Priorities
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values. These are not values that can be classified as one single priority, but instead are foundational to every priority. My work in communities shows that having a diversity of perspectives to solve our complex problems is the only way to equitably achieve sustainable, successful outcomes.
Effective & Ethical Government
Public officials should have a servant's heart. They should not use their positions for personal gain. We've learned that what we thought were laws governing the conduct of public officials are instead norms that are easily broken. Laws governing the behavior of public officials either do not exist or are not being fully enforced.
We must strengthen our anti-corruption policies, restrict the influence of corporations in politics, dismantle the Congress to lobby pipeline, reform campaign finance.
Voting Rights
Democracy is eroding. Unfortunately, too many citizens today have lost faith in their government. Citizens believe that once people get elected, their only concern is how to stay in office rather than how they can serve the public. Even popular legislation is held up because of partisan politics. Because laws are being passed that prevent citizens from exercising their right to vote, legislators are not accountable to those they represent, and are unwilling to legislate based on their community's best interests.
We must end gerrymandering, allow automatic voter registration, preserve early voting, build robust mail-in voting systems, and create a national voting holiday.
Climate Change
There is no greater threat to the health and wellness of people in the Southeast than climate change. The next few years are a defining moment for us. Will we rise to the challenge to create a sustainable, climate-resilient America? In order to do this, we need experts in Congress who have worked at the community level and understand the urgent need to better understand climate vulnerability and to create policies that improve preparedness and limit the health impacts on the region's population.
We must act on the framework created in the Green New Deal that puts health, well-being, and equity at the center of our climate policy. To do this, we must create actionable policies that confront the crisis of climate change, create policies based on regional impacts from climate change, particularly those associated with health; end reliance on and subsidies to fossil fuels; restructure the federal Flood Insurance Program; update occupational regulations to protect workers from the impacts of climate extremes; support a just transition by building economies that rely less on extraction and more on investment.
Above: A lake of water inundated portions of Interstate 95 near Lumberton, NC, on October 12, 2016, following the passage of Hurricane Matthew. Image by North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Affordable Healthcare
Providing safe, affordable healthcare is more than a policy decision, it is a demonstration of our values. My family has suffered under the weight of large medical bills. We’ve made tough decisions between buying what we need and paying medical bills. We have a moral imperative to address the inequities and expense of our healthcare system so we can ensure the well-being of all Americans.
Modern Data Infrastructure
Many state and local data systems were developed during the late 1990s or early 2000s and are not equipped to fully capitalize on major data investments or available technologies. Additionally the digital divide between rural and urban regions remains a considerable barrier to opportunity and growth, and the cost of access to the Internet is prohibitive to many families.
We must invest in data modernization for public agencies at the state and local levels, ensure access to affordable Internet service, and expand broadband services to rural areas.
Education & Training
We are seeing a large exodus from trades, leaving a critical shortage in skilled tradespeople. This is compounded by an emphasis in public schools that push students toward four-year colleges. With the costs of education rising, a four-year degree is becoming more and more unreachable. And those that do earn their degrees graduate with crippling debt.
We must remove the stigma associated with community colleges and trade work; support community colleges and apprenticeship programs; restructure federal student loan programs; ensure affordable access to education
Small Businesses
Small businesses are the backbone of communities, particularly rural and small urban communities. They provide opportunities and growth, making up more than 50% of the share of jobs in all communities; however, we've seen the rate of new business creation fall overall in the past years and greater rates of small business closures.
We must restructure the tax code to support small businesses not just large corporations; provide access to capital and extend the payment time horizons; provide affordable, universal healthcare to reduce the expense burden on small businesses.