The past two years have both exposed and exacerbated issues in our economy. Workers and business owners in this District both suffered through the pandemic, and we are all still picking up the pieces. However, while these times are challenging, they also bring opportunity. We have the chance to make the system better and more fair for everyone.

We all benefit when more of us can participate fully in the economy. Making sure our economy works equally for all of us is critical to encouraging sustainable economic development and ensuring a stable, reliable economy.

As your next Representative, I will fight for economic policies that promote equal opportunities for all Oregonians.

I firmly believe in a woman’s right to make her own choices about her body. This type of bodily autonomy is critical if we are going to continue to see advances towards gender equality. I believe that access for all Oregonians to full reproductive healthcare, including abortion.

I believe access to quality healthcare for all is fundamental. I believe in science and in listening to public health experts. The past two years have only reinforced these beliefs. I believe no one should have to go without healthcare because they can’t afford it. We can do a lot more at the state level to ensure that everyone has access to healthcare they can actually afford.

I also believe in funding robust substance abuse and mental health programing. Our community has been devastated by these concerns, especially in recent years. Not addressing these issues hurts all of us.

As a legislator, I will ensure that Oregon remains the most protective state for abortion and reproductive rights. I will also work to increase access to these critical healthcare services in rural parts of the state, like House District 24, that suffer from a lack of access currently.

I stand for equality and will fight to ensure that all Oregonians have the protected right to be themselves, love who they love, and exercise control over their own bodies. I believe everyone should feel welcome in Oregon, and that as a society we need to ensure that historically marginalized groups enjoy full access to opportunity.

Growing up in a farming family, and working in the Oregon nursery, hazelnut, and viticulture industries for years, has exposed me to the challenges facing our farmers, farmworkers, and our environment. As your Representative, I will work to find common ground. This beautiful part of Oregon leads the country in hazelnut and grass seed production, and is internationally recognized as a premier area for pinot noir and many other wine grapes. Oregon is known for these crops in large part because of the unique climate and growing conditions of this area. Wildfires, extreme heat waves, and a changing climate are threatening the sustainability of these important industries and livelihoods of farmers and farmworkers.

We have to find solutions to the environmental crisis that take full account of the human impact. We need to preserve the industries that built this community and at the same time ensure that future generations of Oregonians can continue to farm, work, and live here.

As both a lawyer that has worked on environmental law issues and the product of an agricultural family, I am the right person to find these solutions.

Housing issues are some of the most pressing issues facing Oregonians today, including Oregonians in District 24. From affordable housing concerns to the lack of housing inventory to the homelessness crisis, housing issues touch all of us. The Oregon Legislature made some headway during the 2022 session in addressing these issues, but there is still so much that needs to be done.

Housing costs are soaring in Yamhill and Polk counties, and people that live and work here are being priced out of their communities. We need to invest in more middle housing and affordable housing and encourage development that meets the needs of the people living and working in these communities. I especially believe that first time homeowners should be able to buy a home because it is one of the best ways to generate wealth and security. When elected, I will work to ensure development in more affordable housing.

We also need to invest in more stable and safe housing for people experiencing homelessness. We need to invest in projects that offer this type of housing in addition to necessary support services for people in crisis, including mental health services, addiction services, job services, and permanent housing services. When elected, I will prioritize solving the crisis of homelessness and preventing future generations of Oregonians from facing these challenges.

I have the experience in working on these issues. As your next Representative, I will work towards finding solutions to these issues that prioritize the most vulnerable and benefit all of us.

I believe in a holistic view of public safety that includes services like police, firefighters, medics, and mental health and crisis responders, as well as stronger laws that make our communities safer, like stronger gun safety laws. I believe that police have an important role to play in ensuring public safety, and we need more investment in police in rural communities that often don’t have their own police force. I also believe we need to invest long-term in addressing the root causes of crime, like poverty and a lack of investment in public education.

As an educator, I believe in ensuring equal access and opportunities in education. The reality is, we do not all get the same start in life. But, a quality education has the power to help balance the scales. The past two years have made focusing on education even more critical. So many students are behind where they should be because of remote learning, and we will need to find solutions that equitably address these issues.

I believe in fully funding public education. I believe teachers should be paid adequately for their work. I believe schools should be places where all students and staff feel welcome and supported.

There is a lot of work to do in the area of education, and as your next Representative, I will make sure the needs of our students are prioritized.

The belief that everyone is equal under law is one of the foundational principles of this country. But, reality is often very different. From my time working in legal aid, I learned that more often than not, how much money you have determines your outcome in court. I don’t think that is just or fair. In Oregon right now, we cannot deliver on our constitutional obligation to provide anyone accused of a crime with a lawyer because of inadequate funding. In this District, there are no accessible legal aid offices available to low-income residents with civil legal problems either. There is also a shortage of accessibility in our immigration system. Together these realities mean that people in this district do not have the same access to justice as people in other parts of the state or country.

As a lawyer who works with vulnerable populations, I recognize that this reality is both deeply troubling and not sustainable. As your next Representative, I will work to increase access to justice in this District and ensure Oregon lives up to its constitutional obligations.

In recent years, this community has become more divided than ever. The past two years living through the pandemic has only made matter worse. So many of us refuse to talk to each other and refuse to engage with anyone that holds a different opinion; instead preferring our own echo chambers. But, this behavior doesn’t serve any of us.

I am willing to have tough conversations. I know I won’t agree with everyone on everything. But, I think different perspectives help us reach better solutions. There is common ground to be found and a lot of good that we can do for this community if we elect representatives that are service oriented and serious about serving this community and making it better.

As your next Representative, I will work collaboratively with both sides to ensure we find equitable and sustainable solutions to the challenges we are facing. I hope through this campaign, we can start to rebuild connections in this community and start supporting each other again.

What we are seeing happen in other parts of the world right now is devastating. As a human rights lawyer that has spent most of my career promoting democracy, countering extremism, and fighting for full human rights protections, I am deeply concerned about the direction things are going.

But, I am also concerned about extremism here at home. I am shocked to see the very ideals I’ve fought for abroad under attack here. Democracy and peace are ideals you have to continuously strive for. These ideals exist on a spectrum, and we can always do better.

Protecting fundamental rights, like voting and free speech, are critical to preserving our democracy. As your next Representative, I will work to ensure that our government serves all of us equally and I will fight to preserve our fundamental rights.