Right now, the future of the working class in Atlanta is under threat. Rampant corporate greed has led to skyrocketing costs, homelessness, and historic levels of inequality. In the city the birthed the Civil Rights Movement - it’s unacceptable that working families are forced to choose between paying bills or affording groceries. Now, more than ever, we need to elect public officials willing to put people over profits, and fight to win the rights working people deserve.

As your next Citywide Council Member, I plan to advance an unapologetic, progressive agenda – rooted in the idea that safe housing, affordable groceries, clean water, and public health are basic human rights. This means addressing the epidemics of inequality, unaffordable housing, and corporate greed through shifting the city budget to make Atlanta work for ALL of us, not just the 1%.

POLICIES

  • It's HOT outside! The effects of climate change become more evident by the day. Until this country transitions away from our dependence on fossil fuels, we will see increased threats posed to our local environment, and the livelihoods of everyday Atlantans. High temperatures and unmitigated air pollution pose health and safety risks for workers in kitchens and warehouses, children with asthma, and the most vulnerable among us. The time is NOW to act on reducing and reversing the effects of climate change, and Atlanta has a major role to play. 

    We’ve long been called the City in the Forest, and we should maintain this legacy by expanding our tree cover as a way to reduce heat, keep our air clean, and reduce flooding in vulnerable neighborhoods. We must invest in alternative forms of energy, and fight for reforms like New York’s Build Public Renewables Act. We must reduce car dependency, and expand access to alternate modes of transportation like MARTA rail and bus routes, add more bike lanes and sidewalks across the city, and incentivize businesses to invest in clean energy sources. 

    Climate change can’t be stopped through a PR campaign, or simply spreading awareness. We need to take collective action NOW to protect our environment and vulnerable Atlantans:

    • Commit to expand tree cover to improve air quality and reduce the effects of rising heats and flooding

    • Invest in our public parks, green spaces, and playgrounds throughout the city 

    • Work with MARTA to expand local bus routes, increase bus driver pay, and route frequency

    • Take meaningful steps to ensure Atlanta divests from fossil fuels towards 100% use of green alternatives by 2035

    • Incentivize local businesses to promote working safe conditions in the face of rising temperatures

    • Incentivize local businesses to divest from single use plastics

    • Improve the city's recycling programs, as well as composting

  • Everyone – from all walks of life – deserves to feel safe in their own communities, but what does “safety” really mean? To so many Atlantans, safety means access to safe housing, healthy food, clean water, good healthcare, educational, and job opportunities. Safety means feeling secure and welcome in your own neighborhood, protection from abusive landlords threatening eviction, financial security, and freedom from harassment in the workplace. 

    Atlantans have every right to demand better public safety measures, and time and time again, studies have shown that we must address the root causes of crime – poverty and divestment from public resources – if we truly want a city where everyone feels safe. This is why I am making a comprehensive plan to increase public safety a top priority in this campaign. Bandaid solutions can’t fix systemic problems. Long term, we need to address crime at the source and invest in public resources like after school programs, community centers, jobs programs, and safety programs like PAD 311 that equip all Atlantans with the tools they need to live healthy lives. We also need to take seriously the threat of gun violence in the city, which is most likely to harm residents in our most vulnerable communities. 

    At the same time, we must not criminalize homelessness and poverty, or use policing as a way to push gentrification in neighborhoods. Militarizing the police or building Cop City wont keep us safe. Instead, we should support folks getting back on their feet through investing in public services, public space. and supporting community-based solutions to systemic problems like poverty and homelessness.

