EDUCATION

Our House District, 49A represents parts of Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and Hopkins school districts which are some of the highest performing districts in the state. We are lucky to have such excellent public education opportunities in our backyard and I promise to fight for their continued tradition of excellence.

However, there is a massive disparity between our school districts and those across the state. Unfortunately, for too many Minnesotans, a child’s zip code is the determining factor in their educational achievement. The status quo of funding schools via tax referendums in community’s property taxes is leaving many school budgets lacking and robbing students of crucial opportunities. We must find a way to equalize funding across the state, while also strengthening districts such as ours.

A child’s education starts far before they reach Kindergarten. That’s why I believe that universal pre-K should be funded by the state of Minnesota, to alleviate the budgets of working families and ensure every kid has the opportunity to start their educational journeys strong. 

Our schools are nothing without the educators who support them. I believe in supporting the crucial work of our teachers, paraprofessionals, mental health specialists and empowering them to support and educate the leaders of tomorrow.

HEALTHCARE

Over 400,000 Minnesotans do not have health insurance, and for those that do, the premiums are often unaffordable and deductibles creep higher, year after year. In Minnesota, we have the power to alter the system to allow more people access to affordable health insurance and quality care. No one should go to sleep at night wondering if they should go into urgent care or wait for an appointment, go in for a routine doctor’s visit or wonder how they will pay for a lifesaving surgery. If elected, I will work with other legislators to open MinnesotaCare to all Minnesotans, regardless of income status, expanding the options available for affordable health insurance. 

In our state there are major disparities in health outcomes for folks living in rural areas. A woman in greater Minnesota driving an hour for prenatal care is not acceptable. The healthcare system we build must work for all Minnesotans, no matter their zip code. 

I am unapologetically pro-choice. I grew up watching my mother, the first female physician in Red Wing, Minnesota, dedicate her time to the local PlannedParenthood clinic. I learned from an early age why women must have autonomy over their healthcare decisions and control over their bodies. I will fight any attempts to block or diminish any access to the rights of women to access reproductive healthcare.

ECONOMY & LABOR

Our economy has the potential to work for us all - for entrepreneurs and small business owners, major corporations, employees and laborers, and consumers alike. By implementing state level changes, we can ensure that Minnesota’s economy continues to drive innovation, and lift up all residents. 

At the Capitol, I will fight for a livable minimum wage. For too long the myth of a “trickle down” economy has failed families. By providing workers a livable wage, we can fuel the economy from the bottom up. Families can provide for their children and save for the future. When people can afford to buy what they need, you fuel the local economy and give employees and business owners the means to dream bigger. 

We must continue to foster the innovation and employment opportunities that our large companies provide to Minnesota. By working with corporations to create employment opportunities for Minnesotans, and discover life changing innovation we all reap the benefits.

Beyond collaborating with businesses to create new opportunities, we must protect our workers. Organized labor has been leading the way to a better quality of life for all workers for decades. We must protect the right to collective bargaining, free from intimidation tactics and harassment by their employers.

EQUAL RIGHTS

I want to live in a state where every individual, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or socioeconomic status, is afforded equal rights and opportunities. I will work to foster an inclusive society where diversity is celebrated.
I support the Equal Rights Amendment and will work to get it on the ballot so Minnesotans can come together in the next election and ratify it as the next amendment to our state constitution.

A vibrant society that embraces difference and diversity starts with embracing a culture of inclusion, from the way we treat our neighbors, to the laws we pass. Once elected, I will support efforts to ensure equality of access to high-quality education, regardless of your background. We’ll work to equip educators with anti-bias training and inclusive curricula that reflect the diversity of our society.

Together we will address income and wealth disparities by advocating for fair wages and policies that support economic mobility. We’ll fight for policies that ensure equal access to affordable housing and support community development initiatives that foster safe and vibrant neighborhoods.

I will advocate for reforms that address systemic biases in the criminal justice system by working for restorative justice practices and alternatives to incarceration that focus on rehabilitation and reintegration. We should end cash bail for non-violent offenses and implement anti-bias training for law enforcement officers so we can end the disparity communities of color see in the form of arrests and abuse.

Equal rights are fundamental to the dignity and prosperity of our society. By working together, we can build a future where everyone has the opportunity to live free from discrimination and reach their full potential. Let us stand united in the pursuit of dignity, justice, and equality for all.

ENVIRONMENT

Minnesota’s wild places have always been special to me and my family. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is one of these places I hold dear. As the Campaign Manager for the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters, I have spent the past decade working to stop toxic sulfide-ore copper mining from ruining our Wilderness, and preserve it’s beauty for generations to come. I even spent two years training for a trail run through the heart of the Boundary Waters as an advocacy push to bring more attention to our issue. 110 miles in 38 hours of some of the most rugged terrain in the Midwest. It was an incredible adventure and you can watch a short video of the journey and project here:

Link to video: Boundary Waters Traverse

Our natural world supports each and every one of us - from the Boundary Waters, to Lake Superior, to the Mississippi River, to Lake Minnetonka and the parks, marshes, streams, conservation areas and more of our own Three Rivers and Purgatory Creek watersheds in our communities.

To protect these wild spaces, and the planet we call home, we need to strengthen our current environmental permitting processes, take health and economic impacts into consideration and mandate Tribal consultation for potential projects affecting their current and historic lands and ceded territories. I support expediting measures to ensure we reach 100% clean and carbon free energy standards before the  2040 target date as well as expanding rebates and incentives for home and building owners to become more energy efficient and less reliant on fossil fuel energy use.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Ensuring our communities are safe is a priority we all share, regardless of our background or where we come from. We all deserve to live in neighborhoods where we feel secure, supported, and valued. I believe the key to achieving this lies in fostering strong, positive relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. We should be working with local law enforcement to ensure that they have the resources and training they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. This ensures that everyone—our neighbors and law enforcement professionals—can all return home to our families safely at the end of the day.

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I will work to ensure that law enforcement has the tools they need, but also that our justice system is fair and equitable. We must hold individuals accountable for their actions while also ensuring that penalties are appropriate and focused on rehabilitation. Public safety is about more than just reacting to crime—it’s about building a community where everyone feels safe, supported, and has the opportunity to succeed.