Issue Position: Social Justice

Issue Position

Uniting for Social Justice

My own experience as an immigrant and person of color has shown me the need for us, as a community, to continually re-commit ourselves to fostering equity and acceptance for all people. As your State Representative, I will continue my work to champion the rights of all people.

Restoration of Voting Rights

I support the immediate restoration of voting rights to those previously incarcerated upon their return to the community, regardless of their probation status.

If society has determined a citizen can live and work in the community, then that citizen should have the right to vote.

Laws that keep returning citizens from voting after they have served their time are a form of voter suppression. Voting is a real and symbolic way for those previously incarcerated to re-affirm their connection with the community and to empower their communities for positive change. Research shows that returning citizens who vote are less likely to offend again.

LGBTQ Rights

In 2011, when the Minnesota legislature passed the marriage restriction amendment that was on the ballot in 2012, I took a very public stand against it. I have fought my entire life for civil rights, and I will continue that fight in office.

Marriage equality was a wonderful step, but there is so much more work to be done at the policy level so that all members of our community are treated with the respect and dignity that they inherently deserve. We need that to close the continued opportunity gap for members of minority groups by

Making housing for LGBT youth a priority.

Making sure that all the members of our community have accessible, appropriate healthcare.

Mandating that gender neutral bathrooms options are available in all government buildings. Recently I supported a school board mandate that declared that all students have a right to choose the gendered bathroom of their personal gender identification so that a school cannot force trans identified students to use the wrong bathrooms. Beyond this, I support making gender neutral bathrooms available in all schools and government buildings.

Passing the ban for conversion or ex-gay therapy. The legislative ban on ex-gay therapy didn't make it very far this year; I would be a champion of making sure it passed next year. One of my campaign team members has a history with conversion therapy from which he still suffers anxiety and depression to this day. Ex-gay therapy must be banned so that no one is forced to endure this type of trauma under the guise of "healthcare" again.

Adding LGBT owned businesses as minority businesses. The State of Minnesota offers incentives to minority-owned businesses, but LGBT-owned businesses are not accepted as minorities. LGBT businesses deserve recognition as eligible minority businesses to qualify for the incentives offered by the state to minority-owned businesses through the Targeted Group/Economically Disadvantaged (TG/ED) Small Business Program.

Developing a pilot program that is partnership between LGBT organizations and new immigrant groups, particularly East African youth who have no opportunity to currently safely "come out" in order to best serve the unique needs and challenges of LGBT new americans who are especially vulnerable to suicide, bullying, and homelessness given the several layers of barriers such as skin color, community intolerance, language, and religious intolerance. Allies, advocates, and policy makers can work together to break this paradigm and make a safe place for our youth who have significant barriers.

Support for mandated inclusive education.

Women's Rights

Passage of WESA and the minimum wage bill indexed to inflation was a great start so that workplace discrimination can no longer keep women's earning power artificially low, but we need to continue akdkjhdfsdjkc

We need to protect access to safe and legal reproductive services, including abortion. We need to fund comprehensive sex education so that young men and women learn to treat themselves and each other with care and respect.

We need to fully implement the Safe Schools Act, because the privilege we're fighting to end starts so early.

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