Too often our neighbors in the 19th District struggle to have their voice heard. Our residents in Lorton and Mason Neck often feel left out of conversations in a Mount Vernon District that spans 17 miles from North to South, and quickly transitions from an urban to rural landscape. Residents of the new 19th District on the Prince William County side of the Occoquan River have similar concerns, as they prepare to join a district that is geographically dominated by Fairfax County.

As a 27-year Woodbridge resident, and someone who has studied and advocated in Fairfax County, I’m prepared to step in and bridge those gaps. The new 19th needs a champion who will always ensure that our community has a seat at the table.

The new 19th District is a steward of both the Occoquan River and reservoir, which means that we are the stewards of the drinking water of hundreds of thousands of our neighbors. As Delegate, that is a responsibility that I will take extremely seriously. In Richmond, I’ll fight for the funding and policies necessary to protect our natural resources and waterways, as well as unique park spaces. At home, I’ll work with the Fairfax and Prince William Board of Supervisors to ensure that the management of those resources is both equitable and sustainable.

The path to success begins in our local schools. As a community, we must develop civic leadership and create opportunities for every student, which will pay dividends for generations to come. As an advocate, I fought for the creation of the Lewis Academy—a government, leadership, and human rights program—at John Lewis High School. I also led the fight for equity in admissions at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. As alumna and career public servant, I know the linkage between civic leadership and educational opportunities are critical for success.

As a former Army Brat and national security professional, I speak the language of Fort Belvoir. As Delegate, I will work with the Garrison Commander to create pathways for our young people and our underemployed neighbors to advance their careers. I’ll also commit to working with our local skilled trade unions to provide support for apprenticeship pathways, such as Fairfax County’s new Workforce Development Center on Richmond Highway.

Access to affordable and quality healthcare continues to be one of the most significant inequities of our time. Many struggle to keep up with healthcare costs, and the state’s decision to expand Medicaid was a step in the right direction. However, not everyone is eligible, and hundreds of thousands of Virginians remain excluded from health coverage because of immigration status or inadequate subsidies. As Delegate, I will patron/co-patron bills to expand healthcare access to all Virginians, including our undocumented community members. Just as car insurance is available (and required) for all Virginians, so should health insurance.

It’s crucial for care at all stages of life–childcare, early childhood education, paid leave, elder care, and disability care–to be accessed easily and in ways that work for working families.

CHILDCARE
As a mother who had three children under the age of three and whose daycare bill was more than their mortgage, I know the importance of quality, affordable childcare.

Healthy development in the early years of life establishes the essential foundations of a child’s long-term success. We know it takes a village to raise a child. Therefore, I am in favor of high-quality childcare programs that provide the environment, experiences, and relationships necessary for healthy child development. Children who participate in quality early childhood programs are more likely to finish high school, secure high-paying jobs, avoid incarceration, and live happy, healthy lives.

PAID LEAVE
Paid leave and paid sick days should be a human right. Parents and caretakers should have the ability to be with their children after birth, with their families when someone is in need, and to take care of themselves when they are sick.

To ensure that no worker must choose between paying bills and caring for their own health or for a loved one during a major life event, Virginia MUST establish a paid leave program.

DISABILITY AND ELDER CARE
It is important that elders within our Commonwealth have the opportunity to age with dignity and care, and have the option to do so in their homes. This also requires that we are mindful of housing affordability for all regions.

All Virginians should have access to stable disability care, elder care, medication, and safety equipment necessary to ensure the comfort of the most vulnerable in our community.

Virginia also needs to become better partners for homecare workers to ensure the industry is better supported through policy and funded with state-level resources. I will also work to establish grant opportunities for care workers in need of special access/security clearances to also serve their clients in the workforce (i.e., as personal care assistants, readers, etc.) for persons with special needs. Furthermore, I plan to establish partnerships to incorporate technological solutions to enhance the user experience of both care workers and clients so that paid time off and family leave does not impact customer service.

The residents of the new 19th call our district home by choice. There is no place like it in Northern Virginia. The parks, trail networks and public waterfront access are a gateway into an environment that many of those who call the Historic Richmond Highway home couldn’t access anywhere else. Recreation is a defining part of our identity.

Lorton is also one of the fastest growing communities in Northern Virginia. As your delegate, I’ll speak up to ensure that not only are our recreation amenities maintained and expanded to meet the capacity of future generations, but that future development is done in a way that is in harmony with the lifestyle that we all cherish in the 19th District.

It’s critical that we are realistic about the impacts of future development on housing prices in our community. The Embark Richmond Highway Project, and the corresponding Bus Rapid Transit will transform the Route One Corridor in a generational way, bringing in new businesses and town centers. That will also mean an increase in home prices. Richmond Highway has the highest concentration of affordable housing stock in Fairfax and Prince William Counties, and residents in designated affordable units, and manufactured housing communities are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of those cost increases. As Delegate, I will work with other members of the House to advance legislation that supports and protects housing-vulnerable residents, and liaise with county officials to ensure that projects that impact those residents–especially in mobile home communities–are fairly treated and fully involved in conversations about the future redevelopment of the Historic Richmond Highway.

The unfortunate reality is that I-95 is some of the WORST traffic in the country and it runs right through Lorton and Woodbridge. Like many of you, I spent many years commuting and slugging my way up the I-95 Corridor and Richmond Highway. How can we improve traffic and transportation? First, we should extend Metro to Woodbridge and/or increase the frequency of VRE service. Next, I will work with the state to enhance the slugging experience by upgrading and improving commuter lots. Lastly, WE MUST continue to support local roads and transportation projects, most notably by bringing Bus Rapid Transit down Richmond Highway to Lorton and Woodbridge.