Representatives we elect to office are supposed to represent and advocate for their people and their communities, but they don’t. When elected officials fail to engage with the communities they serve, then they are no longer representatives – but career politicians and party establishment “yes-men” who only act when it benefits them or when they can no longer delay action. At a minimum, our elected representatives should:

• Consistently and regularly speak to local activists and organizations in their communities
• Offer regular drop-in hours or office hours, virtually and in person, and hold public meetings with advanced notice. These outreach efforts should NOT only happen during an election year
• Truly engage with all constituent questions and concerns, rather than cherry pick the questions that make the Congressperson look good
• Directly follow up with city, county, and state officials to ensure that members of the community have their needs addressed and are directly receiving the benefits they deserve

As long as we see these career politicians and establishment yes-people in office, we won’t see the big change that our people and communities need right now. Given the ever-increasing wealth gap between the haves and the have-nots, rising rent and costs of living, and prioritization of corporate and special interests over the people in the federal budget, which leaves only crumbs for the people, it’s even more important to elect representatives who will actually talk with us, hear us, and create new ideas and legislation together. That’s the kind of responsive representation we need here in California’s 34th congressional district, and all congressional districts of our country. 

We must bring the power back to the people, and that means electing representatives who are truly community-based.

Community-Based Leadership

Community-based leadership is one where a leader seeks to always co-govern with their community, directly communicates and allows reliable open access to community members, and actively follows up with all necessary parties to ensure that their community members receive the benefits that they deserve. 

Co-Governance

• Having a federal representative who proactively co-governs with local activists, community organizations, constituents and residents of their district in authoring legislation together, putting forth bills together 
• Having a federal representative who purposefully seeks the input of the most marginalized members of our communities when considering legislation to ensure their voices are heard

Communication 

• Having a federal representative who provides drop-in hours and office hours, in-person and remotely
• Having a federal representative who holds monthly public constituent meetings with advance public notice of all details for the public to see, including the location, and allowing every constituent to ask a question and not just a select few
• Having a federal representative who prioritizes budgeting in such a way so that the peoples’ needs are met first before any tax breaks, subsidies and free money is given to corporate and special interests – the same corporate and special interests that fund career politicians’ re-elections

Coordination

• Having a federal representative who closely works with our city, county and state representatives and agencies in coordinating and ensuring that we actually receive federal support, funding and services, and not just co-sponsoring legislation when obliged to by the party or when it’s popular to do so
• Implementing a system of checks whereby representatives can track federal spending by the dollar to ensure those funds are actually being given to those in the community who deserve the assistance
• Eliminating unnecessary “red tape” and bureaucratic inefficiency

The federal government was intended to be one that is of, for, and by the people. When our elected federal representatives aren’t co-governing, communicating and coordinating with our constituents, activists, community organizations and local leaders, but rather passively co-sponsoring and voting on bills when told to do so by the elite few, we don’t have a government that truly represents us and our communities. Instead, we have one that represents political parties and special interests. 

It’s time to take our power back as a people and create a government that represents us and that starts with voting in 100% people-powered candidates who are sourced and rooted in the community, and who will co-govern, communicate and coordinate. 

That is what I promise to do as your Congressperson.