​My journey to running for Congress goes directly through my West Philadelphia upbringing. I grew up in a working family with a mom who was a DC47 worker that put four kids through college. She had me on the picket line with her in 1986 because she couldn’t afford childcare. I remember working that minimum wage job at $5.15 an hour at the Philadelphia Zoo.

I graduated from college with a significant level of student loan debt, forcing me to forgo my economic goals. These experiences are why I am running and I believe we need leadership in Washington that understands what we’re going through and isn’t going to forget about us and our community.

The issues that concern me I’m sure concern you as well. Right now, we know that many are struggling to pay the bills, put food on the table, and pay rent while still having something left at the end of the month without having to choose between medicine and meals. In this moment, Congress must be laser-focused on bringing the cost of living down for working families while also simultaneously raising their wages to keep up with inflation.

As the chair of the Philadelphia Delegation, I am keenly aware of the needs of the 3rd Congressional District and have worked beyond the district’s boundaries to address the everyday needs of Philadelphia. Recently, during the budget impasse with SEPTA, I worked with Uber and other area elected officials to coordinate and provide free rides for older adults in both West Philadelphia and Northwest Philadelphia to ensure residents were able to get to their appointments and other essential services.

This is the very same collaborative approach I would bring to Congress – looking out for our neighbors and making sure our residents are taken care of regardless of the issue.

And that’s why when I get to Washington, I plan to take the values I was brought up on and work for you. I plan to hold this administration accountable for its actions. The current administration is engaging in a systematic dismantling of democratic institutions, the rule of law, and America’s standing in the world. Every member has tools, a voice, and a constitutional duty to defend our democracy and our standing in the world. I’d make sure that we are using the power of oversight to investigate and expose wrongdoing.

I’d vote against every anti-democratic measure that takes the power away from the people and puts it in the hands of this administration. And I’d work to protect and strengthen democratic institutions that Trump and his administration have systematically dismantled.

Lastly, I would make sure that our foreign policy reflects our values. I’d work to support a strong and democratic Ukraine, work to reestablish better relations with our European allies, work to end conflict worldwide. In addition, I would support a sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine. First, we cannot understate the tragedy of October 7.

No country, no people should feel unsafe in their homes and communities and we cannot ever justify the use of terror as a means to an end. And we see that these tragedies and the rise of antisemitism are still rife in our world – look no further than what recently happened in Australia to see that there are still threats to the Jewish people. However, that does not mean we cannot be clear-eyed about the role the United States and Congress play in the Middle East, and we must use our power to ensure that we find a peaceful, workable solution to this conflict.