Legislative District 29

Everyone deserves to be safe in their community, neighborhood, and home. Unfortunately, systemic racism and police violence have made this unattainable for many families and people of color. This is a big concern for the community in the 29th where most residents are BIPOC. Manny Ellis was killed in the heart of the 29th. Unfortunately, his story is not an uncommon one in this community.

People in the 29th want to know that they have someone to call when they feel unsafe, but they also want to be safe from potential police violence. In addition to being physically safe, our communities deserve the security of stable housing, food, and healthcare. Our progress toward public safety can be measured by how many people in our community are safe according to all these measures, not only police intervention.

Community safety is a three legged stool that includes public safety (the systems component), services (mental and behavioral health), and stabilization (housing and ways to address affordability to keep people stabilized). Law enforcement plays a critical role in public safety but we also need to strengthen the other components.

I was proud to join demonstrations demanding greater accountability for law enforcement in 2020. I support the strides made by the state legislature in 2021 regarding police accountability. We must hold the line on supporting de-escalation and creating accountability for excessive use of force. But we need more than that. We need huge investments in the wellbeing of our communities. When elected, I will be a champion for investments in social services and policies that support affordable housing.

I strongly support all of the measures outlined in this questionnaire and am committed to fighting for them. I also want to share my platform with black leaders to spotlight issues and ensure that our solutions are inclusive and productive. I will be responsive to ideas from marginalized communities and organizations like the ACLU.