Born and raised in Nevada, I am a product of the Clark County School District. I attended high school at the historic Las Vegas High School just blocks from the world-renowned Fremont Street. Attending college at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) was a dream for me. I had never imagined that I could attend college, let alone, earn a degree. At the time, I didn’t know anyone that was a college graduate.
Financially, it wasn’t easy. I worked three jobs and took a full course load my freshman and sophomore year. Before beginning my junior year of college, I got married and stopped going to school. After a few years, I realized that I had to finish my degree. When I returned to UNLV, I was pregnant with my only child. I had to reduce my class load because my daughter ended up having some medical issues during the first six months of her life. But as her health improved, I was able to increase my class load. My first introduction to politics came during my senior year of college, when I was elected as the Education Senator at UNLV. My experience at UNLV was the beginning of a life-long dedication to education. I now have a M.Ed in Technology Integration and another M.Ed in Leadership/Supervision. All from a girl that never dreamed that she could go to college!
In my 20 years as an educator, I have witnessed families struggle financially, with parents often working several jobs to make ends meet. I have worked with students that have difficulties focusing in class because they are unsure where they are going to sleep each night and/or if they are going to have anything to eat. I have volunteered at schools on Saturdays to help distribute food, backpacks and school supplies that were donated by local charities. As a community, we have to become better at helping our neighbors and the children that are being left behind by the system.
Classrooms across our state and country have been inundated by government legislation regarding instruction and assessment. In the past ten years, it has become apparent that many of these practices and procedures increase paperwork but do not improve education. Our children deserve the very best education possible to prepare them for college and the workplace. There needs to be lower student/teacher ratios so that educators can provide the best instruction to address the needs of every student. It is imperative that public education provides quality instruction and produces highly trained individuals for the future of our country.
I am an advocate for the underdog and I have always stepped up to defend those who have been wronged by the system. Rather than sit back and complain about social injustice, educational inequality, and the exploitation of women, I took action and signed up for a training with Emerge Nevada to learn the basics of running for elected office. Now, I am taking a stand to advocate for the constituents in my district and the state of Nevada. This is my home.
As the Assemblywoman for Nevada District 36, education reform, gun safety, health care and veteran issues are some of the areas I will focus on during my first term in the Nevada Legislature. It is time for the people to stand up and be heard in the State of Nevada, and I will work tirelessly to represent voters in my district.