My son Liam was born in October 2024 and we want the best future for him. My partner is an elementary school teacher and I have worked as a college professor. We believe that investing in children and young people is the most powerful way to make the world a better place. We face a crisis in early childhood education. The NYS Department of Labor reports that center based infant care costs more than 1.5 times the annual instate tuition for state public universities. We need more public funding for childcare centers and early childhood workers in this city. We need more public funding for childcare assistance programs and we need it now. As a City Council Member, I will fight for more public funding for education, including for our littlest constituents.

Amidst rising racially motivated hate crimes against religious and racial minorities, we must take a stand. There is no place for discriminatory violence, vandalism, and other acts of hate in this community.

I know from my work that the key is fostering collaboration between local law enforcement and communities. At a time where the 78th precinct and police stations across the country are understaffed, and 911 calls are either not made or not answered in time as a result, calls to defund the police are only hurting local communities’ safety. Amidst rising division, we must create more spaces for local dialogue, centering shared humanity and restorative justice instead of megaphones.

The job of a City Council Member is to engage with local constituents. I’ve spent my career working on creating more responsive governance, and I know the number one rule is that people want to be heard, and government works better when it listens. We need the basics - a continuously open district office and constituent requests that are answered in a timely manner. But I also want to see monthly town halls that meet people where they are, with virtual engagement options for those who cannot join in person. In a diverse district, we need culturally competent and varied engagement opportunities that are created together with those with different lived experiences. As a Council Member, engaging with the community will be my number one priority.

As your City Council Member, I am committed to transforming our district into a model of safety, accessibility, and sustainability for everyone who lives, works, and travels here. Our infrastructure must conveniently connect all modes of transportation while creating people-friendly public spaces—from street trees and playgrounds to dog parks and safe streets. Currently, we face far too many pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities, traffic related crashes, and ebike collisions. We need to prioritize the pedestrian while expanding bike lanes that are fully protected from traffic, extending curbs, and ensuring that every corner of our district is well-lit with properly maintained streetlights. The renovations to the 7th Ave F/G station were a start, but we need an expedited schedule to ensure all subway stations are accessible to all, from families with strollers, older adults, to people with mobility challenges. We also need bold action to address the growing concerns about delivery-related traffic and safety. I will work with delivery apps and workers to establish fair policies that ensure safe streets, protect delivery workers' rights, and promote responsible driving practices.

Together, we can build a district with infrastructure that works for everyone—a place where safety, equity, and community thrive.

Affordable housing is at a historic low across New York City. American cities where rents are going down are cities where more housing is being built. We desperately need more housing units in this city, and development must prioritize affordability and community engagement. As a City Council Member, I will work with the community to address this crisis and create responsive solutions.

As someone who lives with a chronic autoimmune illness called Sjogrens, I know how complicated it can be to navigate our broken healthcare system. And as a pregnant individual with a high-risk pregnancy, I found that even with all my access, I had to fight for the care I deserved. Healthcare is a basic human right and it should be accessible to all. As a City Council Member, I will fight for more funding for patient advocates and interpreters to ensure that eveyone can get the care they need. Amidst a crisis of maternal health, particularly for women of color, I will fight for more funding for women’s health, including for programs that track differences in women’s health outcomes, research, and abortion care.

I teach my students American political development, and history teaches that racism, sexism, and discrimination are baked into many of our institutions. The work of elected representatives is to operate with an understanding of systemic obstacles that face marginalized communities in this country. We must work to lift up underrepresented voices. As an advocate, I work on creating these pipelines and promoting racial justice and gender equity. As a City Council Member, I will remain committed to the work of dismantling systems of oppression.

Environmental sustainability is crucial to a healthy community. The recent fire in Prospect Park is a reminder that climate change poses new challenges and we need to invest in the necessary infrastructure. Flooding is one major environmental issue throughout the district that may get worse with climate change. Working with community boards, the Parks Department, residents and other organizations, we could take straightforward steps to address this issue. For example, a mature tree can absorb upward of 700 gallons of water a year, and as much as 200 gallons during a storm. There are thousands of empty tree pits throughout the district and we should be planting more trees. This is one of many straightforward steps we must take to build the infrastructure needed to handle rising temperatures and a changing climate.