Emmanuel Amanfor is one of nine people who have launched bids to represent Sacramento in the State Assembly but has said his life and professional experience makes him stand out from the crowded field of candidates. Amanfor immigrated to the United States as a child from Nigeria. He and his mother were homeless for a period of time while living on the East Coast. Amanfor grew up in Newark, New Jersey, where he says he lived-in low-income housing. His experience spurred him to become a housing and economic development advocate, who currently leads the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency. With a master’s degree in public health, Amanfor also helps oversee rehabilitation programs with California’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Amanfor said he believes he was one of the first to file in May and didn’t expect so many people to jump into the competitive race. The wide field formed after the area’s current assemblyman, Kevin McCarty, announced his run to be the next mayor of Sacramento. Amanfor sat down with KCRA 3 for a one-on-one interview on Monday. The conversation transcribed below has been edited for space and clarity. Q: In such a crowded field, what makes you the best person to represent Sacramento in the State Assembly?Amanfor: I think the first thing is, basically I have a unique outlook and the most lived experience in regards to relating to a lot of our voters to take action and not to be swayed by the bureaucracy of politics. So when I say I’m a man for the people, which actually, my last name is pronounced like ‘A man for,’ I truly mean that I’m there to represent the people. I have the lived experience and I won’t be swayed by bureaucracy. Q: What is your life experience? Amanfor: First of all, I’m a person of color, so I’ve already experienced discrimination in regard to being a person of color both professionally and privately in my personal life. And also, in regard to when it comes to health care, social determinants of health. As a person of African American race, you do experience that and I’ve witnessed that. I immigrated into this country at a very young age, so I know the implication in regard to immigration and how it impacts family, and working hard to achieve the California dream, which is probably better than the American dream. During that time of coming here to America with my mother, I experienced homelessness and displacements. So, I do remember vividly, standing in line, waiting outside of a church to receive food pantry and being worried and ashamed that other kids going to school at that time would see me standing in line. I know the impacts. As far as my upbringing, I lived in low-income housing. I lived in Newark, New Jersey, which is at times is one of the highest-rated places in regards to crime and homicide, so I was exposed to a lot of crime, gang violence. But I think my mother created a path for me to focus on education because in my household, education was always the pathway to success. I have my master’s in public health, so I utilize data, research and evidence-based information to make critical decisions in regard to policy. Currently, I work for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, so I’ve seen evidence-based research that really helps those who are released from prison to not recidivate. So, I oversee the rehabilitative programs, which are contracts with community-based organizations, which provide services such as substance abuse disorder, employment, education — all of those wrap-around services so that our unique population doesn’t recidivate. I work with the Department of Healthcare, so I was overseeing $1.2 billion in grants to reimagine how behavioral health is given to all children in the state of California. With that, I have experience working for the state for close to a decade. So, I’ve had experience working with different legislations to make a better lifestyle and atmosphere for people who reside in the whole state of California. I am a family man. I’m happily married with four boys. My boys’ ages range from 1 through 15. So, I know the pressure of providing for a household of at least six. With inflation, I think rapper Fat Joe said yesterday’s prices are not today’s price, the cost of living is so high right now. I understand the pressure for the middle class of trying to make ends meet while trying to understand the cost of living. Right now, I’m the chair of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, so in that capacity, during the pandemic, we were literally in the eye of the storm, where people were either being evicted from their home, houses or apartments because they didn’t have enough money to pay for their rent or for their utilities. So, working with SHR, which is a Joint Power Authority, or Agency, which is working with the city council and board of supervisors and SHRA, working collaboratively to make decisions and approval to low-income housing projects and to secure spaces for those experiencing homelessness. So, with those efforts, our homeless number would have actually been higher than what you’re seeing today. I’m also a board member for the city of Sacramento’s personnel board, so I oversee and adjudicate in regard to people who are working for the city of Sacramento. If they have any grievances, I oversee some of those situations. Also, people who apply for positions in the city so if they feel they were wrongfully disqualified for the position, I review the facts and then make adjudication as to whether or not they should be given an additional, fair chance to try to attain those positions. So utilizing an equity lens, that’s what I’ve been doing all my life. Q: What brought you to California and Sacramento? Amanfor: I have a background in biology, I was in the process of going to medical school. But, to begin, I had my son while I was in college, so I was a teen parent at the age of 19 when I was