Why I’m Running. And Why This Moment Matters.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve spent countless hours talking with residents across the 21^st Senate District. I’ve listened to parents worried about rising costs, seniors trying to stay in the communities they helped build, students searching for opportunity, and small business owners working hard to keep up in a changing economy. Those conversations leave me energized, humbled, and deeply connected to the people I hope to serve.

Endorsement night!

Receiving the Democratic endorsement for State Senate was an important milestone and personally validating, and I’m grateful for the trust and support behind our campaign. But the real momentum comes from the people I meet every day at their doors, at community events, in coffee shops and grocery stores, and on sidewalks around the towns. Their stories remind me why I’m running.

Public service has shaped my life from the very beginning. I was raised in a hardworking Jamaican-American family in New York City. My mother was an elementary school teacher, and my father was a firefighter. They taught me the importance of education and service, and that serving others is about showing up every day and giving your best to the people counting on you.

That foundation led me to social work and eventually to earning my Master of Social Work from Fordham University. I wanted to do more than respond to problems after they happened. I wanted to help build systems that create opportunity, stability, and long-term success for families and communities. For more than 20 years, I’ve worked in workforce development and economic opportunity – connecting people to jobs, supporting local businesses, and helping residents gain the skills they need to succeed in a changing economy. My experience is exactly why I believe this is such an important moment for Connecticut.

This year’s state budget adjustment included investments in early care, education, municipal aid, and career-connected pathways that can help strengthen communities like ours while easing pressure on local property taxpayers. The creation of new statewide commissions focused on education funding and career pathways presents a real opportunity to better connect schools, workforce training, higher education, and employers so students and working families can thrive.

This work is personal to me because I’ve spent my career doing it. I know what happens when students can clearly see a path from the classroom to a stable career. I know what happens when businesses can find skilled workers locally. I know what happens when communities invest in people instead of leaving them behind.

That’s the kind of leadership I want to bring to Hartford: practical, collaborative leadership focused on affordability, opportunity, and results.

This summer, our campaign will continue building a strong grassroots team so we can reach every neighborhood in the district. I want to hear directly from as many residents as possible because I believe the best solutions come from listening, working together, and staying focused on what actually improves people’s lives.

I’m running because I believe our communities deserve leadership that brings people together and moves us forward.

And I believe this moment calls for exactly that.