I was born and raised on the Southside of San Antonio by a single mom whose family name I proudly carry. Growing up our family lived paycheck to paycheck, relying on school for breakfast and lunch, and depending on Pell Grants for college tuition, I deeply understand the cost-of living challenges Texas families face. I began a career in community organizing as a way to uplift the voices of working people. Since then, I’ve registered 10,000 voters in Texas, helped my neighbors sign up for discounted insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, managed staff and multi-million dollar budgets, and made it from McCollum High School to Washington, DC and the White House.

Republicans have broken their promises. Instead of strengthening the economy, they’re bringing economic chaos. Instead of lowering costs, they’re cutting Medicaid and making healthcare more expensive. Instead of supporting public education, all we have gotten from our state leaders are billion-dollar giveaways to private schools and dead silence as essential services for our veterans and seniors are gutted. 

Our politicians in Austin have failed the most basic test of leadership. Your community is supposed to come before your political party. If you do not have the courage to stand up for what’s right, no matter the political consequences, it’s time to step aside. I’m centering our campaign around kitchen table issues: protecting healthcare, making housing affordable for working families, lowering the cost of childcare, more support for public schools and teachers, and job training to help aspiring families compete for higher salaries.

Now, after more than a decade working on the ground in my community, I’m ready to take the fight to the state capitol. And when we get there you won’t see us silent on the sidelines, you’ll see us hard at work.