afforded to be able to go to a four year on a full ride. But the challenges of being a single parent and going to school while my now wife and son were four hours away was really challenging. So at that time, I was concentrating on doing my education and going to medical school, but once I returned home I realized that going through the path of medical school would be more challenging because I now had a new son. That’s when I realized I’m more of a family man. So then I decided to go to pharmacy school instead. So while I was applying to pharmacy school, I also wanted to go do my master’s in public health. I said you know what, some of my family members were already here. Maybe it’s time to take a change. Because quite honestly, I didn’t want my son to grow up in Newark at that time because it was really, really rough. Even though our community was good, I was moreso concerned because I knew what I experienced and I didn’t want him to experience that. We moved out here, and I did my master’s in public health but while doing my master’s, my pharmacy school was going to be in Fresno and I figured you know what, I think we found a spot to lay roots in. So I said let’s stay in Sacramento. I completed my master’s, and I, unfortunately, told the pharmacy school that I would no longer be attending. But I think that’s based on my experience with the cost of education. Granted, I was blessed with having gone to a four-year college based on an academic scholarship, and I didn’t have to pay anything, but with the master’s program, I still have student loans. And as many residents know, it’s a huge burden. My wife also has a master’s in public health. Q: What should be done about homelessness and housing? Amanfor: Being someone who has experienced homelessness, we have to really understand the spectrum of those who are experiencing homelessness. My mother came in from another country. I think having access to different programs was very limited. She was timid in actually asking for help or understanding what she needed in order to live the standard lifestyle. So, I think number one is understanding the spectrum. Either they’re down on their luck; they may need substance abuse treatment; they may need support in regard to life skills; they may need rental assistance, so we have to look at it under a grander scale.Right now, with SHRA, we’ve done a great job. I can’t speak for the organization, but I can only speak on my experience overseeing a lot of development. You cannot expect a building or housing to be developed within a month. As much as we want housing to be developed at a rapid pace, we also need to be conscious about the quality of the housing that’s being developed. We don’t want these houses to be dilapidated, where with people living there would be a risk. We need to be realistic about this. Number one, with regards to housing, adopt some things we’ve been doing at SHRA, working with the county and city. I recently went to a town hall hosted by Mayor Steinberg. A lot of the residents were concerned about the housing issue. From that experience, I realized there’s disconnect between city, county, and state, hence why we wanted to develop the JPA where they are able to communicate. But I think it’s more than that. We need to get away from the bureaucracy and focus on helping people and not trying to persuade people based on political agendas. We have a lot of housing or properties as far as city and county that we can actually develop as a transitional housing program. I work for CDCR. I’ve seen the evidence base when a unique population is given opportunities as far as wrap-around services, where they can actually be sustainable. We’re not thinking about sustainability. It’s almost the example of a boat and there’s a hole in it and it’s filling up. Instead of clogging it, you’re just pouring water out. And I feel like we’re currently doing a knee-jerk reaction of developing housing without addressing the issue, which is addressing substance abuse disorder, addressing wrap-around services in regards to employment, life skills and other things that will help individuals to be successful and live our traditional lifestyle. I think with what we’re doing, we could do a lot more if we had more funding. Work collaboratively and use evidence-based information to drive our policies. You can’t just be making decisions on a whim because you don’t like seeing people in a state. We need to look deeper into that issue. Why are they there? What do they need? I think for me, coming from that experience, my mother would have been better if she had a better understand of access to programs, utilities, housing, housing opportunities. I think there’s a lack of information. Q: Where do you stand in this debate between local governments and the state over housing and homelessness? The state has been providing them grants, but want more accountability measures in place, while local governments say the state needs to do a better job of providing those funds?Amanfor: Working for the state for close to a decade, I understand the process as far as when the state allocates funds to cities and county agencies with an expectation for them to deliver. Hence why we typically have a compliance unit to oversee how effective the state and county are delivering on the project. I think there’s a misconnection on what successful completion is. We don’t have enough data to really say, you know what, if we’re given this funding to this county and when they apply for these grants or contracts, they’ve provided enough measurable information to say, ‘Yes, this is how you do it. This has proven that it reduces homelessness.’ I think that’s where the disconnection is, where we don’t have measurables to quantify what the state is currently doing will provide this result, and we’re asking for results from the counties and cities and the information is screwed. I think we need to do better at the state level to provide evidence-based parameters and expectations with partnerships, community-based organizations that are helping people on the ground. Q: On public safety, one of the biggest debates right now in the Legislature that has been dividing Democrats is, one side that has no appetite to increase penalties for those who commit crimes such as fentanyl poisoning or child trafficking, On the other side, there’s another set that think it’s time to enhance consequences. Where would you stand? Amanfor: I’ve been meeting with various organizations and different people, including police officers. I went to a cops and coffee event to ask questions what their take is on public safety. Number one, as someone who comes from low income, an increase in crime is correlated with an increase in unemployment. In regard to the consequences of those who break the law, I think we really have to consider the victims and the victim’s family. As much as we want to reduce certain sentences, number one, we need to make sure that some of these sentences and the justice system has an equity lens. Meaning, if someone from a different background commits a crime that there’s an expectation that anyone else from another background would have to face the same consequences. We need to think about the victims. As much as we want to reduce certain sentences, is that justifiable to the victims who lost a loved one? I think we really need to be careful as far as we’re making decisions just to fulfill the current wave of the political realm. We need to look at the data and think qualitatively how this would impact everyone, and not just those who have been wronged over the years. Q: I don’t expect you to speak on behalf of CDCR, but in this public safety discussion there’s been some concern about the early release credits. The program, I know there’s discussion on some who have been released who went on to commit much worse crimes. As an assemblyman, and with your experience, is that something you’d like to see more oversight of? Amanfor: Definitely. I can’t speak for CDCR, but one thing I think would improve is additional funding so that we can touch more people who are currently being released. Some of these community-based organizations. I’m really in the ground. I know the data, and those community-based organizations providing services so that those who were released don’t recidivate. There’s a cap on how many people they can actually give services to. We have a long waitlist of people who are waiting to receive these services. If we can provide additional funding, that’s number one, and then also increase the partnership; have more than just your typical organization because it’s too much for them to handle. Have new organizations, new partnerships that can expand the services. For those who may have received these services and then went back and committed a crime, I think we have to take it on a case-by-case basis. We can’t just say this person committed a crime. It shows the program is flawed. We have to really look at the data. The data shows those who receive these services are less likely to recidivate. That’s the fact. Q: When you look at the State Assembly right now, broadly, what changes or what would you try to do differently should you be elected? Amanfor: I think we need to look at things through a different lens. Sort of like in health care when a patient is sick, it’s called patient-centered care. I think we need to do a person-centered care where these key issues, housing, education, economic development are talking to each other. So for example, when you have a student who is receiving education, they need to have an opportunity to know these are the housing opportunities when you do graduate and here’s what’s available. In regard to health care, these are the options for you to be able to receive health care. In regards to any other thing that will help you be a comfortable person, to live comfortably in this state, these entities need to work collaboratively together. With our unhoused population, yes building houses may be a temporary solution, but we need to think long term, with education, with employment. If we had an opportunity where all these entities are communicating with each other, with these resources that do exist, they have access to each other, and providing the services, you would see less cases of people experiencing homelessness, less cases of people committing crime, less cases of people not having job opportunities. Q: It’s undeniable how big this race has become. What do you make of it, and how challenging will it be to stand out among ten, or maybe even a dozen candidates? Amanfor: When I filed, I think I was the first person to file, and it’s very similar to having a party. I thought no one was going to come but apparently, so many people are coming to my party. It’s great to see a lot of candidates who feel they have a lot to represent the people. You could take it in one of two ways. It may be indicative that they may have not seen solutions and results with the current incumbent, which is no fault in him, but they feel they can enhance the current political atmosphere, or some people may feel like this is an opportunity for them to get political growth or political ambition. But with this wide field, for me, I have the lived experience and the professional background that a lot of constituents would have. I have a pretty good relationship with some of them. I think the mindset is that everyone has something to bring to the upfront. This is a vote for the people, not political endorsements. I’m not a politician. I haven’t been groomed into this position, but I’ve played in the same sandbox as a lot of these political people, so I do know what it takes to take action and to make impactful decisions. Because of my lived experience and professional background, voters will be able to see the result of their choices and their concerns.
