Michael Silva swears-in as councilman for East Ward in Newark

In a ceremony full of symbolism, on Friday, July 1st, Michael J. Silva became the new councilman for the East Ward, replacing former councilman Augusto Amador. The ceremony, where Mayor Ras Baraka and the other 8 municipal legislators were also sworn in, took place in the Prudential Room of the NJPAC.

This is the second time that the Portuguese community of Ironbound has seen one of their own reach the Newark City Council, with Silva being the 3rd councilman for “Bairro Leste” in about half a century.

The ceremony was attended by Governor Phil Murphy, who sworn-in Mayor Ras Baraka.

The Portuguese-American community was represented by State Representative Eliana Pintor-Marín, Consul General of Portugal in Newark, Pedro Monteiro, Captain João Carvalho, of the 3rd Police Station of Newark, Ângela Williams, advisor to Mayor Ras Baraka, Manny Lopes, president of IBID, Helena Vinhas, president of Sport Club Português, Tony Pinto, campaign treasurer for Michael Silva and Albert Coutinho, senior advisor, among others.

In his inauguration speech, Michael Silva, 54, spoke of his deep Catholic faith, of how he so often heard words that called into question his chance of being elected and promised to work every day to further improve the quality of life in the East Ward.