Economy For All
All Georgians deserve an economy that works for all.
Everyone in Senate District 38 and beyond deserves to thrive and see their hard work pay off. I grew up in poverty and know the impact hard work and determination can have in providing happy lives for your family. We deserve an economy that works for all, not just a select few. That is why I will fight for a fair, livable wage, rent control legislation, the growth of apprenticeship programs, paid family leave for all workers, affordable housing, and bringing back the school tax holiday. I will also fight for our workers' rights and that includes the right to unionize and safe working conditions for migrant workers.
Access to Affordable Healthcare
Access to affordable and quality healthcare is a vital issue for our community, as many residents in our district face higher rates of certain health conditions and disparities in healthcare access.
I believe all Georgians have a fundamental right to quality healthcare, both physical and mental. I will fight to expand medicaid in Georgia to ensure more Georgians have access to quality affordable healthcare. We must also address racial and economic disparities in healthcare across our state. Especially protecting our Black women. This includes expanding access to quality clinics and hospitals, better informed physicians, healthier food options, defending reproductive rights, and legalizing medicinal (and recreational) marijuana. The recent reduction in services at the only full service hospital south of I-20 in Fulton County has shined a light on the need to reform the way hospitals are developed in our communities. We must end the monopolistic Certificate of Need (CON) process and replace it with an equitable licensing system.
Public Safety
We all want to live, work, and play in safe communities.
Like many Georgians, I am concerned with the images we see on the news. I will fight to ensure community and law enforcement relationships benefit our neighborhoods and support squatter legislation. We must do something about gun legislation! That is why I will fight for sensible gun safety reforms and efforts to get illegal guns off our streets. We must also reform our justice system to focus on rehabilitation and reduce recidivism.
Education
Quality education is essential for social and economic mobility. Ensuring equitable funding for schools and addressing achievement gaps are critical to the success of our future leaders.
It is time for more experienced educators to create state policy that impacts our schools. Ensuring all students have access to a high-quality 21st-century Georgia public education regardless of where they live or where they are from is a priority for me. Far too many of our children are behind in many metrics and we cannot be okay with this. I believe we must increase school funding to truly support what it takes to give our children a quality education rooted in equity. This means having an opportunity weight for low-income students. I further believe we must invest more in our teachers, paying them a salary of at least $65,000/ year, befitting the impact they have in our communities. I will fight to make sure all parents have quality public school options when choosing a school for their child, access to childcare and pre-k, expand HOPE, and access to post-secondary career training and higher education. Finally, I will fight against efforts to create unfair voucher bills in our state. We need to invest more in our public schools and not send hard-earned tax dollars to families who can already afford a private education for their children.
Voting Rights
Protecting voting rights and addressing voter suppression tactics are critical to ensuring our community's political representation and influence.
We are the home of the civil rights movement, and our voting rights are under attack like many of us never thought we would see in our lifetime. Protecting voting rights and fighting against sad and heinous attempts to take us back is a must. I propose that we make election day a state holiday, organize to fight and repeal restrictive voting legislation, improve voter registration opportunities, expand access to the ballot, support county election boards, end partisan gerrymandering, and ensure all Americans have the right to vote. We must also make constituents aware of the importance of voting while organizing and mobilizing residents to make their voices heard.