Emmanuel Amanfor is one of nine people who have launched bids to represent Sacramento in the State Assembly but has said his life and professional experience makes him stand out from the crowded field of candidates.
Amanfor immigrated to the United States as a child from Nigeria. He and his mother were homeless for a period of time while living on the East Coast. Amanfor grew up in Newark, New Jersey, where he says he lived-in low-income housing.
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His experience spurred him to become a housing and economic development advocate, who currently leads the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency. With a master’s degree in public health, Amanfor also helps oversee rehabilitation programs with California’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Amanfor said he believes he was one of the first to file in May and didn’t expect so many people to jump into the competitive race. The wide field formed after the area’s current assemblyman, Kevin McCarty, announced his run to be the next mayor of Sacramento.
Amanfor sat down with KCRA 3 for a one-on-one interview on Monday. The conversation transcribed below has been edited for space and clarity.
Q: In such a crowded field, what makes you the best person to represent Sacramento in the State Assembly?
Amanfor: I think the first thing is, basically I have a unique outlook and the most lived experience in regards to relating to a lot of our voters to take action and not to be swayed by the bureaucracy of politics. So when I say I’m a man for the people, which actually, my last name is pronounced like ‘A man for,’ I truly mean that I’m there to represent the people. I have the lived experience and I won’t be swayed by bureaucracy.
Q: What is your life experience?
Amanfor: First of all, I’m a person of color, so I’ve already experienced discrimination in regard to being a person of color both professionally and privately in my personal life. And also, in regard to when it comes to health care, social determinants of health. As a person of African American race, you do experience that and I’ve witnessed that. I immigrated into this country at a very young age, so I know the implication in regard to immigration and how it impacts family, and working hard to achieve the California dream, which is probably better than the American dream.
During that time of coming here to America with my mother, I experienced homelessness and displacements. So, I do remember vividly, standing in line, waiting outside of a church to receive food pantry and being worried and ashamed that other kids going to school at that time would see me standing in line.
I know the impacts. As far as my upbringing, I lived in low-income housing. I lived in Newark, New Jersey, which is at times is one of the highest-rated places in regards to crime and homicide, so I was exposed to a lot of crime, gang violence. But I think my mother created a path for me to focus on education because in my household, education was always the pathway to success.
I have my master’s in public health, so I utilize data, research and evidence-based information to make critical decisions in regard to policy. Currently, I work for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, so I’ve seen evidence-based research that really helps those who are released from prison to not recidivate. So, I oversee the rehabilitative programs, which are contracts with community-based organizations, which provide services such as substance abuse disorder, employment, education — all of those wrap-around services so that our unique population doesn’t recidivate.
I work with the Department of Healthcare, so I was overseeing $1.2 billion in grants to reimagine how behavioral health is given to all children in the state of California. With that, I have experience working for the state for close to a decade. So, I’ve had experience working with different legislations to make a better lifestyle and atmosphere for people who reside in the whole state of California.
I am a family man. I’m happily married with four boys. My boys’ ages range from 1 through 15. So, I know the pressure of providing for a household of at least six. With inflation, I think rapper Fat Joe said yesterday’s prices are not today’s price, the cost of living is so high right now. I understand the pressure for the middle class of trying to make ends meet while trying to understand the cost of living.
Right now, I’m the chair of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, so in that capacity, during the pandemic, we were literally in the eye of the storm, where people were either being evicted from their home, houses or apartments because they didn’t have enough money to pay for their rent or for their utilities.
So, working with SHR, which is a Joint Power Authority, or Agency, which is working with the city council and board of supervisors and SHRA, working collaboratively to make decisions and approval to low-income housing projects and to secure spaces for those experiencing homelessness. So, with those efforts, our homeless number would have actually been higher than what you’re seeing today.
I’m also a board member for the city of Sacramento’s personnel board, so I oversee and adjudicate in regard to people who are working for the city of Sacramento. If they have any grievances, I oversee some of those situations. Also, people who apply for positions in the city so if they feel they were wrongfully disqualified for the position, I review the facts and then make adjudication as to whether or not they should be given an additional, fair chance to try to attain those positions. So utilizing an equity lens, that’s what I’ve been doing all my life.
Q: What brought you to California and Sacramento?