    To do this, we must:

    • Invest in and expand PAD 311 to operate on a 24/7 basis

    • Fund the 911 call centers so that no one is waiting for hours on the phone when they have an emergency

    • Fund afterschool youth programs, public green spaces, and community centers 

    • Invest in shelters and mental health services for our houseless community

    • Stop the violent sweeps of homeless encampments

    • Refuse to collaborate with ICE, which presents an immediate danger to immigrant communities

    • Refuse to collaborate with State police in the persecution of individuals who seek abortion care, or families who seek trans health resources

    • Work to expand mental health services for those with drug addiction and related mental health issues

    • Demilitarize police and ensure that military weapons and tactics are not being used on Black and Brown Atlanta civilians

  • Housing is a human right. But since the start of the 2020 Pandemic, housing costs have skyrocketed, leaving Atlanta with the most overpriced housing market in the country. Predatory corporations buy up houses in schemes to fix prices, which makes the market too expensive for young people trying to buy a home or rent an apartment. These corporations have one goal – profit – and have no interest in providing housing for working people.

    In the richest country in the world, it’s unacceptable that so many people have trouble affording housing, and in some cases are denied housing altogether. When corporations are taxed at a lower rate than the average homeowner, the city is left with less funding to invest in affordable housing and other basic services. It's not hard to diagnose the solution. It’s on elected officials to act now to reverse this trend and invest in safe, affordable housing for all Atlantans.

    Together, we can organize to:

    • Increase funding to the affordable housing trust fund paid for by taxing wealthy corporations 

    • Reform zoning laws to allow for more diverse forms of housing that meet different housing needs and income levels. 

    • Incentivize property owners to keep housing affordable uses grants and other motives

    • Invest in resources, health services, and housing opportunities for unhoused Atlantans

  • Times are tough for working people, and Atlanta has one of the highest rates of income inequality in the country, and this especially harms Black families. Studies show again and again, that despite soaring profits, working people aren’t getting their slice of the pie. We must tackle economic equality head on, by working with unions to generate good jobs that provide living wages, supporting workers’ right to unionize, and ensuring that wealthy corporations pay their fair share in taxes and a living wage to the workers their bottom line depends on. 

    Union membership has been proven to raise wages, access to healthcare, and overall quality of life – especially for women and people of color. The Republicans in the State Government have passed dozens of laws to ensure wages stay low and workers have a rough time standing up for their rights. Despite the many preemptions on the City level, the City of Atlanta can play a role in supporting workers’ rights, calling out bad employers, and building a more equitable city for all workers.

    Together, we can:

    • Incentivize employers to provide workplace safety, heat and harassment trainings 

    • Call out and refuse tax incentives to exploitative employers like Amazon, Delta, and Specialty Finishes who union bust, misclassify, and underpay their workers

    • Work with unions and technical colleges to invest with workforce development programs for Atlanta workers

    • Work with AFSCME and other unions to ensure public sector workers are paid a living wage and afforded adequate time off and parental leave

  • We are long-overdue for a complete overhaul of Atlanta’s crumbling infrastructure. Massive holes in roads and sidewalks present immediate dangers to drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. Many of our public parks are severely underfunded. And, if you’re like me and had your water shut off for days this past June with almost no response from city officials, you know the city can and should do better. 

    With the effects of climate change at the top of mind, the City of Atlanta must invest in Green New Infrastructure projects as a way to transition the city to green energy, and generate connectivity and mobility throughout the city. We need public infrastructure that centers the needs of those without access to cars and our disabled neighbors. We need a complete overhaul of our sewage pipe infrastructure to ensure that no Atlantan is ever without access to clean water. We need to fix our roads to fully cover dangerous potholes, cracked sidewalks, and add safe, protected bike lanes and paths throughout the city. We need to incentivize use of green construction projects that hire union labor, create jobs, and invest in the health and safety of future generations.

    To do this I will:

    • Overhaul the crumbling water pipes system 

    • Put forward a plan to add protected bikes throughout the city, with additional safety measures for cyclists and pedestrians

    • Commit to adding sidewalks to every street, to promote walkability and connectivity by adding safe crosswalks and disincentivizing reckless driving

    • Keep our streets safe by covering dangerous potholes 

    • Encourage new housing projects to abide by green energy standards