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Candidate for Dayton City Commission
Where are you from? If Dayton, be neighborhood-specific.
I am a lifelong Dayton Resident and currently reside in Westwood.
What is your educational and professional background?
Educational background - Sinclair Community College - Paralegal Studies (AAS) - Wright State University - Political Science (BS) - University of Dayton Law School - Juris Doctorate (JD)
Professional background - Delphi - Assembly Line Worker - 7 years - Montgomery County Public Defender - Paralegal/Legal Intern - 10 years - Sinclair Community College - Adjunct Professor and Advisory Board Member - American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Ohio Council 8 - Staff Representative/Regional Director - 15 years - Shine Like a Diamond Consulting, LLC - Founder/CEO - 2 years
Have you held any other political offices? If so, what positions?
No
If elected what will be your top priority?
My top priority is to be a bridge to a brighter future for Dayton by building our communities from the inside out through revitalization and stabilization. I will be a bridge to an equitable economy by investing in job training and workforce strategies that prepare residents for good paying jobs, leveraging Dayton’s assets to recruit high-wage employers and supporting small and minority-owned businesses in accessing the resources they need to thrive. I will further serve as a bridge to community revitalization by working to develop a plan for stronger neighborhoods. I plan to accomplish this goal by eliminating abandoned and/or neglected properties and providing resources to replace them with quality, affordable housing. Lastly, my plan for stabilizing both the community and local economy focuses on continuing to provide vital city services to our citizens, while maintaining appropriate staffing levels and balancing the city's budget.
Why should people cast their vote for you?
As a lifelong Daytonian, I am extremely proud of where I come from and appreciate all that that Dayton has to offer. I love my city and I have a passion for serving the great citizens of Dayton. The factor that sets me apart from other candidates is that my passion mixed with my experience brings the progressive boost needed to be a bridge to a brighter Dayton- building on what has worked and improving what has not worked.
I understand and appreciate the challenges that our citizens are facing every day. I have over 30 years of experience in serving employees in this community and have been a bridge to a brighter future for working families. As a union member and former union representative, I have represented employees throughout the Dayton region, including more than 700 union employees at the City of Dayton for the last 15 years.
I have represented those employees through two recessions, the loss of a major airline, the transition of the Convention Center to a private entity and the many other challenges that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic. During these difficult times, I negotiated with City officials and served as a bridge to creative solutions that increased revenue, cut cost and managed budget challenges and obstacles with minimal job loss and interruption to vital services.
I have also been a bridge to equality for employees and citizens. As a union representative, I have filed many harassment and discrimination complaints and grievances on behalf of employees in this region. I have also conducted implicit bias trainings with both management and employees and have helped facilitate mediation and team building exercises to improve workplace interactions. I recently served as the co-chair of the Training, Implicit Bias, Cultural Competency and De-escalation police reform committee where we submitted recommendations designed to bridge the gap between the police and the community. I further work to address injustices in my position on the Executive Committee of the Dayton Branch of the NAACP.
In addition to my work and social justice experience, I have also been a bridge to a brighter future through community engagement as well. I currently mentor with the GEMS and Rites of Passage programs, serve on the AFL-CIO Executive Board, NAACP Executive Committee, MLK Inc. Advisory Board, and am an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and the Way of the Cross Gospel Ministries Church.
My professional and personal endeavors highlight my passion, commitment, and dedication to serve and positions me to be a bridge to a brighter future for the citizens of Dayton and the City of Dayton.
What local charitable organizations do you support?
The Dayton Foundation
Victory Family Life Center
B Love Foundation, Inc.
The Food Bank
I Love West Dayton