On the Issues
Education
Louisiana must do more to guarantee our students receive a world-class education so they can be better prepared for the future. The single greatest instrument of socioeconomic mobility should be education. Our state needs to have a world-class educational system to produce the next generation of leaders and thinkers.
As a product of public schools, I also believe we must invest more in public education so we can reduce classroom sizes which will help students get the attention they need and deserve. With additional investments, we can also help to fund more science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses, as well as expand the arts, music, and extracurricular activities, along with after-school programs.
It’s critical that early childhood education and care get full funding in Louisiana. Right now, municipalities are enjoying temporary federal funding, but we need permanent solutions. Not only would this enable children to read at grade level as they get older but would also solve the childcare crisis that working parents are often faced with.
I will fight to create tuition-free community college for Louisianians, increase investment in K-12 public schools, reinvest in and expand career technical education programs, and push for stronger wages for teachers.
Healthcare
We must expand access to affordable care for more people in our state. Moreover, particularly for women, we must protect reproductive healthcare access and rights. Many Louisianans lack health insurance and, even when they do have health insurance, they cannot afford the copays, fees and costly drugs. I will fight to protect the Medicaid expansion, lower drugs costs, restore access to abortion and protect reproductive freedom.
Public Safety
Keeping our communities safe is one of my top priorities. I will work to ensure that we have safe neighborhoods, businesses, schools, open spaces, and parks. I will fight for a robust and adequately trained and funded criminal justice system.
We must invest in community policing and recruit from diverse communities so that law enforcement officers come from the communities they serve and possess necessary language skills and cultural literacy. I will advocate for criminal justice reform that holds people accountable with effective consequences while investing in rehabilitation, treatment, reentry, and community-based courts.
Economic Opportunities
As the proud daughter and granddaughter of union members, I am committed to fighting for workers. We must ensure that New Orleans’ economy is diverse while working hand in hand with our restaurant and tourism sectors to guarantee the institutions that make New Orleans great can thrive. However, our greatest asset is our people. We must ensure that those who work here can afford to also call New Orleans home.
I will fight to ensure our small businesses have the tools they need to thrive in Louisiana. District 91 is home to many small businesses. It is imperative that our small businesses have a partner in the legislature.
LGBTQIA+
I am a firm believer in ensuring equality for all people and stopping any form of discrimination in its tracks. That’s why I will not only be an advocate for women’s rights, but I will also be an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community and will work to advance policies that prevent discrimination and ensure a more just, fair, and equitable Louisiana.
Infrastructure
Too many people in our state are struggling because of our aging or non-existing infrastructure. I will work to invest more in infrastructure, from upgrading and expanding mass transit to universal broadband to clean energy technologies, modernizing roads and bridges and more. These investments will not only help ensure the long-term competitiveness of our economy and level the playing field for so many disadvantaged communities, but it will also create countless good paying, middle class jobs.