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Campaign Phone
630-473-8159
I've spent my adult life working to make Chicago a better place through work in organizing, campaigns, and in government.
This mission has been direct - as a senior analyst on Kamala Harris' 2024 campaign and a national leader in the College Democrats of America - and indirect, through my time working to make our communities safer and fighting against systemic inequality at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.
I'm running because we need a new generation of leaders in Springfield, and at 27, I would be the youngest state rep in Chicago. Outside politics, I live and rent in Ravenswood, and coach middle & high school sports across the city. I graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A. ('20) & Masters in Public Policy ('21)
1) The most important legislative action we must take as a state is to pass a graduated state income tax. As services are cut at the federal level, we must be able to make up that gap here in Illinois - and we can do it by making the super-wealthy pay their fair share.
2) We must increase funding to homelessness services. Before he passed, my father struggled with homelessness, and to see the state government cut funding to these services as a record number of Chicagoans struggle with housing insecurity breaks my heart.
3) We must do everything in our power to protect our most vulnerable communities against a hostile federal government, especially those under constant threat by ICE.
We must pass a graduated state income tax to help fund critical services, but we cannot stop there. We must make sure our tax system reflects the present-day reality, and a present-day economy that too often looks like 3 Big Tech companies in a trench coat.
As a data analyst, I will follow the facts and figures - not political pressure - to identify key inefficiencies. Statewide, we should move towards consolidation of certain services and sunset duplicative bodies. We should invest in modernization of services across the state to allow quicker investment into our communities.
There is no silver bullet to our budgetary health, but there are a lot of small steps we can and must take - see more on my website at ridgefor13.com/issues
Throughout my campaign, I have spoke of the need to 'future-proof Illinois' - a need to address the climate crisis head-on, pass legislation protecting us and our data from Big Tech overreach, and expand and improve our transportation systems.
For climate resilience, we must ensure the IEPA picks up the slack left by the gutting of the federal EPA and protect our wetlands and natural spaces. On transportation, October's transit bill was a huge step forward - and now we must make sure the implementation of NITA is not swayed by political forces. And on Big Tech, we must act quickly to protect our data from bad actors and ensure protections for those working under the modern economy, 'gig workers' in particular.
As a data analyst at the State's Attorney's Office, I was a member of the first team to analyze the impacts of the SAFE-T Act, or the abolition of cash bail. This legislation was an incredible step forward: ones detainment would now only be determined by risk, not by their bank account -- and we saw that this was the case without an increase in crime or recidivism.
Choosing between reform and public safety is a false dichotomy: you can have both. However, too many Chicagoans still feel unsafe in our city and on the CTA. I support increasing funding to alternative crisis response methods and allowing the police to spend their time preventing & solving cases, rather than forcing them to act as meter maids or mental health professionals.
Campaign Phone
312-448-7813
I am a proud queer second-generation Indian-American, a community organizer, a transit-rider and biker, an engineer, and an Uptown homeowner. In Uptown, my partner and I found an inclusive neighborhood and a community that shared my vision for a more just world. Seeking ways to put my values into action, I became a community organizer. Being an organizer means building spaces where people can share more of themselves, find common ground with neighbors, and work collectively toward a common goal. I know that we can build power and achieve enormous change by connecting with people, learning their stories, and building broad coalitions across race, class, and language. I’m running to bring that organizing spirit to Springfield.
My top regulatory priority is tackling the affordable housing crisis by fighting for greater public investment in affordable and subsidized housing, regulatory reforms to build more housing of all types, and stronger protections for renters.
My top budgetary priority is passing progressive revenue so we can fully fund services our community needs. To build an Illinois that is affordable and safe for all of us, we must tax billionaires and big corporations.
My top overall priority is to protect the rights of our community from attacks from the Trump administration. We need to defend and strengthen protections for immigrants, queer and trans rights, and reproductive freedom.
For public services to meet the needs of our community we must ensure that they can be fully funded. To build an Illinois that is affordable and safe for all of us, we must tax billionaires and big corporations. This is all the more crucial in this moment, as MAGA Republican policies are giving the wealthy massive federal tax cuts while decimating critical federal programs.
We can take immediate action by adopting revenue proposals on the table right now for “progressive revenue”: taxes that ask more from the rich and less from working people. As your State Representative, I will make it my number one priority to adopt the proposals of the Illinois Revenue Alliance.
The climate crisis is the single greatest threat to the future of humanity and the planet. As the federal government retreats from responsibility, it is more important than ever for Illinois to take action to move off of fossil fuels and build a climate resilient future.
Further, Public transit is essential for our district and city to thrive. We need a transit system that is reliable, safe, and accessible to all. This requires robust funding, collaborative governance, and rider-centered policies. My goal is for our service to be so good that Chicagoans who own cars still prefer to take public transit because of how much more convenient and cost-effective it becomes.
All Illinoisans deserve to live free of violence. Public safety for all requires addressing the root causes of violence. I support evidence-based strategies that address those root causes, including:
+ Investing in youth jobs
+ Funding community violence intervention
+ Mental health care for all who need it, including free trauma-informed care and substance abuse services
+ Housing as a human right (see above)
+ Addressing access to firearms through gun control legislation, including the RIFL Act (HB3320)
+ Support an end to traffic violence (see Public Transit)
+ Oppose rollbacks to SAFE-T Act, which ended the practice of incarcerating people simply because they could not afford to buy their freedom
Campaign Phone
7734149653
I am a lifelong public servant with experience working on staff for the Illinois General Assembly and several government agencies (City of Chicago Mayor's Office, MWRD, and ICC).
