1.  What is it that you love about Ann Arbor?

What I love most about Ann Arbor is our unique culture of community care, where world-class innovation lives alongside a neighborhood resilience that refuses to leave anyone behind. My own journey began with a visit to Ann Arbor as a child in poverty, where I was elated by the city’s energy but devastated by the feeling that such a joyous place would never be accessible to me. Today, as a neighbor and community leader, I have turned that early longing into a career dedicated to ensuring our city remains open to all. Ann Arbor is the place that transformed me from a hopeful outsider into a dedicated public servant, and I am profoundly proud to finally call it home. 

2. What are the three most pressing problems that you care most about fixing?

The most urgent challenges facing the Fourth Ward are the vulnerability of our aging infrastructure, need for more reliable public transit, and lack of affordable housing options. We must urgently address the ‘missing middle’ housing gap to ensure the workers who power our city can actually afford to live within it. I am committed to securing a city budget that prioritizes long-term sustainability and equitable resource distribution across every neighborhood.

3. How would you go about fixing those problems?

I will champion the modernization of our zoning laws to allow for the diverse, sustainable housing developments required to lower costs for all residents. My exemplary record of fiscal oversight as Library Board President proves that I have the experience to manage these complex goals while maintaining the high standard of financial integrity our residents deserve. By leveraging my existing partnerships with state leadership, I will secure the intergovernmental funding necessary to upgrade our transit and infrastructure without overburdening local taxpayers. Together, these strategies will provide the budgetary acumen and regional cooperation needed to solve our most persistent local challenges.

4. Let’s say that your solution meets resistance or some part of your plan doesn’t work. What do you do next?

When a plan meets resistance, I return to the community to listen, learn, and identify how we can better align our shared goals. I believe in a leadership style that is humble enough to refine a strategy based on resident feedback, yet disciplined enough to stay focused on our core values. My approach is iterative; if one path is blocked, I use data and dialogue to find a more effective route toward the results our neighborhoods deserve. Ultimately, I have the grit to keep moving forward, ensuring that even the most difficult challenges result in progress for the Fourth Ward. 

5. What are your thoughts on this decade+ evolution in how we do politics, and how has it changed your approach?

Politics has shifted toward a more direct, accessible style of engagement that demands absolute authenticity and responsiveness from local leaders. While this evolution can make it difficult to find common ground in a fast-paced digital world, I believe a representative must be a calming force. My goal is to be a digital-native leader who uses every available tool to provide clear, reliable information without ever losing sight of the value of a front-porch conversation. By meeting people where they are, I will make certain that every voice in the Fourth Ward is heard and respected, regardless of how they choose to reach out. 

6. How should the voters of Ward 4 think about the difference between you and your opponents?

As President of the Ann Arbor District Library Board, I am the only candidate in this race currently leading a major city institution and managing a complex public budget. I will be ready to serve on day one. Voters should see me as the candidate who combines a unique lived experience—having navigated a lifetime of poverty—with a proven track record of navigating high-level government systems. As the youngest Black person elected in our city’s history, I have demonstrated that I can break barriers while delivering the results our community deserves. 

I also offer the proven ability to build the state-level partnerships necessary to bring real resources home to Ann Arbor, pairing our local needs with broader support mechanisms. My life-saving work on the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities is a testament to how I bridge this gap between grassroots advocacy and executive action. Ultimately, I am running to ensure that our city’s growth is matched by a deep, unwavering accountability to the working families and neighborhoods that make the Fourth Ward home. 

7. Make your case to readers that you are the right person to ensure their inclusion and dignity.

I was raised in a low-income, single-parent household, so I understand firsthand what it feels like to worry about being left behind by rising costs. I have dedicated my career to honoring the resilient spirit of my mother by ensuring that inclusion is a lived reality reflected in our housing, transit, and economic policies. As Library Board President, I have championed expanded services for our most vulnerable neighbors, proving that our public institutions can be powerful engines for dignity and social equity. I am ready to bring that same dedication to City Hall to ensure that our government remains a responsive, reliable partner for every family in the Fourth Ward. 

8. Zingerman’s, Ahmos, No Thai, Fleetwood, or Le Dog. Where would you rather go to lunch?

Zingerman’s is my regular choice, especially since I am currently on a monthly streak to try every ‘Sandwich of the Month’ they release. There is something special about an institution that stays so creative after decades of feeding an entire city. It is a tradition that reminds me why our city remains such a fun, quirky, and flavorful destination for residents and visitors alike.