m a policy wonk, so when I started in the State House in 2021, I was frankly much more excited to work on legislation than on constituent services. But I quickly realized how meaningful that work is when you’re doing it for your friends and neighbors. Over the last few years, we’ve helped hundreds of neighbors avoid bankruptcy after losing a job, get a gas leak near their home fixed, or simply get an appointment at the RMV. We also helped bring millions of dollars in state funding to impactful local projects, including the rail trails and the Sudbury Community Food Pantry.
I saw firsthand how hard Rep. Gentile worked to advocate for his constituents, fight for funding for our communities, and pass progressive legislation that makes a difference in people’s lives. One week, we were helping a Sudbury resident and her son who were in a precarious housing situation. Rep. Gentile found them a new place, but there was a catch: they had only days to move out, and far too many belongings to get done in time. He wasn’t content to leave her to sort it out on her own. He told me to meet him at the house the next day, made a few calls, and next thing I know a bunch of Sudbury firefighters started showing up to help us move the family’s things. I’m so grateful to those firefighters, who gave up their time off duty to help a neighbor in need. Rep. Gentile didn’t know the family, and he wasn’t doing it for political points. He did it because he cared. I have big shoes to fill, but experiences like that make me feel well prepared to hit the ground running.
What would you tell a current L-S student who’s sitting where you sat about ten years ago and wondering whether someone like them could do what you did this week?
I’d tell them: if I can do it, so can you. There’s not much remarkable about me. At 29, I’m actually the fourth-youngest State Representative elected on Tuesday, and one of my future colleagues is 19, which makes me feel old.
When I launched my campaign, I expected my age to be a liability and for voters to be skeptical about the depth of my experience. Some understandably said so, but much more often, people told me they were excited to see a younger person running.
Plenty of people in my generation are stepping up to run, I believe because our ability to enjoy the same material prosperity as our parents and grandparents is at risk. The decisions government makes now will have a profound impact on our ability to buy a home, raise a family, and eventually retire with dignity. And of course, we want policy that aligns with our values and protects our friends of all backgrounds.
One of the most meaningful parts of the campaign was how many high school and college students reached out to volunteer, including quite a few L-S students and recent graduates. My campaign manager was a recent L-S graduate, too. I’d also tell this student that running for office is only one way to contribute. Explore different avenues of public service, like volunteering, activism, or a career at a mission-driven organization, to see what speaks to you most.
[Feature Image Credit: Ravi Simon for State Representative]