Issues

In recent elections, many voters in Georgia had a hard time casting their vote because of ID requirements, long lines at the polls, and precinct changes. As a State Senator, I have fought changes to make it harder for Georgians to vote while supporting efforts to make our elections smoother and more secure. I am working to expand voter turnout, advocating for automatic voter registration, extending voting hours, and ensuring that votes in the state of Georgia are verified.

Despite obstacles, voters’ voices are being heard, and we recently elected people of color to the County Commission and Gwinnett County’s School Board. I fought vocally against reactionary laws in the General Assembly aimed at reducing the voting power of people of color in Gwinnett. I will continue to advocate for local control when it comes to the people of Gwinnett’s right to plan and run their own elections for School Board and County Commission.

Georgia is one of the best places to do business, but the state’s workers are still facing low wages. The current federal minimum wage is set at $7.25/hr, but the state of Georgia’s minimum wage is still set at $5.15/hr.

I am fighting to increase the minimum wage from $5.15/hr to $10.00/hr, and then eventually to $15.00/hr. Increasing the state’s minimum wage is past overdue. We need to have a conducive atmosphere in Gwinnett County to attract big businesses. At the same time, we need to also make sure that workers are earning a livable wage.

America is long overdue to rebuild our crumbling roads, bridges, railways, airports, public transit systems, ports, dams, wastewater plants, and other infrastructure needs. The loss of NCR headquarters in Norcross to Midtown Atlanta, and the unwillingness of other major corporations to bring business to Gwinnett county shines a spotlight on our traffic congestion & lack of efficient mass transit. As the fastest growing county in Georgia and the nation, Gwinnett must invest in mass transit that connects our county with high-paying jobs throughout the metro area.

As the first immigrant elected to the Georgia State Senate, I will fight to protect the rights and dignity of the citizens of Georgia. I am committed to creating a path to citizenship for Georgia’s 400,000 undocumented immigrants and protecting programs like DACA and TPS, which ensure asylum for people fleeing violence and political conflicts in their countries of origin. Georgia’s diversity and rapidly growing immigrant population Georgia’s 5th Senate District is one of the most diverse in the entire country. Despite the central role immigrants play in our economy and our daily lives, documented and undocumented workers are targeted by politicians hoping to score points with Americans worried about declining wages and job opportunities. We must stop scapegoating immigrants and hold big corporations accountable for pitting working class people against one another as income inequality grows.

Educational opportunity is one of the most critical building blocks of our individual and collective success. I have worked in the Senate to improve access to education, boosting our public school system by voting to protect public funding and raise teachers’ salaries. Georgia is one of the only states that does not provide additional funding to schools with high numbers of students living in poverty. We should increase funding to better serve these students and their teachers.

I am also a strong advocate for local control when it comes to our school board. In the Senate, I fought efforts by those outside Gwinnett to interfere with our school board districts and elections. I also opposed efforts to limit teaching on issues surrounding race and diversity.

As your State Senator, whether it is about funding or factual history, I will always stand up for students and teachers.