Bio

My political experience began when I was elected the first Black and youngest student body president in the history of Oregon State University. Soon after, I was appointed by Oregon’s Governor as a student representative to the Oregon State Board of Higher Education. Now, I am the first Black woman to represent the 44th District of Washington.

My career and family took root in Snohomish County, where we have lived for over 20 years. Our children attend Western Washington University and Jackson High School in the Everett School District. Two of our children have graduated from the University of Washington.

My passion for quality schools is why I sought election to the Everett School Board in 2019, and my past service on the Edmonds School Board. In these roles I’ve increased teaching and learning budgets, replaced and updated textbooks and technology, built partnerships for continuing and vocational learning, and provided for frontline families during recent school closures.

As a Planning Commissioner for the City of Mill Creek, I worked collaboratively to support existing and future businesses, improve transit connectivity and develop solutions to accommodate growth and housing choices. As the former owner of The Edmonds Inn: Bed and Breakfast, I built and managed a business, learning the true nature of service — and problem solving. And like many in the 44th LD, I have worked in aerospace as a former Boeing program manager. In so many ways, my background and story reflect the 44th District — a believer in great public schools, an understanding of small business and aerospace, and a commitment to community.

Over the past two decades, I have seen firsthand the challenges brought by the growth in our community; challenges that include over-crowded schools, a lack of affordable housing and too few living wage jobs. I was drawn to service — to seek this legislative seat, as a school board director and longtime community volunteer — because young people, working people, and disenfranchised people deserve a voice in how we make policy.

Every person deserves to be heard and respected. I draw inspiration and energy from the people I work with and learn from, and am honored to represent the 44th District of Washington in the State House.

INVESTING IN STUDENTS

Combating Child Hunger
Before the pandemic, one in six children in our state lived in a food-insecure household, Now, it’s one in four kids. One in four. And families of color are one-and-a-half times more likely to go hungry. Kids struggle to learn when they are hungry. I am proud to have written legislation to ensure that no child in our state’s public schools will go without food during their school day by eliminating the lunch co-pay. I will keep feeding hungry students in every school district across our state. It’s the smart thing to do, and the right thing to do, so that all our students have the chance to study hard and succeed in school and in life.

College Affordability and Preparedness
I am proud to have sponsored and passed legislation to ensure that 9th graders who take advanced classes through the College in the High School program will receive college credit for their work. Students should get the same credit for the same work. It is only fair and is a small step to help us address college affordability and student debt.

Ending Period Poverty for Students
For decades, menstruating students have missed class time because they didn’t have access to period products, or couldn’t afford to buy them at all. I wrote HB 1273 to provide period products in public school bathrooms, just like toilet paper is provided. Menstruation should not prevent any student from accessing education

Additionally, this legislation protects student health. Sixty-one percent of students have worn a tampon or pad for more than four hours because they did not have enough access to period products. That puts them at risk of infection and toxic-shock syndrome.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION

This session, I helped pass a $1.5 billion construction budget which made massive investments in housing, economic development, early learning, and broadband internet. Here in the 44th, the budget funded construction projects building hope and progress for all our families including Snohomish Teen Center, run by the Boys & Girls Club of Snohomish County, the Mill Creek Library rehabilitation and upgrade, and the Mill Creek Parks master plan for undeveloped parcels owned by the city with options including community rooms, performing arts space, or athletic fields.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Our communities deserve to feel safe and to have a say in how they are being represented. The first piece of legislation I sponsored and passed as a freshman member was HB 1159, which expanded citizen representation in fire district governance. This is a common-sense change that helps local governments like fire protection districts be more responsive to the residents they serve.

Protecting our Democracy and Elections Locally
More than 80 percent of local officials have experienced harassment, threats, and violence. It’s gotten worse during the pandemic. That’s why I worked with my colleagues to pass a ban on weapons at school board meetings and ballot counting centers. This law gives common-sense protections to our local elected officials and election workers, protecting our democracy on its most local level in the same way we protect our courthouses and public schools.

COVID RELIEF

The pandemic has caused so much suffering for Washington families. We have experienced loss, threats to our health, economic precarity, and we have at times lost the ability to come together. We are not done managing COVID, but I am proud of the work my colleagues and I did to bring $2.2 Billion in COVID relief funds for families and small businesses including investments in:

• Vaccination, contact tracing and testing
• Rental assistance
• Investments in our schools to address learning loss, keep teachers on the payroll, and ease the transition when kids returned to the classroom

I will keep fighting to bring Washington families the resources they need to protect our health, safety, and wellbeing.