2 Franks Reconnect On Campaign Trail

Frank Redente, Jr. walked into ThinkBrokeLookRich on Lombard Street and, amid the store’s custom-designed hats and shirts and other apparel, immediately recognized someone he knew: another Frank, last name Ayala, who lives around the corner — and who Redente used to coach on the New Haven Legion youth baseball team.

“I love what you’re doing here,” Redente said to Ayala and his clothing-store business partner, and cousin and fellow Fair Haven native, Justin Compres. ​“We need more of this in the community. Life!”

That was the scene Thursday afternoon during a campaign stop that Redente made while walking the block with a handful of supporters of his challenger bid to become the next alder for Ward 15.

Redente, a youth violence-intervention worker who grew up on Lombard Street and lives on Poplar, is running in the city’s most hotly contested aldermanic race this year, against six-term incumbent Ernie Santiago. The two are set to face off in the Sept. 12 Democratic primary after both successfully petitioned their way onto the ballot — since neither won the local party’s endorsement.

As evidenced at a recent campaign fundraiser just across ward lines on Grand Avenue earlier this week, Santiago is running for reelection with the support of a host of fellow incumbents and local labor advocates and Latino political leaders, pitching himself as a team player working towards a common legislative agenda including affordable housing, public safety, youth opportunity, and upgraded parks.

On Thursday, walking alongside Mary Wade Home Director of Residential Services (and childhood friend from Fair Haven) Maria Olmo, East Rock/Fair Haven Alder Claudia Herrera of Ward 9, Democratic Ward Committee Co-Chair Dave Weinreb of Ward 14, and Main Street daycare provider Ruben Mallma, Redente sought to show his hoped-for path to electoral victory.

That is: the connections he’s made in the neighborhood during a whole life spent working and walking and shopping and mentoring and living in Fair Haven, and across months of door-knocking with supporters similarly rooted in the community. Through those connections and the trust he’s built with neighbors over the years, he said, he hopes to channel their voice at City Hall, advocating for smoother sidewalks and safer streets for the stretch of Fair Haven he would like to represent. 

“My whole team is from Fair Haven,” he said. ​“This is my home.”

The group started at the corner of Ferry and Lombard, inside Taqueria Oyameles.

“These stores are the life blood of the community,” Redente said. 

Inside, Herrera spoke with Mauro Ramirez behind the counter about his top concerns for the neighborhood, translating Ramirez’s Spanish into English for the benefit of this reporter. (“My Spanish is not the greatest,” Redente said, thus the huge help of canvassing with fluent Spanish speakers and campaign supporters like Herrera.)

Ramirez said that his number one concern for Ferry and Lombard is ​“the violence. People are scared to come here.” That’s bad for business, and bad for the neighborhood. He recalled a recent graduation party that took place in his restaurant: dozens of people came. They loved the food. There was no fighting. That’s what he’d like to see more of. Fewer gunshots and drug dealing on the street outside would help make that a reality, and help his business thrive.

In addition to speaking up for business owners and customers and neighbors who feel like the area is too dangerous, Redente said, he’s in a good position to push for a safer neighborhood because he knows ​“the guys on the corner” too — through his youth violence-intervention work, through his growing up in the community. ​“I have deep, long-standing relationships” with people on both sides of that divide, he said. That can only help.

Next stop, right around the corner, was ThinkBrokeLookRich, better known by the self-described ​“street wear and custom apparel” store’s acronym, TBLR.

The store is run by Fair Haven natives Compres and Ayala. Redente used to coach Ayala, a Career High School graduate, when he was a talented left-handed pitcher on the New Haven Legion baseball team playing alongside Redente’s son. 

Ayala praised his former coach, and current neighborhood alder candidate, for teaching him to ​“be disciplined” on the field and off.

How’s business? Redente asked Compres. And what does TBLR need to succeed even more?

Compres paused to think about the biggest challenges facing his business today. Any financial help he could get would always be welcome, he said, as he’s built this store from the ground by paying out of his own pocket.

He’d also like to see ​“more stuff that makes it look cleaner” out on Lombard. He gestured towards cracked and uneven sidewalks in front of the store. Weinreb stressed just how helpful it would be for a business owner like him to have an active, engaged, responsive alder who can relay those concerns to the right people at City Hall, and then come back to the neighborhood and get results.

As a business owner on Lombard, Ayala added, ​“my number one worry is the violence and the drugs and stuff. People are scared” to come to this area to shop. ​“It kind of gets annoying.” But otherwise, he loves the area; it’s home, and he’s proud of what he and Compres have built.

“It’s refreshing to see young guys like that with a good business and looking to give back to the community,” Redente said after leaving TBLR, and after he and Herrera promised to stay in touch.

Back on the sidewalk, Redente met up with Mallma, who’s lived in Fair Haven for decades and runs a home daycare on Main Street.

Mallma said he’s still getting to know Redente: he only met him a few days ago. ​“I have a lot of respect for his father,” he said about Frank Redente Sr., through his years of community-building work at the Farnam House, through his time on the Board of Ed. 

Mallma said he’s also known Herrera for decades, and has long admired her work in the community. ​“If she support this young man, then I have to support him” too.

Plus, he said, he’s spoken with young people in the community who know Redente from his work at Fair Haven School. ​“They were his students at Fair Haven School” and they speak so highly of him, he said. ​“They refer to him as ​‘Mr. Frank.’ ” That also goes a long way in convincing Mallma Redente is a person to trust.

Mallma’s top concerns for the neighborhood? ​“Safety, trash, people selling drugs,” he said, as well as persistent flooding problems on his block. A good alder should ​“at least show up and ask what you guys need,” he said. He hopes that’s what Redente will do if elected.

Over on Lombard and Monroe, Redente met up with a fellow Fair Havener he’s known for decades — and who he used to live right next door to: tow truck driver Luis Rivera.

Redente used to be the basketball coach for one of Rivera’s sons. ​“Shorty Barcelona,” Redente said with fondness as he recalled Rivera’s son’s nickname on the court. He could sink a three-pointer like no one else.

Rivera said he grew up going to the Farnam House with Redente, and that Redente has mentored his four children. He plans to vote for him because of those connections, even though he has nothing personal against Santiago and has also known him for years.

Rivera’s biggest concerns about the neighborhood? ​“This is junk over here,” he said with exasperation. ​“They’re selling drugs.” There’s more people sleeping and shooting up in the neighborhood than there used to be. ​“It’s dirty.”

What would he like to see an alder advocate for? ​“Definitely the streets,” he said. ​“They have to be taken care of.” Sidewalks have to be fixed. And someone has to find a way to cut down on the violence.

“We need more open community centers,” Redente said. Clifford Beers is doing a great job with the Farnam House, he said. But Fair Haven needs even more. School buildings and other community gathering spots ​“should be open” for youth to go to and be safe, have fun, get off the street, build relationships. Like the ones Redente has tried to build in Fair Haven over the years.