I’ve spent my career working to make government more equitable, transparent, and accountable because I believe public service should actually serve the public. As a public school teacher, I saw firsthand how policy decisions made far from the classroom shape the lives of kids and families. As senior policy adviser for Mayor Lori Lightfoot, I led efforts to expand housing, strengthen worker protections and rewrite Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance to protect immigrant families. I’m running for State Representative of the 12th District because the fights that matter most, the ones that determine whether Illinois families are safe and able to thrive, are happening at the state level. While the federal government attacks our rights and freedoms, Illinois has the power to push back — to protect and expand LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, defend immigrants and make sure our state remains a place for opportunity and safety for everyone. We can’t wait for Washington, D.C., to fix what’s broken, and we can’t accept the status quo. I know we can do better. We need to build an Illinois that works for working people, with good schools, affordable housing, accessible health care, and a government that earns the public’s trust. That’s the kind of leadership I will bring to Springfield.