I have earned a law degree from Chicago-Kent and Masters of Science in Energy Policy and Climate Change from Johns Hopkins.
I am seeking to be state representative because I love Chicago with all my heart and we need good people to step up right now. The State of Illinois is best positioned to help improve people's lives as the federal government has lost its mind and the City's fiscal situation is dire.
My experiences have given me not only the policy knowledge to succeed but a background of building coalitions to get results, not just talk about issues.
1) Shore up the State budget. The State will need to step up to offset federal cuts to healthcare, education, etc. in order to mitigate harm. My budget experience, will be particularly helpful for giving us the best chance to bring funding back to the district.
2) Protect against ICE. I'm tired of our neighborhoods being terrorized. We can hold ICE agents accountable for breaking the law, ensure agents do not become law enforcement officers, and provide resources for immigrant groups to expand their work.
3) Streamline the build out of housing. We are at crisis levels of housing affordability and we need to make it easier to build homes in order to bring the costs down, particularly transit-oriented housing.
Progressive revenue and finding efficiencies.
A progressive income tax should be on the ballot every election until it becomes law. Until then there are still several ways to equitably fund the services we need such as closing corporate loopholes, digital ad taxes, and weighted vehicle registration fees.
For efficiencies we need to apply thorough audits to ensure tax dollars are being spent efficiently, make sure revenue generating positions are fully staffed, and streamline government services where redundancies exist.
By starting now!
Climate resilience could be improved by financing from Climate Superfund legislation that would have the biggest polluters pay to help improve infrastructure.
Transportation could be improved by successful implementation of the NITA legislation approved last fall that consolidated systems, increased funding, and facilitated long-term coordinated planning.
Infrastructure modernization can be better facilitated by a new capital budget that takes into account 21st century needs such as climate resilience, modernized transit, and EV charging while creating equitable job opportunities to provide opportunities to underserved communities.
These are all interconnected issues but don't need to come at the expense of one another. We should scale up program similar to the Rapid Employment and Development Initiative that helps provide employment and wrap around supports to the most at-risk youth. Additionally, microstamping on firearms to help track criminal firearm activity would help deter and prevent criminal activity. We should also ensure law enforcement has proper training to interact with all members of the community and provide access to mental health services.
Campaign Phone
312-965-2758
Campaign YouTube URL
Joined military at 19 as only college pathway worked since 15. Completed Guard leadership as Equal Opportunity Leader, IWIL, Pope Francis's Escuela Política studying migration. Communications Director for Harris/Walz.
14 years Guard, activated Jan 6. One of two nationally resisting Trump/ICE now under investigation. President 46th Ward Dems, Chair Veterans for Change. Founded Sandwiches for Solidarity, organize ICE defense, organized the Chicago Women's March.
Running because we face ICE terror, lost hospitals, unaffordable housing. As working-class queer Latina, daughter of immigrant, understand personally. Organizing experience, proven courage, grassroots accountability prepared me to serve families, not corporations.
Immigrant Justice: Zero ICE cooperation, state-funded deportation defense, hold ICE agents accountable, abolish ICE, fight for real pathways to citizenship. I'm organizing community defense now and under investigation for resisting Trump's ICE orders, this is urgent and life-or-death for my family and community.
Housing Justice & Rent Control: Lift statewide rent control ban, invest massively in public housing, strengthen tenant protections, ban corporate landlord ownership. I know what it's like to choose between groceries and rent. Housing is a human right.
Universal Healthcare Access: Expand Medicaid regardless of immigration status, restore healthcare infrastructure lower prescription costs, massively expand mental health services.
Illinois doesn't have a spending problem,we have a revenue problem. I strongly support the Illinois Revenue Alliance platform generating $6+ billion annually through billionaire wealth taxes, closing corporate loopholes, progressive income taxation, and ending corporate subsidies. We give billions in corporate tax breaks while claiming we can't afford services,that's backwards.
Invest more: Public education (fully fund Evidence-Based Funding), public transit (prevent 40% service cuts), healthcare infrastructure, mental health services, affordable housing, climate infrastructure, community violence prevention.
Climate: Implement Green New Deal with renewable energy (public ownership), green infrastructure, environmental justice mandates. Champion Climate Superfund making fossil fuel companies pay for damages. End fossil fuel subsidies, ban new infrastructure, fund adaptation protecting vulnerable neighborhoods.
Transportation: Massively invest in public transit preventing 40% service cuts. Expand CTA/Metra/Pace, electrify buses, build protected bike infrastructure. Prioritize transit equity over highways, our district depends on transit.
Infrastructure: Restore healthcare infrastructure, replace lead pipes, modernize schools, invest in green stormwater, expand public broadband. Require Project Labor Agreements guaranteeing union jobs.
Real safety comes from meeting needs, not police and incarceration. I'm working on the RIFL Act holding gun manufacturers accountable and directing settlement funds to community violence prevention, victim services, mental health care, youth employment, and education.
Community Investment: Massively fund proven violence prevention like Cure Violence, mental health services, addiction treatment, youth programs, housing stability, economic opportunity. Replace police responses to mental health crises with community-based crisis teams staffed by professionals. Criminal Justice Reform:Support decarceration, automatic expungement for marijuana and non-violent offenses, ban private prisons, comprehensive re-entry support. Remove police from schoo
