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:
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
In the last 10-12 hours I have received a few calls, texts, and emails regarding the sudden change to our City Council, with Mayor Aaron Stephens announcing his plans to step down from his seat during the East Lansing City Council meeting last night.
One of my core reasons to run in the City Council November 2nd election, is my desire to be a stable, consistent, and reliable presence to represent your vote, and the voice of the people of East Lansing, Michigan. The news of last night’s change has only further strengthened how important it was for me to have chosen to run for one of the open seats with the four-year term (versus the 2-year term) in the 2021 election. I believe this important commitment to the City, and the people of East Lansing should be what you expect with your representation from your elected officials going forward. Please join me at the November 2, 2021 election to represent you as your next East Lansing City Council member.
I would like to take a moment to thank the City of East Lansing for the Special Recognition Crystal Award I have received recently. This award is a testament to all of the hard work that the Commissioners on both the Human Rights Commission as well as the Study on an Independent Police Oversight Committee that I had the honor and opportunity to work with on (sometimes) very complex and sensitive issues in our mandates. The people
I have had the privilege to work with are passionate, highly skilled and experienced individuals who participate as an integral piece to our city government work.
To all of the Commissioners who serve on all of our city commissions, sacrificing their time and generously lending their expertise- YOU are the ultimate award winners, and I dedicate this award to you.
As I have said in the past, it has been such a pleasure to work with all of you on so many important community initiatives on behalf of our great City. I also want to acknowledge the incredible support of our city staff as our go-between to getting our work to the forefront of the administration and community.
Recently, I had the opportunity to meet with Mikayla Temple of Fox News to discuss some of the initiatives of my campaign as an East Lansing City Council Candidate in the upcoming November 2, 2021 election. One central question the media and community members often ask me is “Why you?” “What separates you from the other candidates in this election?” My answer is simple- Strong Leadership. I have demonstrated my experience the last few years by working on updating and modifying several primary policies and practices of East Lansing city business. I have been responsible for being the Chairperson of two East Lansing City Commissions simultaneously. My previous experience working for the Department of Justice for the Iowa Attorney General’s Office provided me with great understanding of how to be a leader that drives motivation in others, while influencing critical thinking that guides to results that are often complex and reflective of many different opinions and perspectives. I am proud of my work on the Human Rights Commission and the Study on an Independent Oversight Commission along with many other city-wide initiatives the city has undertaken, such as working on amending the Disorderly Conduct Code in our city, working on the resolution declaring Racism a Public Health Crisis in East Lansing, working on the city’s re-envisioning and realignment of our Public Safety department plan with our City Manager are a few areas that demonstrate my relationships with community members, city staff and with past and current Council members of this city that have given me the experience to know that I will be the right choice for you to vote for me November 2nd, so I can keep working on behalf of you, our community and the city of East Lansing.
Good morning, East Lansing,
