‍ ‍ Priorities

I have seen firsthand how funding decisions impact schools at every level. In Olympia, I stood alongside teachers advocating to keep schools open and secure the resources their students deserve. I saw young children holding signs in support of their schools.

Education funding is not an abstract budget line. It determines class sizes, support staff availability, program access, and whether institutions can remain open at all. From early childhood education to community colleges and higher education, consistent and responsible funding is essential.

Our state must treat education as an investment in long-term stability and opportunity, not an expense to be negotiated away.

Housing instability takes many forms. It is not limited to rising rent. It includes families living in vehicles, individuals staying in shelters, and people relying on extended family simply to avoid sleeping outside.

I have seen this firsthand. I have volunteered in outreach efforts and spent time with individuals navigating homelessness. These experiences shaped my understanding of how housing insecurity affects stability, education, employment, and overall well-being.

Effective housing policy must address both affordability and access to safe, reliable shelter. Expanding capacity, improving shelter conditions, and creating pathways toward long-term stability should be central priorities.

Housing is not only about property, it is about dignity and security.

Representation means more than occupying a seat. It means listening to communities that often feel unheard, especially minority and working-class residents.

As someone who comes from these communities, I understand firsthand the gaps between policy and lived reality. Representation is not about identity alone; it is about perspective, accountability, and ensuring that decisions reflect the full diversity of our district.

When leadership reflects the people it serves, trust grows, participation increases, and policy becomes more grounded in real experience.

We all want better housing opportunities, stronger homelessness response systems, and greater stability for our communities. But meaningful progress requires financial responsibility.

Washington residents already shoulder some of the highest combined gas and sales tax burdens in the country, yet we continue to struggle with housing instability and visible homelessness at alarming rates. This signals not just a revenue question, but a prioritization and allocation challenge.

When our district and the City of Seattle operate under significant budget pressures, long-term planning becomes difficult. Sustainable reform requires balance understanding the tradeoffs between investment and constraint, between sacrifice and measurable gain.

True progress means aligning our financial decisions with our stated priorities. If we expect change, we must ensure our budgeting reflects it.

As a student who depends on access to affordable care, I understand how critical it is to have reliable coverage. You can’t focus on school, work, or building a future if you’re worried about whether you can afford to take care of your health.

Access to healthcare should not depend on income or circumstance. It should be something people can rely on when they need it.

If we want stronger communities, we have to treat healthcare as a basic foundation not something people have to struggle to access