clean street and safe neighborhoods!
I'm working to make Oakland a cleaner, safer, and more prosperous city and have decades of experience tackling systemic issues like affordable housing, illegal dumping, police oversight, mental health and so much more. Now I want to bring these results to District 5, because we work hard and we deserve better!
HERE'S MY STORY:
My Journey to Oakland
I've lived in Oakland since 2011, after moving here with my wife and fleeing oppression in my very conservative home state. We instantly fell in love with the cultural diversity, sense of history, and community in the town. With gems like the Oakland Museum of California, Fruitvale Village, Lake Merritt and let's not forget the taco truck on the corner of our block, we knew this was where we wanted to plant roots and grow our family.
"I've Always Wanted to Make a Difference"
For decades, it has been my personal mission to make an impact with my career. I started my journey as the Program Manager of a small non-profit seeking to end sexual assault, and eventually moved into HIV prevention, testing and treatment where I worked tirelessly to address a still raging epidemic within some of the most marginalized communities. The work was hard but rewarding, and I was proud to be making a difference.
My Journey to Public Service
Federal funding for the HIV programs I was running was eliminated by the 2013 Sequester, which slashed over $1 Trillion in spending over 8 years. I couldn't believe that a decision made by politicians over 3,000 miles away was destroying vital community services at the height of The Great Recession. I vowed to take my experience, providing on-the-ground services to communities in need, and bring it to the policy level, so that people in power were informed about the consequences of their actions.
Education Rooted in Equity
After over a decade of non-profit experience, I started my educational journey at Laney College. After 2 years of straight A's I received a prestigious scholarship from the Point Foundation to attend Mills College, and was one of the first openly transgender women to attend the historically all-women's school. I worked relentlessly to pursue my education and graduated with honors in 2016 with a degree in Political, Legal and Economic Analysis, and followed it up by completing a Joint Master in Business Administration and Public Policy (MBA/MPP) in 2018.
Tackling the Hard Problems
I began volunteering for Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, working to increase access to early care and education as the policy lead on Measure A (2018), and worked my way up to Senior Policy Advisor where I have had the opportunity to tackle challenging issues like public safety and emergency preparedness (Ad Hoc Committee on UASI, 2019), homeless prevention with Measure W (2020), affordable housing with the BAHFA Regional Bond (2024), as well as lead the Alameda County Illegal Dumping (ACID) Program, which has removed over 500 tons of illegal dumping, planted over 150 trees, and held hundreds of illegal dumpers to account.
Volunteering to Make a Difference
In my personal time I volunteer supporting causes that I'm passionate about. I served 6 years on the BART Police Citizen Review Board (BPCRB), including terms as Vice-Chair and Chair, where I championed effective police oversight and responsive community policing. I also serve on the East Bay Women's Political Alliance, raising money to support local, pro-choice women running for public office.
Putting Down Roots
After being displaced from North Oakland by a major rent increase, my wife and I planted our roots in the Fruitvale. We've sought connection with our neighborhood by getting involved; planting trees, cleaning parks, and serving our community. As we grow our family these connections are more important than ever. This is our home and we want to leave a legacy of pride that our daughter can be proud of.