Amanfor: I have a background in biology, I was in the process of going to medical school. But, to begin, I had my son while I was in college, so I was a teen parent at the age of 19 when I was afforded to be able to go to a four year on a full ride. But the challenges of being a single parent and going to school while my now wife and son were four hours away was really challenging.
So at that time, I was concentrating on doing my education and going to medical school, but once I returned home I realized that going through the path of medical school would be more challenging because I now had a new son. That’s when I realized I’m more of a family man.
So then I decided to go to pharmacy school instead. So while I was applying to pharmacy school, I also wanted to go do my master’s in public health. I said you know what, some of my family members were already here. Maybe it’s time to take a change. Because quite honestly, I didn’t want my son to grow up in Newark at that time because it was really, really rough. Even though our community was good, I was moreso concerned because I knew what I experienced and I didn’t want him to experience that.
We moved out here, and I did my master’s in public health but while doing my master’s, my pharmacy school was going to be in Fresno and I figured you know what, I think we found a spot to lay roots in. So I said let’s stay in Sacramento. I completed my master’s, and I, unfortunately, told the pharmacy school that I would no longer be attending. But I think that’s based on my experience with the cost of education.
Granted, I was blessed with having gone to a four-year college based on an academic scholarship, and I didn’t have to pay anything, but with the master’s program, I still have student loans. And as many residents know, it’s a huge burden. My wife also has a master’s in public health.
Q: What should be done about homelessness and housing?
Amanfor: Being someone who has experienced homelessness, we have to really understand the spectrum of those who are experiencing homelessness. My mother came in from another country. I think having access to different programs was very limited. She was timid in actually asking for help or understanding what she needed in order to live the standard lifestyle. So, I think number one is understanding the spectrum. Either they’re down on their luck; they may need substance abuse treatment; they may need support in regard to life skills; they may need rental assistance, so we have to look at it under a grander scale.
Right now, with SHRA, we’ve done a great job. I can’t speak for the organization, but I can only speak on my experience overseeing a lot of development. You cannot expect a building or housing to be developed within a month. As much as we want housing to be developed at a rapid pace, we also need to be conscious about the quality of the housing that’s being developed. We don’t want these houses to be dilapidated, where with people living there would be a risk. We need to be realistic about this. Number one, with regards to housing, adopt some things we’ve been doing at SHRA, working with the county and city. I recently went to a town hall hosted by Mayor Steinberg. A lot of the residents were concerned about the housing issue.
From that experience, I realized there’s disconnect between city, county, and state, hence why we wanted to develop the JPA where they are able to communicate. But I think it’s more than that. We need to get away from the bureaucracy and focus on helping people and not trying to persuade people based on political agendas.
We have a lot of housing or properties as far as city and county that we can actually develop as a transitional housing program. I work for CDCR. I’ve seen the evidence base when a unique population is given opportunities as far as wrap-around services, where they can actually be sustainable. We’re not thinking about sustainability. It’s almost the example of a boat and there’s a hole in it and it’s filling up. Instead of clogging it, you’re just pouring water out. And I feel like we’re currently doing a knee-jerk reaction of developing housing without addressing the issue, which is addressing substance abuse disorder, addressing wrap-around services in regards to employment, life skills and other things that will help individuals to be successful and live our traditional lifestyle.
I think with what we’re doing, we could do a lot more if we had more funding. Work collaboratively and use evidence-based information to drive our policies. You can’t just be making decisions on a whim because you don’t like seeing people in a state. We need to look deeper into that issue. Why are they there? What do they need? I think for me, coming from that experience, my mother would have been better if she had a better understand of access to programs, utilities, housing, housing opportunities. I think there’s a lack of information.
Q: Where do you stand in this debate between local governments and the state over housing and homelessness? The state has been providing them grants, but want more accountability measures in place, while local governments say the state needs to do a better job of providing those funds?
Amanfor: Working for the state for close to a decade, I understand the process as far as when the state allocates funds to cities and county agencies with an expectation for them to deliver. Hence why we typically have a compliance unit to oversee how effective the state and county are delivering on the project.
I think there’s a misconnection on what successful completion is. We don’t have enough data to really say, you know what, if we’re given this funding to this county and when they apply for these grants or contracts, they’ve provided enough measurable information to say, ‘Yes, this is how you do it. This has proven that it reduces homelessness.’
