After a breakout year, what will 2024 bring for Sandra Cano?

Name: Sandra Cano

Age: 40

Hometown: Pawtucket

Position: State senator, Pawtucket commerce director

For state Sen. Sandra Cano of Pawtucket, 2023 was a big year on both the personal and the political fronts.

In January, she and her fiancé, state General Treasurer James Diossa, announced the birth of their second child, Alessandro James.

In March, she announced her candidacy for Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District seat, which David Cicilline had announced he was vacating mid-term.

And when the votes were counted in September, Cano – who was born in Medellin, Colombia, and moved to the United States with her family in 2000 – placed third among the 12 candidates on the Democratic primary ballot, ahead of the lieutenant governor.

Running for Congress "was very eye-opening," Cano said, "in that in every community there's different priorities, like housing in the urban community. But then if you go to the East Bay, environment was the number-one priority. But one thing I know was a common denominator throughout the whole day was really education.

"And I think that that is where my heart is going to lead me in 2024."

Top of her list, as the chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee: making another push for "free lunches and healthy lunches" in schools and fighting for adequate funding for multi-language learners and "added school learning" in existing afterschool learning programs.

"Those are three legislative priorities that I really want to continue pushing and, hopefully, advance."

Her election year 2024 plans?

"I really want to be the best mom for my kids ... understanding that my role at the Senate really will contribute to other families that need a voice."

And yes, to run for reelection.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI's Sandra Cano says education is her guiding light heading into 2024