About Annajane

People standing at a rally in front of the RI statehouse

A group of people standing in front of the city council chambers

Hello! My name is Annajane Yolken (call me AJ), and I’m running for Providence City Council in Ward 13 in this year’s Democratic primary.

I moved to Providence in 2007 and have lived in Federal Hill for the past 12 years. This neighborhood has given me so much, and I’m running because I believe our community deserves strong, progressive leadership at a time when local government matters more than ever.

Over the past decade, I’ve worked at the intersection of public health, criminal justice reform, and racial equity. After losing a close friend to an overdose, I became involved in Rhode Island politics and helped co-found the Substance Use, Policy, Education, and Recovery PAC. Together, we helped pass landmark reforms, including reclassifying drug possession from a felony to a misdemeanor and passing the country's first laws authorizing overdose prevention centers to save lives.

For the past six years, I’ve worked at Project Weber/RENEW, a peer-led organization that supports 7,000 Rhode Islanders a year experiencing homelessness, housing instability, substance use, and poverty. This work has given me a front-row seat to the challenges many residents face and reinforced my belief that government should be compassionate, practical, and responsive.

I’m running because I want to help build a Providence where renters, families, immigrants, artists, and longtime residents can afford to stay and thrive. I’ll fight for rent stabilization and more housing, fully funded public schools, safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists, and a city that protects our neighbors from ICE.

I’m proud to have the support of outgoing Council President Rachel Miller, whose leadership has helped move important issues for our city.

I love talking with neighbors and would be grateful for the opportunity to earn your support. Please feel free to call or text me at 401-680-0445. I look forward to hearing what matters most to you and earning your vote in the September 9, 2026 Democratic primary.

Experience

Experience supporting Rhode Islanders impacted by homelessness, housing insecurity, and substance use through my work at Project Weber/RENEW.
Work with education nonprofits – including the Center for Leadership and Educational Equity, the Alliance of Rhode Islanders for Education, and Onwards We Learn – partnering with teachers, principals, youth leaders, and college access staff to expand educational opportunity and improve outcomes for young people.
Proven policy experience, helping pass state-level drug policy reforms, including legislation reducing criminal penalties for drug possession and authorizing overdose prevention centers (the first of its type of law in the country).
Current board member of Urban Greens Co-op, supporting food access in the West End and the local economy.
Former board member of the ACLU of Rhode Island, advancing civil liberties.
Years of organizing experience on criminal justice reform, solitary confinement reform, racial justice, mutual aid and childcare support for BIPOC-led organizations, and Jewish-Palestinian solidarity.
A policy and data nerd at heart, committed to evidence-based solutions, transparency, and thoughtful problem-solving.

Holding a sign that says "is the rent too high"

Sharing our progressive vision for a Providence everyone can afford comes at a cost. I need your support.

Please chip in whatever you can to help build our movement.