MR. CULTRERA
GOES TO WASHINGTON STREET
Vote Joe Cultrera for ward 3 city council
My Story
My name is Joe Cultrera. I was born into a tight-knit, working class, Sicilian American family on Prescott Street in the house my grandfather built after the Great Salem Fire. It was a neighborhood of unlocked doors, and houses connected by culture and backyard clotheslines. In 1977, I moved to NYC to study film, but the essence of my old neighborhood never left me. Its caring, protective sense of community is deep in my soul and guides me. When I returned to Salem 30 years later, I immersed myself in volunteer community building — helping create the GESNA neighborhood association, Salem Film Fest, and other social, historical and cultural initiatives.
I intended to retire this year and spend more time gardening, cooking, and candlepin bowling but I jumped into this political fray when my neighbors felt pushed aside. As a documentary filmmaker, I listen to and capture the stories of the unheard and abused. As your Ward 3 Councilor, I will give you a voice by bringing your stories to City Hall. I won’t be telling you what is right, you’ll be telling me what is wrong. Together we’ll fix it.
I’m an independent and creative thinker without political ties. I am not seeking any political endorsements. I am open, reliable, and accountable. I know the difference between fact and fiction. Grand concepts that work in cities with larger resources won’t necessarily work here. I want to protect the integrity of our neighborhoods, our historical, architectural, and environmental resources, and help create space for a more vibrant and varied cultural scene. Let’s focus on finding solutions together.
What is your story? How can I give you a voice?