I think that’s where the disconnection is, where we don’t have measurables to quantify what the state is currently doing will provide this result, and we’re asking for results from the counties and cities and the information is screwed. I think we need to do better at the state level to provide evidence-based parameters and expectations with partnerships, community-based organizations that are helping people on the ground.
Q: On public safety, one of the biggest debates right now in the Legislature that has been dividing Democrats is, one side that has no appetite to increase penalties for those who commit crimes such as fentanyl poisoning or child trafficking, On the other side, there’s another set that think it’s time to enhance consequences. Where would you stand?
Amanfor: I’ve been meeting with various organizations and different people, including police officers. I went to a cops and coffee event to ask questions what their take is on public safety. Number one, as someone who comes from low income, an increase in crime is correlated with an increase in unemployment. In regard to the consequences of those who break the law, I think we really have to consider the victims and the victim’s family.
As much as we want to reduce certain sentences, number one, we need to make sure that some of these sentences and the justice system has an equity lens. Meaning, if someone from a different background commits a crime that there’s an expectation that anyone else from another background would have to face the same consequences.
We need to think about the victims. As much as we want to reduce certain sentences, is that justifiable to the victims who lost a loved one? I think we really need to be careful as far as we’re making decisions just to fulfill the current wave of the political realm. We need to look at the data and think qualitatively how this would impact everyone, and not just those who have been wronged over the years.
Q: I don’t expect you to speak on behalf of CDCR, but in this public safety discussion there’s been some concern about the early release credits. The program, I know there’s discussion on some who have been released who went on to commit much worse crimes. As an assemblyman, and with your experience, is that something you’d like to see more oversight of?
Amanfor: Definitely. I can’t speak for CDCR, but one thing I think would improve is additional funding so that we can touch more people who are currently being released. Some of these community-based organizations. I’m really in the ground. I know the data, and those community-based organizations providing services so that those who were released don’t recidivate. There’s a cap on how many people they can actually give services to. We have a long waitlist of people who are waiting to receive these services.
If we can provide additional funding, that’s number one, and then also increase the partnership; have more than just your typical organization because it’s too much for them to handle. Have new organizations, new partnerships that can expand the services.
For those who may have received these services and then went back and committed a crime, I think we have to take it on a case-by-case basis. We can’t just say this person committed a crime. It shows the program is flawed. We have to really look at the data. The data shows those who receive these services are less likely to recidivate. That’s the fact.
Q: When you look at the State Assembly right now, broadly, what changes or what would you try to do differently should you be elected?
Amanfor: I think we need to look at things through a different lens. Sort of like in health care when a patient is sick, it’s called patient-centered care. I think we need to do a person-centered care where these key issues, housing, education, economic development are talking to each other.
So for example, when you have a student who is receiving education, they need to have an opportunity to know these are the housing opportunities when you do graduate and here’s what’s available. In regard to health care, these are the options for you to be able to receive health care. In regards to any other thing that will help you be a comfortable person, to live comfortably in this state, these entities need to work collaboratively together.
With our unhoused population, yes building houses may be a temporary solution, but we need to think long term, with education, with employment.
If we had an opportunity where all these entities are communicating with each other, with these resources that do exist, they have access to each other, and providing the services, you would see less cases of people experiencing homelessness, less cases of people committing crime, less cases of people not having job opportunities.
Q: It’s undeniable how big this race has become. What do you make of it, and how challenging will it be to stand out among ten, or maybe even a dozen candidates?
Amanfor: When I filed, I think I was the first person to file, and it’s very similar to having a party. I thought no one was going to come but apparently, so many people are coming to my party. It’s great to see a lot of candidates who feel they have a lot to represent the people.
You could take it in one of two ways. It may be indicative that they may have not seen solutions and results with the current incumbent, which is no fault in him, but they feel they can enhance the current political atmosphere, or some people may feel like this is an opportunity for them to get political growth or political ambition.
But with this wide field, for me, I have the lived experience and the professional background that a lot of constituents would have. I have a pretty good relationship with some of them. I think the mindset is that everyone has something to bring to the upfront. This is a vote for the people, not political endorsements.
I’m not a politician. I haven’t been groomed into this position, but I’ve played in the same sandbox as a lot of these political people, so I do know what it takes to take action and to make impactful decisions. Because of my lived experience and professional background, voters will be able to see the result of their choices and their concerns.