Portland has the biggest opportunity in more than a century to transform how we lead our city into the future. As a longtime community advocate and grassroots organizer, I have continually shown my love for this city by being part of solutions to our biggest problems.
The priorities outlined below are the foundation of the values and vision I am bringing to City Hall:
Housing Justice
Livable communities are possible
Portland’s housing and homelessness crisis is not limited to downtown. It’s on every block in East Portland, yet City Hall focuses most of their attention in the downtown core. We are where most people go when they are priced out or swept out of other parts of the city. Instead of more empty promises, now is the time to take action. There is a path forward and we know what works: keeping people in their homes, offering a range of shelter options that meet different needs, and getting people housed quickly with supportive resources that will keep them stable. What we need most is a leader who can rally Portlanders together around proven solutions. I’m ready to step up to the plate.
- Build stronger pathways to homeownership.
- Address homelessness by preventing it in the first place.
- Build more housing, affordably.
- Housing first but not housing only.
- Decriminalize poverty and support our unhoused neighbors.
Transportation Justice
Modern infrastructure is possible
Navigating our city is a key part of daily life, but in East Portland it can be confusing and dangerous. Whether it be the lack of sidewalks and safe ways to cross streets, unpaved roads, or poor lighting, East Portlanders never got the improvements they were promised. Crumbling infrastructure isn’t just inconvenient, it’s costly and potentially deadly. Transportation systems are the connective tissue of society, and in East Portland those systems are on life support. We need to rebuild our infrastructure, not just repair it with bandaid solutions. Our kids deserve safe routes to school and for our streets to be prioritized for upgrades and improvements. We need to invest as aggressively on East Portland’s infrastructure as we do other critical issues. Transportation investments are good for everyday people, small businesses, and our growing East Portland community.
- East Portland deserves safe streets.
- Sidewalks are a vital lifeline for our community’s safety and well-being.
- Make transit work for East Portlanders.
Social Justice
Resistance is possible
Our city thrives when everyone—no matter where they come from, how they identify, or who they love—feels safe, valued, and empowered. Yet too many immigrants, refugees, and LGBTQIA+ community members face discrimination, barriers to opportunity, and even threats to their basic rights. While some leaders offer empty words of support, real justice requires action. We must ensure that every person has access to safe housing, fair wages, and protections from hate and violence. That means strengthening legal safeguards, expanding inclusive services, and fostering a city where diversity is celebrated, not just tolerated. Now is the time for bold leadership that brings people together and fights for a future where everyone belongs. I’m ready to stand up and make that future a reality.
- Protect immigrants and refugees.
- Protect LGTBQIA+ communities.
- Protect Portland from federal government overreach and intimidation.
Government Accountability
Functional government is possible
Too many Portlanders feel like Portland City Council is out of touch and not working to address the challenges they face everyday. With our new form of government, East Portland has a chance to elect champions that will keep the city accountable to deliver the services our communities need. We deserve to elect members of our own unique communities who understand the lived experiences of our neighbors, and can bring new diverse voices to the table where crucial decisions are being made for our future. The valuable time and energy community members give to our city when sharing their ideas, needs, and dreams must be honored with a response and action by our City’s leadership. As your champion in City Hall, I will make sure East Portland gets the investment and services it is owed, along with the robust constituent services needed to reflect our voices into the decisions we make for our collective future.
- East Portland needs a strong voice in city government.
- Communities need real opportunities to make decisions about their city government.
- Build pathways into city government careers with our youth for the future.
- Ensure the transition into our new government system succeeds.
Public Safety
Community safety is possible
The communities east of 82nd Avenue have the highest visibility of police but the least services provided. East Portland deserves a responsive and accountable public safety system rooted in what our communities need to be safe. While political talking heads and City leaders bemoan the challenges facing downtown, here in East Portland our neighbors have felt unsafe long before the pandemic exacerbated these challenges. While City Hall is focused on increasing tourism, East Portlanders are facing increased break-ins and gun violence without an immediate response when we need help. We need every tool at our disposal to ensure safety in our communities. I’ll prioritize expanding Portland Street Response, a program that assists people in crisis without the intervention of an armed police officer. When we modernize our public safety system to dispatch the right responder to the right call, we create a Portland where everyone feels safe.
- The right responder, at the right time, for the right reasons.
- Prevent crime, not just respond.
- Increase safety through mental health and addiction treatment services.
- Hold law enforcement accountable to build trust with residents.
Economic Justice
Economic opportunity is possible
Our city’s recovery hinges on the success of our small businesses through entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as the growth of union labor and workforce development. There are important and realistic steps we can take to get East Portland back on track after the very real challenges of the pandemic. We need a City Council that gives Portlanders clear pathways to economic mobility and good paying jobs. This includes supporting East Portland’s small businesses, creating more apprenticeships for young people and career changers to learn trades, and generating living wage jobs with City investments. There is a disconnect when the average Portlander can see the influence of big business interests in City Hall, but that influence is not felt across all businesses equally, particularly the small businesses that have made their home in East Portland. By prioritizing everyday Portlanders and working to decrease the stark wage pay gap, we can ensure that the affordability and livability of our city continues to be a cornerstone for how we grow.
- Small, local businesses are essential for East Portland’s economy.
- East Portland has economic assets. Let’s make them work for us.
- Unions are essential for a healthy democracy.
- Set up young Portlanders for success.
- Use innovative TIF districts to help develop East Portland.
Environmental Justice
Healthy communities are possible
The impacts of environmental injustice are increasing and strongly felt across East Portland. For decades the neglect and disinvestment have created urban heat islands; poor air quality; less tree canopy, green spaces, and parks; and a lack of infrastructure to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The threat of deadly heat waves and wildfires gets worse each year and our communities need urgent solutions to strengthen our resilience and recovery. As the Executive Director of Verde, I’ve led a community-based organization that has actively saved lives installing cooling devices for seniors and vulnerable households in Portland. When voters approved the Portland Clean Energy Fund in 2018, we created an unprecedented opportunity to correct these historic injustices for communities on the frontlines of climate change. As a vocal environmental justice leader I have helped steer these critical dollars into our communities, and will bring that advocacy on behalf of East Portland directly to City Hall.
- Healthy environments lead to healthy communities.
- Energy efficiency is the new frontier in the fight against climate change.