I started this journey by volunteering in our public schools to support students and help teachers in the classroom, which led to the founding of my nonprofit organization, Primetime Mentoring, and Tutoring Educational Services, where we have partnered with and utilized both Michigan State students and collaborated with the Primetime Senior program as our mentors and tutors in East Lansing schools. I have also volunteered at the East Lansing Public Library for their Teen After-school program because of my own experiences growing up in poverty in Kansas City, Missouri, in a single-parent household. As an adult, I understood how vital it is to mentor and invest in the community’s youth. I have also had the opportunity to volunteer for the City of East Lansing’s Parks and Recreation Department as a Youth Basketball Coach utilizing my background in professional sports to not only teach basketball but to contribute valuable lifelong lessons and positive principles like the power of teamwork, good sportsmanship, and personal leadership strategies into my players. Personally and professionally.
I had the excellent opportunity to share the microphone with House Representative Abraham Aiyash. I took a moment to talk about our federal Covid Relief aid money held up in our House of Representatives.
At the end of 2020, Congress passed a Covid Relief Bill that granted billions of dollars to Michigan to increase vaccine distributions, safely re-open our schools, and assist renters in staying in their home this winter. But none of the funding is being used to help local government, schools, and families. The sooner, the better we can act with this money, the faster we can recover from the devastating effects of this Pandemic.
Wow, you guys & gals, I need to take a moment to give a huge thank you to you, my fellow East Lansing residents. Thank you for helping me reach my petition goal in order to throw my name in the ring for the upcoming November 2021 open City Council seat election. So many of you stepped up, that I didn’t get to all of the people who said they wanted to sign my Ballot of Support before I met the requirements. Trust me, if you didn’t get a chance to sign, but want to show your support I will have plenty of opportunities for you to get involved in my exciting goal of being elected as your next East Lansing Councilperson.
Very soon, I will be coming to a doorstep near you, emailing, calling, or stopping you in the street to introduce myself and work to earn your vote in the November election.
Thank you again for all of the positive energy and support! Please stay tuned for the next chapter of my journey to represent you for the next four years.
First, I would like to say that I believe it is important for as many people as possible should get vaccinated for the Covid-19 virus. We are all living through a pandemic right now, but our BIPOC communities are by far, disproportionately suffering from the devastation of this virus and need more education and better access to understand the positive effects of the Covid-19 vaccines available.
Studies have revealed similar findings on the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 deaths among some racial and ethnic minority groups. A study of selected states and cities with data on COVID-19 deaths by race and ethnicity showed that 34% of deaths were among non-Hispanic Black people, though this group accounts for only 12% of the total U.S. population – https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124322
Possible Solutions – Outside of getting the vaccine doses for the disproportionately affected communities, we need to be Addressing Health Care Disparities
A multi-pronged strategy is needed to eliminate the persistent racial and economic disparities in health that were exacerbated by COVID-19.
Expand access to health care: The US would benefit from increased investment in community health centers and safety-net hospitals that disproportionately serve individuals who are from minority, low-income, and undocumented immigrant groups in the US. An expansion of Medicaid eligibility for those who have recently lost employer-based insurance would prevent further decreases in access to health care. In addition, hospitals should be prohibited from pursuing debt collection measures against patients who have received COVID-related health services.
Establish equitable care models: To encourage patients to seek needed care, whether for COVID-19 or other issues, health systems should facilitate the establishment of multidisciplinary teams that build culturally appropriate communication and outreach practices. This information and these activities must be multilingual and universally accessible. The use of approved encrypted free platforms to communicate with patients beyond traditional phone calls and office visits can help break down access barriers. Systems should establish robust equity and quality measurements for delivering COVID-19 self-care information and prioritize groups that have persistently been excluded from receiving health information. The use of trusted community voices (such as clergy and sports and entertainment stars) should be promoted to encourage vaccination against COVID-19 to ensure that minority communities are not disproportionately unvaccinated.
Address social determinants of health: Although there is limited evidence that it is effective, health care systems should consider screening patients for social needs (eg, housing, food, legal assistance) and connecting patients to existing community resources to address these needs. The 3-month waiting time for adults without children to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits should be waived through the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Extending unemployment benefits would enable many people to have sufficient economic resources to be self-sustaining – https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2775687
I am running in the November 2, 2021 Election for East Lansing City Council with a solid commitment to transparency in our Government that prioritizes community accountability, education, and understanding.
As Chair of the Study Committee on an Independent Police Oversight. I had the privilege of working with community members, City staff, Councilmembers, Commissioners, and the City Manager on complex social and structural issues in our Public Safety Department.
The work and collaboration of so many highly skilled professionals and volunteers is the type of work I want to get done and what you should expect from me as your next Councilmember for the City of East Lansing in the November 2, 2021 Election
Here are several links to local news sources reporting our important work:
A strong relationship with Michigan State University and our surrounding Municipalities
Transparency in the City’s decision-making process that is consistent in practice and promotes accountability
I believe these are some of the foundational pieces of our continued growth and stability for the City of East Lansing going forward. I hope to earn your vote for the East Lansing City Council election on November 2, 2021
Thank you, #EastlansingInfo, for the opportunity to guest host for the East Lansing Insider! I am very excited to talk about all things #EastLansing going forward.
Future episodes will be available online here and will air at 9 a.m. on Sundays on WDBM at 88.9 FM.
Thank you East Lansing Safe Routes to School. I had the excellent opportunity to meet with parents, neighbors, and community members working on significant public safety initiatives for our children, and community who live and works in our city. I was able to be involved in informative discussions about safe traveling in our community, whether bicycling, walking, scooters, or other alternative means of transportation by our citizens. Please know that I am available to discuss, learn and support groups and organizations whose mandate is to invest in our community’s future and well-being that support East Lansing. As your next East Lansing City Councilmember, I will continue making myself available and learning from you to be a representative who is in touch with our community values.
I wanted to give you a quick update on the progress I have made on my “Doorstep Near You” campaign so far. So far, I have walked my way through a few of our East Lansing neighborhoods, with many more on my schedule. Common topics that have come up so far in my discussions with you are transparency, budget, public safety, economic development, environment, MSU, and neighborhood retention. In listening to you, I have learned so much and have come away with an even clearer understanding of what is important to many East Lansing residents. I believe that my going out and knocking on your door to meet you personally and hear what is on your mind is worth the effort!
Before starting the “Doorstep Near You” campaign, I had a strong sense of what I felt was important for our City going forward. Still, the experiences of talking with you have allowed me to further confirm my passion and reevaluate and further develop my role as your next Council Member in the November 2, 2021 election.
Going forward, I will announce what area I will be heading to increase the chances I can actually speak with you and find out what’s on all of your minds and hearts regarding all things East Lansing!
I started this journey by volunteering in our public schools to support students and help teachers in the classroom, which led to the founding of my nonprofit organization, Primetime Mentoring, and Tutoring Educational Services, where we have partnered with and utilized both Michigan State students and collaborated with the Primetime Senior program as our mentors and tutors in East Lansing schools. I have also volunteered at the East Lansing Public Library for their Teen After-school program because of my own experiences growing up in poverty in Kansas City, Missouri, in a single-parent household. As an adult, I understood how vital it is to mentor and invest in the community’s youth. I have also had the opportunity to volunteer for the City of East Lansing’s Parks and Recreation Department as a Youth Basketball Coach utilizing my background in professional sports to not only teach basketball but to contribute valuable lifelong lessons and positive principles like the power of teamwork, good sportsmanship, and personal leadership strategies into my players. Personally and professionally.
