Political Agenda
POLITICAL AGENDA
Education
Education is the key to success, but it is also the essential component to survive in our society. It is crucial for all students to receive the same adequate resources to prepare them for College and their future careers. Our Educational system has fallen from the waist side, the Administrators are too worried about their schools receiving funding than the students’ physical and mental well-being. It is very disturbing on how students are not the main priority; their presence brings funding to the institution, yet all students still do not receive the much needed instructional and empowerment guidance to achieve the standard learning outcomes. Instead, the Educators are coerced to teach accordingly and uses whatever the Administration decides to distribute to them. In most cases, the resources that are given to the Educator is very limited and scarce so there teaching methods are ineffective for the students to achieve their academic goals. The system is also drawn out to be the pipeline to the criminal justice system for our students instead of the pipeline to their college endeavors and future careers especially for the students who have mental health issues and intellectual or physical disabilities as well as socio-economic disadvantaged. Another concern is the safety of our students not only from natural disasters and gun violence but also during pandemics. For the past two years, we have been experiencing the COVID 19 pandemic and there is an uproar on whether schools should be opened or closed, or whether masks should be mandated for students to attend school or should the students be vaccinated before entering school premises. It is an up-ticking battle yet there are solutions for this, and some were proposed and also executed but the head of the state always obstruct the solution.
So, as your representative, I surely propose two initiatives to make sure ALL STUDENTS will receive adequate and viable resources to achieve their academic goals that will aid and prepare them for College and their future careers as well as providing them a safe and secure environment to retain the information that is given to them by the Educators.
Education 4 Elevation
Education 4 Elevation is a student development initiative program for all students to be automatically enrolled as a current student in pre-K-12th grades at all private, charter and public schools. It will give ALL STUDENTS an opportunity to engage in extracurricular activities that caters to the students’ talents and intuitions on what their career interests are which includes on-site job training and internships. It will also make sure all schools will have Certified Counselors and Librarians. In this program, there will be funding for each school to have an accessible, digital, functional, and resourceful library for the students to utilize during and after school. Also, tutorial sessions with both retired and current Educators for all subjects and college preparation exams such as SAT, Act will be accessible online and in person at the campuses. In addition, parent involvement workshops will be available virtually and in person for updates on educational policies and any and all literature pertaining to their children education.
ACADEMIC SHIELD
Another program initiative is Academic Shield. This program is designed to provide a safe, accessible, convenient, and secure environment for all students in every school. Of course, there are already strategic plans and emergency drills that are constantly used if there is an active shooter on campus, chemical leaks, a natural disaster, and pandemics but all schools do not have enough resources and manpower to do so. So, this program will reinforce those plans and make sure an innovative approach will proceed for the safety of our students.
Veterans
Veterans are the most underappreciated and disrespected honorable individuals in our society. Not a day goes by we would see a disabled veteran on the corner needing money, food and a place to live. It is disheartening to witness an individual who sacrificed their lives for the country and country does not show appreciation they deserve to have. Our heroes were and still is there for us. Now it is time for us to be there for all of them.
NO MAN LEFT BEHIND
No Man Left Behind is a program that assist all veterans with their essential needs including but not limited housing, education, food, transportation, clothing, job training, legal representation and healthcare. Of course, there are many grassroots programs that provide some of their needs, but this program will have social workers, lawyers, psychologists, and job counselors on standby for the veterans whenever they need assistance and come across any issues receiving their veterans benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Also, there will be a ‘Wellness Support Team’ who will be dispatched to check and evaluate the Veterans who are homeless to see if they are willing to accept assistance or not. If so, their information will be kept in the database to inform the Department of Veterans Affair about the veteran who is seeking for benefits so he or she will be granted the assistance.
Homelessness
According to the Coalition for the Homeless, there are 45,162 individuals in Harris, Fort Bend & Montgomery Counties experiencing homelessness versus 567, 715 individuals nationwide. Within these counties in the Houston region, 50% of homelessness is caused by an economic crisis while 10% is substance abuse. Therefore, the organization I found, #WeAre1 Movement has a program called “I’m My Brothers & Sisters Keeper” that will assist and aid those who are in the need and make sure the numbers of homelessness will continually decline.
I'M MY BROTHERS & SISTERS' KEEPER
A program that is designed to aid and assist current grassroots organizations like the Coalition for Homeless, Shape Community Centers, Bread for Life to fight this crisis and uplift our Brothers & Sisters with assistance whereas they could function as productive citizens. Within this program, the committee of IMBSK host clothing and food drives as well as job fairs and workshops about mental health, domestic and substance abuse at selective locations that caters to the Homeless population as way to contribute to the cause. In addition, the program also hosts celebrations for the homelessness and those who are in the need by inviting vendors who are willing to cater to the individuals with food, entertainment, clothing, job counseling, transportation, housing, education, healthcare, and cosmetics. The mission of these celebrations is to uplift, empower and acknowledge the Homelessness that they are human beings and they are not alone.
Mental Health Awareness
In the state of Texas, the population is 26.9 million and out of this amount of people, there are 3.68% adults suffering from serious mental health conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression. However, there are only 38.3% of the adults receiving treatment from either public or private providers while 61.7% are not receiving the treatments because they are either afraid to admit they have a problem or their insurance does not cover it or they do not know how to get assistance.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
So, as your candidate, the You Are Not Alone program, will reinforce and implement a plan for those who suffer mental health disorder and distribute the information they need to get assistance. The Wellness Team who assist the Veterans will also locate and evaluate those who are suffering from mental illness and will placed the individuals’ information in our database so we could forward their information to the Department of State Health Services in the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division so they could receive much needed treatment and counseling. The individuals will also have legal representation who will make sure the individual will not have any prolonged or delayed treatments.
Voting Rights
Although the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed on August 6, 1965, by President Lyndon B. Johnson which expanded the 14th and 15th amendments by banning racial discrimination in voting practices. The Act is still under attack today with extreme and suppressive bills being passed in state legislation like here in Texas. If that wasn’t the case, then why are so many Democratic officials are in a quorum to block the vote of the suppressive bills and the Governor is sending warrants for their arrest. This right should be automatic for all people who have paid dues as US citizens without any restrictions. Every voice should be a vote that counts. Therefore, as your candidate I will fight for the rights for people to be accommodated so their voices could be heard. Also, for those who are still under the umbrella of not being eligible to vote will also be part of the voting process by giving them the opportunity to sign on the petition for the candidate they see fit to be on the ballot and represent them and their interests.
Policing
In this era, we have seen so many law enforcements engaging into criminal acts and using excessive force that taken so many lives and affected the vast majority because of their stereotypical perception of one or an assumption that could have been handled differently. The trust has diminished between the civilians and law enforcement. So, first and foremost, the officers should be held accountable for their actions and should go through the Due Process like the civilians; therefore, they should not receive any immunity. Officers should be persecuted and indicted like everyone else because no one is above the law. An officer was sworn in to protect and serve not kill and destroy. Secondly, there is a need of community involvement seminars and seasonal festivals for both Law Enforcement and Civilians to unite with one and another and build on a more “covenantal relationship”. Needless to say, there should be community based civilian board for every district in the Houston Metro area that reinforce and hold law enforcement accountable for their actions. So, as your candidate I will propose these solutions.
