Healthcare Access and Affordability

Healthcare in Virginia and the US at large must be reimagined and redesigned such that people have the expectation of healthcare coverage and do not worry about a lack thereof.

The pandemic highlighted the many weaknesses in our current healthcare system, the workforce shortage, and the lack of equity based on socioeconomic and race. Virginia can make significant changes to strengthen our workforce, increase access, and make healthcare more affordable. It will require courage and the will to take on the heavy hitters within the healthcare space lobbying for things to stay the same, but we can do this. I believe I have the background, legislative and career experience, and personal relationships to make a continued difference in Virginia's health care policy. This is why I support:

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• Developing a robust state insurance plan that will allow individuals and families to access affordable, comprehensive health insurance without coverage being tied to employment

• Enshrining the tenets of Roe v. Wade in Virginia’s constitution and increasing access to contraceptive care.

• Expanding the healthcare workforce by affording healthcare professionals the ability to practice to the fullest extent of their education and training and providing healthcare professionals opportunities to work in exchange for educational preparedness

• Creating a prescription drug accountability workforce and empowering them to serve as a watchdog for consumers, set upper price limits for certain drugs, and maximize Virginia’s ability to negotiate for the best drug prices

• Combating maternal mortality rates for Black women by expanding home visiting services, access to quality care, and community-based providers

• Holding Big Pharma, Big Insurance, and Healthcare institutions accountable (by imposing substantial taxes/fines) when they engage in predatory practices, impose unjustifiable price hikes, or practice medicine without licensure to do so

• Expanding options for community-based mental health care and substance use disorder treatment

• Breaking down healthcare disparities by investing in federally-qualified health centers and telehealth, providing more basic health services in schools, and bringing virtual health clinics to local communities

• Implementing solution-based policy recommendations from the JCHC to address the lack of infrastructure to support aging in place 

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Energy and Environment

The health of our air, land, coastal waterways, soil, lakes, rivers, and forests reflects the quality of our health as individuals and communities. We must confront the crisis before us and do all we can to reverse the ravages of climate change and promote health and wellness in our day-to-day engagement with Mother Earth. We can make a difference for our future generations, but we will need strong climate policy advocates to combat an administration determined to undermine the environmental well-being of Virginia's children. I have been a strong champion of the environment from day one and have received A+ ratings from multiple environmental organizations over the last six years. That is why I support:

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• Accelerating Virginia’s path to 100% clean energy by 2035 and ensuring a just transition that protects communities that have been impacted the most

• Restructuring Virginia’s regulatory system to protect consumers and incentivize the transition to 100% clean energy

• Reducing energy consumption by investing dramatically in energy efficiency.

• Expanding clean energy jobs and building the workforce needed to supply the clean economy with highly qualified, skilled workers

• Equitably improving access to clean public transportation, electric vehicles, and EV charging infrastructure

• Establishing rural communities in Virginia as the energy innovation capitals of the East Coast

• Aggressively planting trees in urban areas and indigenous foliage along coastal waterways

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Community Health, Safety, and Equity 

During the two years under Democratic leadership, Virginia made great strides to ensure that all people are afforded the respect of being seen, heard, empowered, and protected. Providing people the respect of equal opportunity is critical to the health and well-being of Virginians. That’s why I support:

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• Addressing housing instability with permanent supportive housing and investing in inclusive shelters that meet the needs of our most vulnerable community members

• Rebuilding trust between communities and public safety agencies by increasing accountability for and transparency of serious misconduct as well as investing in community policing initiatives and body-worn camera programs, and supporting accreditation for local agencies

• Addressing racial health disparities by lowering premiums, promoting health literacy, diversifying the healthcare workforce, and combating maternal mortality

• Passing a second resolution to put before Virginia voters to secure approval for a constitutional amendment enshrining the automatic restoration of rights in Virginia’s constitution

