I can remember growing up in San Jose, and looking back, I never seen anyone who looked like me making decisions about the needs of my community. I painfully witnessed so many women, men and young people of color experience trauma and systems of institutional oppression that crippled families for generations. As a mother, who was born out of violence and fear, I know our voices were never highlighted or heard, because those making decisions didn't see our value or our power. Through struggles and resiliency, I found my voice, my tribe and how I could break cycles of oppression, that is working to elected better leaders.

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Times are changing but the historical inequities, the growing issue of affordability in the Bay Area and the unknown outcomes from the COVID-19 pandemic, without better leaders with lived experience, we will continue to increase inequality and inclusion. The one thing I know is we must continue to speak up and stand up in meaningful ways, as we build a pipeline of future leaders.

 

In my role as Chair of the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women, Santa Clara County Open Space Authority, Santa Clara County Democratic Party Delegate as Delegate and Director of Gender and Equity, Corresponding Secretary for the California Democratic Party African American Caucus and Fundraising Director with Saved By NatureI, expand my understanding of local policy, give mestre my voice and creating diversity in political 

 

I am proud to serve as the first openly Lesbian Black, Afro-Latina Women to be elected in Santa Clara County, honored with being the Keynote Speaker, at the first 2017 San José Women's March, that gave me a space to uplift, encourage, and sustain more than 63,000 people in our beloved city, in a time of political contention. 

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