Our Black
agenda

To address the many historical inequities and problems we face, we need to take bold, progressive action. As our next representative, I will fight to ensure that every Marylander has access to opportunity and the chance to succeed.

WHAT THE AGENDA IS ABOUT:

Racial inequality, be that in housing, education, jobs, or our justice system, is holding back our economy and limiting the realization of the American Dream. Too often, gridlock on Capitol Hill does not address these challenges head-on, allowing them to grow into more significant problems. What we need now, is a bold agenda, grounded in equity to move our country forward. I am fortunate to have been raised in Prince George’s County, the wealthiest predominantly Black county in the nation, where the first scientists, doctors, lawyers, and educators I saw, looked like me. Maryland’s 4th Congressional District is the most diverse in the state. Our diversity is our asset and if our nation is to meet its promise, we will need a Black agenda to ensure ALL of its citizens can thrive.

THE AGENDA:

Economic Equity:

Despite its proximity to Washington DC, the 4th Congressional District is underrepresented in its anchoring of federal agencies. I will continue my fight to bring the F.B.I. to Prince George’s County, along with bringing other federal agencies throughout the 4th district, locating jobs and federal contracting businesses in our community.

I will establish partnerships with local community leaders and organizations to hold frequent job fairs to extend economic and employment opportunities for the people of Maryland’s 4th Congressional District.

I will work with my partners in Maryland’s congressional delegation to raise the federal minimum wage and provide economic protections for contract and tipped workers.

I will work with the Biden Administration and my colleagues in the US Congress to pass more COVID-19 economic relief that puts everyday people and families, not corporations, first.

I will work to increase the power of the Minority Business Development Agency to equalize access to federal grants and loans for small Black and minority-owned businesses.

I will work with my colleagues in Congress on policies that bolster community financial lenders and minority-serving deposit institutions that work more closely with the communities they serve and are thus better-suited to support our district’s smallest and most diverse businesses.

We must ensure that any COVID-19 federal relief is available to all Marylanders, regardless of their immigration status.

We must pass comprehensive immigration reform to create pathways to citizenship for millions of Americans, allowing for greater involvement in our formal economy and investment in our communities.

We must invest in pandemic preparedness to stave off future disruptions by reinforcing domestic supply lines for needed products and equipment.

I will work to pass anti-trust legislation to increase competition and better-position small Black-owned and minority-owned businesses for success.

I will work to pass mandatory paid family leave for all workers.

I will work to strengthen credentialing programs for student and adult workers pursuing trade certifications.

As a former labor organizer, I will support American workers' ability to collectively bargain through voting for bills such as the PRO Act and the Workplace Democracy Act.

I will work with my colleagues to support public K-12 education, including universal Pre-k.

I will advocate for increasing educator pay, and ensuring every student goes to a school with proper heating and technology, regardless of their zip code.

I will work with my colleagues to make public colleges and universities tuition-free.

I will work to remove the undue burden on millions of former students by forgiving student debt via Congressional action or an Executive Order.

I will work to allow on-time utility payments to positively affect a person’s credit score.

I will work to re-establish and make permanent the expanded Child Tax Credit for households with a total income of under $150,000, cutting the child poverty rate in half.

Ending Healthcare Disparities:

I will work to pass a single-payer system that works for everyone, including Medicare for All.

I will work to ensure that our federal and state governments are prepared for another pandemic by investing in scientific research and reinforcing infrastructure to respond quickly to any future pandemic. This includes establishing trust and coordination across all levels of government to quickly roll out health responses, vaccinations, and supplies.

I will work to expand access to mental healthcare through public and private insurance.

I will work to lift the cap on Social Security taxes to ensure full funding of this earned benefit for future generations.

I will work to lower the eligibility age for Medicare to 60 years old while also capping out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs and other benefits, including vision, dental, and hearing.

I will work with private and public partners to establish task forces to identify and weed out instances of medical racism in our healthcare system.

I will work to allow Medicare and Medicaid to negotiate prescription drug prices.

I will work to make medical school and medical programs more affordable to lower barriers to entry for more diverse talent to pursue careers in medicine.

I will work to ensure access to high-quality medical care for all, no matter what part of Maryland’s 4th Congressional District you live in, much like I’ve done in the state legislature through the Health Equity Resource Communities Initiative.

I will work to increase the availability of free testing and vaccination sites for the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Environmental Justice:

I will work with my Congressional colleagues to continue the electrification of our public transportation system.

I will work to invest federal dollars into light and heavy rail to increase access to safe and environmentally-conscious public transit.

I will work to increase the federal government’s investment in renewable energy sources including solar, wind, thermal, and safe nuclear.

I will work to extend tax credits for electric vehicles and equalize access to electric vehicle charging stations.

Black people are 75% more likely to live near hazardous waste production sites. I will work with my Congressional colleagues to clean up toxic waste sites that endanger our communities and take action to bring every neighborhood up to act quality standards per the Clean Air Act.

We must take responsibility for our country’s contributions to the climate crisis. I will work to ensure that Congress takes aggressive action to keep the world below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

I will work to strengthen the EPA and ensure agency collaboration in cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay.

Criminal Justice:

I will work to end the scourge of gun violence by advocating for common-sense gun control laws, including universal background checks, closing the Charleston loophole, and banning ghost guns.

I will work to end the War on Drugs and federally decriminalize cannabis.

I will work to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, including ending qualified immunity for law enforcement officers, allowing for independent investigations, and ending the sale of military-grade weapons and equipment to local police departments.

I will work to ensure the complete restoration of rights for returning citizens and restore voting rights for incarcerated people.

I will work to eliminate cash bail, and advocate for scientifically driven risk assessment tools.

I will work to create and invest in local violence interruption and social welfare programs.

I will work to end the school-to-prison pipeline.

I will work to end mandatory minimums and excessive sentencing within our justice system.

I will work to abolish the death penalty, and support legislation to end the practice.

Housing Justice:

For as long as the state of emergency orders persists, we must continue the moratorium on evictions for tenants as we work together to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic.

I will work to expedite compensation to small landlords who have lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I will work to prohibit the suspension of utilities, including broadband services, due to non-payment through the entirety of the pandemic.

I will work to prevent landlords from discriminating against potential tenants because of how they pay their rent. Housing vouchers should be able to be used in all communities, not just low-income ones.

I will work to increase tax forgiveness programs, including student debt forgiveness, for first-time homebuyers.

I will work with my colleagues in Congress to incentivize the adoption of inclusionary zoning ordinances that allow diverse housing types to encourage homeownership.

I will work to direct funds to housing trusts to incentivize state and local governments to subsidize affordable housing projects.

I will work to ensure appraisers are not devaluing homes just because the current owners are Black or Latino.

About Anchor 1

BA Economic Equty

BA Healtcare

BA Enviroment

BA Criminal Justice

Housing

Our Black agenda