Newport journalist and business owner Olga H. Enger announced today she is running for an at-large seat on the Newport City Council.
“I’m running as a mom, homeowner and Newport business owner,” said Enger. “Newport is a unique city with an international appeal. But at the same time, families are fleeing due to the ever-increasing cost of living, jobs are declining, and we have a public education emergency. But it doesn’t have to be this way. I’ve been studying these issues for years as a journalist, and I know we can do better.”
Enger owns Studio Newport, a makeover portrait studio, located on Marlborough Street. She is a board member of the Professional Photographers Association of Rhode Island and is well-known locally for her photojournalism. She recently documented the Minneapolis protests following the death of George Floyd.
A reporter and editor for Newport Patch from 2011-14, Enger joined Newport This Week in 2014, covering local issues as a news reporter before launching her photography studio in 2018. To stay connected to municipal issues, Enger continued to work independently as a community journalist and has most recently covered the COVID pandemic’s impact in Newport.
“I’m passionate about city government, because it directly impacts our quality of life,” she said. “I’ve put in the work. I’ve done the research. I’m ready to become part of the solution.”
Enger said that Newport should be “rolling out the red carpet” for businesses, a critical constituency in her view.
“Small businesses bring families, jobs, and visitors to Newport. They are the backbone and future of our community, but have been largely ignored in the last two years,” she added.
Since moving to Newport in 2004 from Minneapolis, Minn., Enger has strived to give back to her community. In 2018, as the parent board chair of her son’s preschool, Emmanuel Day, she collaborated with the Boys and Girls Club to organize a Black History Festival. The event attracted over 300 children from around the city, who enjoyed African drumming, games and culture at no charge. Enger’s son, Gabriel, now attends Sea Rose Montessori and plays hockey for the Newport Whalers.
“When I was growing up, hockey brought families together and bonded us as a community,” Enger said. “If elected, I will work hard to pull Newport together in a similar way. I can’t be everything to everyone, but I can promise to focus on year- round families and our business community.”
For more information visit Olga for Council on Facebook and olgaforcouncil.com
