What motivated you to run for office? Why was receiving Women Winning’s endorsement important to you and your campaign?

I am a lifelong learner and I am excited to run in Columbia Heights, Hilltop, and Fridley as a School Board member. My community invited me to run for this seat, and I felt compelled to say yes because all voices deserve to be heard and represented at decision-making tables. Education is a very powerful tool for determining the health of our community. I want each and every student to have the opportunity to build, engage and give back to our communities. As a first-generation high school graduate, I understand the transformative power of education. Everyone deserves the chance to achieve their academic goals.

Women Winning’s endorsement is important to me because my personal and professional work has centered on Reproductive Justice. Being endorsed by an organization that sees the value in supporting pro-choice women candidates is important to me. I know I can't do this alone, I need a village of support for my campaign to be successful. I want to go far with my community - and I am so grateful Women Winning is part of my village of support.

What does Reproductive Justice mean to you? What are the most pressing reproductive justice issues facing your district?

As defined, Reproductive Justice is the right to have a child, not have a child, and parent the children we have in safe and healthy communities. My personal definition of Reproductive Justice also includes birth justice as a part of Reproductive Justice, and mandates that birthing rights and care options recognize and address the history, life circumstances and culture of historically oppressed groups from preconception through postpartum.

Justice is a long term plan for repairing harm, and there needs to be repair, not only to the individuals that experience harm but our whole community. Everything worthwhile is done with other people and that’s in part why having our communities discuss solutions together is so important.

I am deeply concerned about the increased attacks on LGBTQ+ students nationally and statewide, and how that may be felt by the students, their families, and educators in my district. Every student should feel safe and have a sense of belonging, and I’m proud that I hear that sentiment on the doors. However, that feeling isn’t consistent across the state of Minnesota and I continue to monitor this issue closely for how it may impact stakeholders in my district.

What distinguishes you as a leader? What do you most want voters to know about how you will represent them?

Every child has a right to be educated in safe and healthy communities, surrounded by caring and committed educators. That is what I attempt to center as I’ve campaigned, and what I hope to actualize once elected. I am committed to deeply listening so that all families and educators feel heard, and supporting policies that further get us to actualizing caring and supportive schools for children, their families, and educators. I aim to focus on areas of alignment, which I know we have more of than areas of disagreement. And, even amidst disagreement, I will always seek to uplift diverging perspectives in policy making so that all community members can understand how I and other school board members will arrive at the decisions we make.
As a candidate, I have actively sought input from families, teachers, and the community at large to understand their needs and concerns. My proactive approach to gathering diverse perspectives is what distinguishes me as a leader, and it is a key aspect of what I hope to integrate as a school board member. It demonstrates my commitment to representing the broader district’s interests and ensuring that all voices are heard in decision-making processes.

At the end of the day students, parents, educators, and community members have insights and can advocate and collaborate with school board members to address the needs of the entire district. I am excited to be responsive to all the stakeholders that are invested in the wellbeing of our schools and community.