I grew up around gang violence and drug dealers, and I know the issues that lawful gun owners face when protecting themselves against crime. While serving in the Navy, I learned about firearm safety and saw how responsible gun use is achieved through proper regulation and training. 

Now as a parent, I’m experiencing the fear of sending my children to school or to a friend’s house where guns might be present. Volunteering with Moms Demand Action has been a way to help fight for firearm safety. As your senator I will continue to fight to prevent gun violence. I support: 

• Storing guns responsibly
• Removing AKs and other automatic weapons from the market
• Disarming those who have a record of domestic abuse and other violent crimes
• Passing sensible risk/red flag laws
• Reporting stolen guns in a timely manner
• Holding the firearms industry accountable

As someone who was a teen mom as well as an active duty member of the military, I understand the importance of supporting everyone’s right to choose what they do with their own bodies and to access safe family planning services. I’ll fight for these rights for all Virginians, including:

• Paying parental and family leave for both parents
• Enshrining protections for reproductive health into law
• Providing public funding to those with limited resources for family planning 
• Eliminating waiting periods to obtain reproductive healthcare including FDA-approved emergency contraception
• Strengthening childcare programs for all including parents working non-traditional schedules

Virginians are facing tough choices due to rising costs of food, housing and everyday essentials. At the same time, unemployment impacts many across the state who struggle to get assistance finding work or starting their own business. As your advocate I will support creating a more affordable Virginia with economic opportunity for all by: 

• Protecting families with rent control
• Fighting for a livable wage
• Funding local initiatives to pay for a day’s work in the community

• Expanding food list qualifications for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Creating zero waste initiatives with restaurants to provide more meals to those in need

• Increasing staffing for unemployment assistance programs to resolve undisputed claims 
• Improving access to the self-service unemployment website
• Supporting entrepreneurship for Virginia’s small businesses

Education provided me with opportunities to make a difference in my family and my community. I will work to support giving the children of Virginia these opportunities for a bright future by:

• Expanding public education to include more early childhood education 
• Supporting free school meals
• Fighting for all youth so they can attend school without fear of bullying
• Assisting immigrant students by providing more ESL teachers for classrooms
• Making schools accessible through proper transportation and communication resources like sign language classes

LGBTQ+ Virginians are valued neighbors, loved ones, and members of our communities, and they deserve to be protected. That means making sure every person in Virginia can live and love without fear. I support:

• Blocking any bills that discriminate against the LGBTQIA+ community
• Ensuring that LGBTQIA+ people have access to quality healthcare
• Securing the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community in the state constitution

Health care is human care. As a parent who has a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder, I’ve seen first-hand how tough it can be to access safe, affordable medical care even with insurance. I believe that no one should choose between their health, their child’s health, or a paycheck. I’ll fight for all Virginians by working towards:

• Capping prescription drug costs
• Eliminating co-pays and premiums
• Removing networks so that everyone is able to see their nearest doctor
• Ensuring dental, vision, and hearing are covered together under medical insurance
• Providing easier access to medical cannabis for veterans and other Virginians in need

As a child I witnessed first-hand how drug addiction impacted families and led to incarceration. I understand that just because someone suffers from addiction and makes bad decisions doesn’t mean that long-term incarceration is the best solution. I will work to help those incarcerated and their families and communities by:

• Reforming drug policy
• Enabling fee-free prison and jail communication
• Allowing people to challenge racial/ethnic disparities
• Ensuring sensible police reform

One in eight Virginia residents is an immigrant and one in nine residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent. Immigrants account for 13% of Virginia’s population, pay billions in taxes, add billions to the economy as consumers, and generate almost $2 billion in annual business revenue as entrepreneurs. As a daughter of immigrants I support a thriving immigrant community by:

• Championing fair housing, economic and educational opportunities
• Providing access to health insurance
• Protecting immigrants from threats of deportation and discrimination

More than 1 in 5 Virginians lives with a disability. I believe we can all support more inclusive state and community programs. Some areas I will focus on include:

• Ensuring public spaces like beaches and parks have properly accessible ramps
• Working with private businesses like grocery stores to provide accessible shopping carts
• Ensuring that all schools have resources to provide all handicapable children a safe and inclusive environment & promote social inclusion
• Increase handicapable representation in politics
• Integrate disability history in school curriculums
• Provide college scholarships to athletes with disabilities
• Work towards making Virginia a state where everyone has independence and can participate in everyday tasks without challenges