Advocacy & Politics

My goal as a politician is to educate, engage, and advocate for the communities I serve. As an environmentalist my goal is to ensure that our surrounding environment is clean and healthy for all who inhabit it. Below are three priorities  that I carry with me in all of my work, they are my primary focus when working to ensure all residents have the accessibility to resources and information that help improve or maintain their quality of life. 

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Education

Even with the growing popularity of Climate Change and Environment Justice there are still many information gaps between the professionals who work in environmental fields and the community that they are impacted by these environmental harms. So as a communication professional and former organizer I use my skills to bridge this communication gap to improve the quality of collaborations. In addition work to translate all the information and current events surrounding Environmental Justice into simplified reports, graphics, and videos that translate to the diverse community I serve.   My skills in youth education, facilitation, and public speaking have helped me be able to translate my knowledge orally in a variety of ways with an added skill of creating creatively interactive presentations. To aide in my presentations I've started putting together templates, guides, brochures, curriculums, and educational videos to make some of this information easily acceptable to those looking to understand more about the environmental movement. In my current role I am now building the skill of  interpreting data and policy to summed talking points for community advocates, federal leaders, and press alike.

Engagement

Being a former organizer who's worked on many community projects I've learned the importance of proper engagement with resident from pre-planning to the maintaining the work genuine community engagement is a must.  From door-to-door canvassing to social media campaigning I've learned and utilized a variety of methods to reach my community. With my experience in facilitation work I've been able to facilitate all different group sizes filled with residents and/or citizens. With my recent experience as an Allegheny County Executive transition C0-chair for the Sustainability, EJ, and Green Economy committee and new Borough Council position I've been working to facilitate more civic-focused community discussions within the county.  Whether it's strategic planning, DEI discussions, or getting the voices of the community heard, I do it all to ensure work in the most disinvested community getting done at the highest quality WITH THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS (especially those most affected).

Advocacy

As a person who loves people and the environment, it was a no brainer to commit my passion to the Environmental justice movement. Being a black woman I ensure that racial equity is highlighted in all of my advocacy as it is primarily minorities (especially women and children) whose health is disproportionately affected by MANY environmental harms. We can't have a conversation about improving the environment without addressing the systems and barriers that prevent our communities from living a healthy life. As someone personally impacted I understand the importance of sharing the real stories of those most affected. So much of my work has been focused on sharing the many stories and realities of the people living in EJ communities throughout the nation but especially in the SWPA region. With Environmental Justice being an intersectional issues I've found myself also being an advocate of education, health, workforce, housing, infrastructure and safety issues. So no matter what issues it  will always make a conscious effort to ensure that everyone is heard and a part of the solution. Being a new politician I am still finding my place in advocacy as a politician but being a native of the borough I serve I've easily been finding my way.