Primary Election Date: 06/05/2012
General Election Date: 11/06/2012

Who Am I?

I am a wife, mother and grandmoter, born and raised in Chicago. I relocated to California 25 years ago, and have lived in the 31st Congressional District, Redlands, for over 23 years.

A University of California Riverside graduate, I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. This attainment of education within California’s top-notch college system allowed me to move beyond my academic specialty, and worked as the Program Coordinator for the San Bernardino County Sexual Assault Services and a community liaison for the Colton Unified School District for over nine years. In addition, I served on the School Districts Student Attendance Review Board. The state’s fiscal crisis, however, propelled me to leave that posting to serve as a community volunteer in a wider arena where I ran for California State Assembly District 63.

A long history of political and community participation and activism predated my initial bid for office. Memberships in several Inland Area Democratic clubs, and the San Bernardino Democratic Central Committee, delegate to the California State Democratic Central Committee, member of the African American, Woman's and Environmental Democratic Caucuses, member of the Redlands Morning Kiwanis Club and appointment by the Mayor to the City of Redlands Climate Action Task Force, demonstrate my commitment to civic responsibility. As co-founder of Holistic Healing for Youth, a non-profit organization based in Redlands, California for 12 years, this organization is dedicated to the transformation of at-risk youth into law-abiding, productive citizens. Additionally, as Executive Director of this organization, I was instrumental in organizing the Annual Redlands Triahlon/Duathlon and Run/Walk for the past 11 years with our 12th year approaching in February. I also organized the first-ever Martin Luther King Day Parade and Jubilee in Redlands, which has since become an annual event in my town.

Why Am I Running?

There is a disconnect between government and constituents. I will help repair that connection by empowering and making it easier for my constituents to be a part of the legislative process. Just as special interests and lobbyists supply proposed bills to our legislators, and are able to closely follow bills and influence amendments as they go through the legislative process, I will see to it that the constituents of the 31st Congressional District have the same opportunity and power.

I will make sure my constituents have the resources to present ideas for bills that best suit our community and country, and I will help them. My calendar will be booked with constituents advising me what is best for our community, not big businesses and oil companies. The lobbyists on my calendar will be filled with you - the community lobbyists.
I realize and understand that we can't change the nature of this beast as a whole overnight, but I can promise to bridge the ever-widening disconnect between the 31st Congressional Representative and you.

We have many problems to solve and the only way this can be done is with your help. I need your support and vote to make it happen. Bridging the gap between the 31st Congressional District community and government is a promise that I know I can keep.

I will work for you, let me be your true voice in Washington, DC.

Hold Me Accountable!

My top two goals if elected will be to fight for jobs and connecting and empowering citizens to participate more in their government.

My DFA values:

All my life I have been a community activist. I always volunteer in my community and encourage others to do the same. I do not wait for a issue or cause to affect me before I become involved. If I see someone else's community, security or liberty being devalued I participate in making the wrong a right.

My Campaign is People-Powered!

I know no other way but to run a grassroots campaign. My campaign is run soley by volunteers. I do not have corporate money driving my campaign.