• Equitably implementing marijuana legalization, reinvesting revenues back into communities that have been impacted the most, and ensuring equitable ownership opportunities in the new industry

• Leveraging federal dollars as available to expand participation in federal child nutrition programs

• Strengthening ‘food as medicine’ programs and educational programs for healthier eating and lifestyles

• Promoting “Virginia Food for Virginia Families” so that Virginians can benefit from the Commonwealth’s incredible agricultural assets

• Ensuring school nutrition departments successfully implement proven distribution models

• Investing in the Virginia Housing Trust Fund to increase the supply of affordable housing, promote Black and Brown homeownership and prevent homelessness

• Advancing civil rights by enshrining the automatic restoration of voting rights in our constitution and creating more opportunities for Black communities to vote

• Requiring health care and public safety professionals to receive cultural competency training and establish statewide social determinants of health Coordinator

• Repealing Virginia’s “conscience clause” to open up foster care and adoption to LGBTQ+ people, and pass an anti-bullying law to protect LGBTQ+ youth

• Banning the recreational sale of assault weapons, and getting high-capacity magazines, and “ghost guns” off our streets

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The Opportunity of Education

If the pandemic did anything positive, it was to highlight the amazing work and level of responsibility our teachers have for the development of young minds. The education children receive from the time they enter preschool until they leave the educational system post-high school, technical school, or college, prepares them to be the future workers, problem solvers, leaders, and taxpayers of the future. As a public school graduate, I understand the benefit and opportunities provided by quality education and this is why I support:

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• Paying educators what they deserve and raising teacher pay above the national average

• Investing in Virginia’s crumbling school infrastructure

• Ensuring that our 3 and 4-year-olds in need have access to pre-k education

• Investing in broadband expansion to ensure that every student is able to both access and afford online educational platforms

• Tackling the digital equity gap by ensuring students have computers at home and building a strong foundation of access to knowledge, skills, and resources

• Integrating STEM-H and computer science principles and skills into all subjects and grade levels in K-12 schools

• Equipping educators with the knowledge and skills they need to understand and teach these principles and foster inclusive learning environments

• Cultivating public-private partnerships to advance STEM-H and computer science literacy and build the workforce of the future

• Creating a seamless pathway from K-12 to career, and expanding work-based learning opportunities for students

• Promoting career readiness with investments in Career and Technical Education and building internships and apprenticeships into curricula

• Promoting affordability and flexibility in higher education, making it easier for students to make the transitions to higher education, between institutions, and from education to the workforce 

• Streamlining financial aid to better address student needs and expand programs that ensure that students are able to benefit from higher education

• Working with the executive branch and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to more quickly approve programs and get students into high-demand education pipelines like nursing, medicine, teaching, and more

• Strengthening community colleges and associate degree programs by funding advisors and support services, increasing short-term immersion programs and stacking credentials, and establishing Career and Technical Education certificate programs for educators

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Strengthening and Enhancing the Economy

When Democrats led the state through the General Assembly and Executive branches, Virginia was listed as the “Best State for Business.” Sadly this is no longer the case. Virginia needs strong leaders with business know-how to provide policy guidance to return to our "number one" status. As a successful small business owner, I understand the importance of policies that are even-handed and welcoming to businesses big and small.  That’s why I support:

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• Eliminating barriers and regulations that make it harder for businesses to get started and thrive

• Supporting backbone organizations that drive entrepreneurship and improve access to capital with new state, local and private investments

• Creating economic development hubs, deploying high-impact investments in a span of neighboring rural jurisdictions to drive sustainable economic growth

• Supporting farmers by investing in smart farming technologies, increasing access to educational opportunities, and establishing rural Virginia as a major supplier of specialty crops

• Rebuilding small businesses, particularly Black and Brown-owned businesses that have closed at disproportionate rates

• Raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2024, address pay disparities, and ensure that every Virginian has access to paid sick, family, and medical leave while supporting small businesses through tax incentives/credits 

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