Qualifications
What training, experience, and characteristics qualify you for this position?
I serve as the Associate Regional Director for a national nonprofit where I’ve helped pass legislation at both the state and federal levels and secured millions of dollars in grant funding for community violence intervention efforts across the country. I’ve brought Democrats and Republicans together to pass laws that protect children and families by establishing stronger safety standards for social media and digital platforms and protect children from gun violence. I recently completed the Obama Foundation USA Leaders program, where I was selected as one of just 100 leaders nationwide. I’m a proud graduate of Texas Southern University, right in the heart of our city where my commitment to this community began and continues today.
Healthcare
Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the nation. What steps would you take as a state representative to ensure access to affordable healthcare, including mental health services, for residents who are currently uninsured or underserved in your district?
I believe health care is a right, not a privilege limited to those who can afford it. That’s why I will fight for Medicaid expansion to immediately cover 726,000 uninsured Texans. But I will fight for much more. I will push for state funding supplements to community health centers with a focus on safety-net providers. I will push for state funding to expand mental health residency programs, create loan forgiveness for therapists serving underserved communities, and remove licensing barriers for out-of-state providers. And I will fight for state funding to expand cancer screening programs, diabetes prevention initiatives, and obesity counseling for uninsured residents.
Education
What measures would you support to ensure adequate state funding for public schools and accountability for taxpayer funds used in voucher or education savings account programs?
Ensuring adequate state funding for public schools is about making the right choices. Sending public school dollars to private schools is the wrong choice. Students are the backbone and future of our nation. I have long believed that our current school funding model is broken. I want to work with leaders to find fair ways to fund schools so that every student has access to quality education, regardless of their zip code. I also want to advocate for teacher pay raises to ensure we attract and retain the best talent. Additionally, I want to create clear pathways to trades, recognizing that not every student will attend college. It is the state’s responsibility to prepare students for whatever life’s next steps may be after high school.
Issues
What are the two most pressing issues unique to your district, and what specific, measurable actions would you take to address them during your term?
I am running for State Representative to lower the cost of healthcare and housing, fix the power grid, and keep our families safe from violence. I’ll fight to expand health insurance coverage and remove barriers to building housing that families can afford. I’ll fight to redirect wasted state funds to fix our aging power grid, to keep repeat violent offenders off our streets through comprehensive bipartisan bail reform, and to get mental health treatment for nonviolent offenders who need it. Locally, I will fight for more funding for northside schools in Spring Branch ISD to prevent school closures, and for local control over the placement of concrete batch plants like the one planned for next door to the Awty School in our district.
