Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives - Illinois 1st Congressional District in 2020 Illinois Primary Election.
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Get StartedStudy and enact reparations for descendants of slaves and indigenous peoples. We cannot truly end racism in this country without acknowledging, studying, and addressing the immense harm caused by slavery, as well as the genocide of indigenous peoples. Learn more
Implement restorative justice practices in all prisons and juvenile detention centers. Learn more
End mass incarceration. Mass incarceration has had a profound impact on the first district. We cannot achieve stability in our communities without ending the policies that have torn families apart and derailed the futures of young people for decades. Learn more
Restore voting rights for the incarcerated. Learn more
Ban the box. We need to end employment discrimination for the formerly incarcerated by banning the box on job applications asking about criminal record. A job and stable income is one of the best ways to reduce crime. Learn more
Hold corporate executives accountable for misconduct. Learn more
End cash bail. Our current system treats those who are too poor to afford bail as guilty before even entering a courtroom. Learn more
Legalize marijuana, commute existing marijuana sentences, automatically expunge past marijuana convictions, and create a private-public partnership to stir minority representation in the marijuana industry. Learn more
Abolish the death penalty and isolation as a means of punishment. Learn more
Provide rehabilitative services in all prisons and juvenile detention centers. Learn more
Treat drug-use as a public health epidemic not a criminal one. Learn more
Regulate prescription drug prices. The cost of prescription drugs in this country is far higher than in other countries because for too long, we have allowed greedy companies to overprice drugs people need to live. Learn more
Invest in wealth-creating financial instruments for low-middle income young people. If we want to give our children a shot at upward mobility, our government must give our young people the resources to compete. By increasing access to bonds, educational funds, or subsidized home loans, new generations will receive a shot at wealth creation on a more level playing field. Learn more
Break-up large tech corporations. Learn more
End predatory credit-marketing practices in low income communities. Learn more
Regulate multinational conglomerate banks. Learn more
Provide access to federal grants for civic and financial literacy education. Learn more
Tuition-free college for all. Learn more
Reform our public school funding model. The inequitable funding structure of our public school system needs to be either replaced or supplemented. Because we tie local property taxes to education funding, richer, more developed areas receive more funding for public schools, making the system inherently inequitable. Learn more
End our reliance on standardized testing. Learn more
Invest in public education. Learn more
Implement restorative justice practices in all public schools. Learn more
End the performance based funding incentives that exist at the federal level. Learn more
Guarantee universal pre-K. Investing in universal pre-K could prove to be one of the most beneficial policies in American history. Research shows that for every $1 spent on pre-K, society receives an $8.60 return on investment. Learn more
Cancel all $1.6 Trillion of our student debt. Learn more
Get lead out of our drinking water. Learn more
Pass a Green New Deal. Learn more
Invest in revamping our public infrastructure to become more environmentally friendly. Learn more
Achieve environmental justice. Pollution, climate change, and contaminated water and soil are leading to poor health outcomes in the first district and across the country. Learn more
Pass universal background checks. One in five gun purchases doesn’t include a background check. We need to close private sales and gun show loopholes to ensure that guns don’t get into the wrong hands. Learn more
Provide funding for states to implement extreme risk protection order laws. Extreme risk protection order laws have reduced suicides and disarmed domestic abusers. We need to encourage more states to pass these laws. Learn more
Get AR15s and other weapons of war off of our streets. Nobody needs weapons that are used to fight wars to defend themselves. We need to ensure that the weapons used in wars and mass shootings are not on our streets. Learn more
Pass other common sense gun reform. As I travel the district and hear from community members, I will add to this growing list of gun reforms that we can pass at the federal level to create safer communities and preserve lives. Learn more
Invest in healthcare and mental healthcare. Learn more
Make sure expanding access to mental healthcare is a priority. Learn more
Pass Medicare for All, single-payer healthcare. Learn more
Create development without displacement. Despite what is told to us, we do not have to choose between development and being able to afford to live in the neighborhoods we call home. We can have both. We can do this by revamping federal housing policy with a focus on creating and maintaining affordable housing. Learn more
Ensure public transportation for all. Affordable and accessible public transportation is crucial to our country’s future. People need a reliable, cost-efficient, and energy-efficient way to get to school and work. Our urban, suburban, and rural communities are far too disconnected. Learn more
We need to invest heavily in public transportation infrastructure in an effort to reduce and eliminate transit deserts. We also believe in making public transit free for students, as well as low and middle income people. Learn more
Create jobs by investing in our crumbling infrastructure. Our district’s roads, bridges, and other public works are in desperate need of repair. Investing in the district’s infrastructure will improve economic efficiency, public safety, and create many jobs in the process. Learn more
Invest in community programs that work. Learn more
Raise the federal minimum wage to a living wage. Learn more
Demand equal pay for equal work. The gender and racial wage gaps still exist. We need to update and strengthen our federal policy to close the gaps. Learn more
Fight for policies that incentivize inclusive hiring practices. These policies are important for many reasons, including the continued existence of hiring discrimination. Learn more
Protect our right to organize and unionize. Learn more
End customer discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Learn more
Strengthen our sexual harassment and assault disclosure procedures for all institutions receiving federal funding. Over the past few years, we have seen an incredible change in the way our country views sexual harassment and assault. We need to change our nation’s laws to better reflect that change in discourse. Learn more
Establish a minimum salary for teachers. Learn more
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