Pennsylvanians deserve a representative who serves the people, not the establishment parties in Washington D.C. I’m running for Congress so that we, as a community, can come up with powerful solutions to the long-standing problems that we face — together.

Cruel policies are expensive policies, I know this first hand. My family has had their share of hardships. My biological parents struggled with addiction and brushes with the law — in fact my mother was pregnant with me while in prison. As an adopted child in a loving family with two dads, we faced our fair share of prejudice and financial hardship as well.

My ties to the 7th district run deep — both of my fathers served their country in uniform (Army and Air Force) and worked hard as small business owners in Montgomery County. Their pride in their service and work ethic was passed down to me at a young age. Early in my career I followed in their footsteps and served this community the best way I knew how — as a teacher.

My experience teaching in classrooms in Philadelphia has given me a unique perspective. Those years I would look at my students and think “How can I help each one of these kids succeed as individuals and address the issues they’re bringing into the classroom?” I’ve worked to support young parents of the children I’ve served struggling to keep up with childcare costs. I’ve personally experienced how student loan debt limits and defines your life as I work to pay back my own college debt to this very day.

As an educator I’ve seen the real impact that stagnant wages, spiking costs of living, and underfunded public programs can have on families. I had to look my students in the eye every single day as their families struggled with so much. As a community leader I understand that it’s not just the poorest among us who suffer when programs we rely on are stripped away or underfunded — all of us do.

When families and young professionals are scraping to get by, all of us suffer. That’s money being taken out of our homes, our shops, and our local economy to stagnate in an offshore bank account. My friends, my family, and my neighbors feel in their bones that this system isn’t fair. It’s our duty to use efficient and effective government to give Pennsylvanians a better shot at a promising future than they’re being given today.

I have experienced the impact of pharmaceutical companies shaking down vulnerable seniors firsthand when one of my fathers was diagnosed with brain cancer and couldn’t afford life-saving prescriptions. I felt helpless as my own father was forced to live off of drug samples provided by his physician because our insurance wouldn’t cover the cost. Millions of our citizens face these impossible choices, forced to beg for financial assistance or go without treatment and risk their lives. The answer is simple: government should guarantee healthcare for every citizen as a right. Period. I will fight for Medicare for All from my first day in office.

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