All Charlotte residents should live in a community they are proud to call home. I have championed equitable access to city and county resources by partnering with nonprofits and neighborhood organizations. I support efforts like SAFE Charlotte, which implements a holistic approach to creating safe and inclusive communities by tackling fundamental and systemic issues contributing to unsafe neighborhoods. 

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I’ve been vocal in my support of the expansion of the City’s Alternatives to Violence Initiative (ATV). My neighborhood and the Southwest Area Neighborhood (SWAN) Coalition led two town halls after a 9-year-old girl was shot in an adjoining complex in the middle of the day.  This was the 3rd shooting in less than a month in that area. During the town hall, residents demanded that the management company incorporate patrols and security fences to address gun violence. Due to our collaboration with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, the area has seen a drastic decrease in violent crime. Transforming Nations Ford now works closely with area management companies to host events that build a strong and resilient community.

 

Residents of the area are grateful that the City of Charlotte expanded the ATV program to the Nations Ford/Arrowood Corridors. ATV deploys trained violence interrupters to defuse situations and teach conflict resolution skills. ATV was piloted in the Beatties Ford Community to curb firearm violence in Charlotte by implementing violence prevention measures. Preliminary data shows that these efforts, along with the dedicated work of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), have decreased violent crimes in the area. Watch the June 2023 WBTV news story to hear from me and the Urban League of Central Carolina's President, Robyn Hamilton, discuss the organization's work.

 

Measurable change can be achieved by collaborating with organizations and neighborhoods that understand their community's challenges. 

As a former Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) teacher, I understand the difficulties of finding safe and affordable housing in today's market. Every city resident deserves the opportunity to live in the community where they work. 

 

I support the work created by the City’s Neighborhood Equity and Stabilization Commission, NEST, to develop tools and strategies to protect our residents who are vulnerable to displacement. As a West Side Land Trust member, I will continue to work with the organization to create pathways to permanent affordable housing. These strategies will allow families to create generational wealth and stability. 

 

When elected, I will support funding for the Housing Trust Fund, which preserves naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) and creates new housing opportunities.

 

Using the 2024 plan, I will work with City staff to identify communities at risk of displacement, so that every resident benefits from the city's growth and investments.

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As the population of Charlotte continues to grow, we must be thoughtful of our existing infrastructure and reliance on cars. I am a strong proponent of the Smart Growth method. Smart Growth America's mission is to connect people to jobs and services in a way that mitigates urban sprawl. I have pushed County officials and staff for increased funding to improve Ramblewood and Archdale Parks, which serve historically underserved neighborhoods along the Nations Ford/Arrowood Corridor. I also encouraged allocating public funds to the Kings Branch Greenway so that residents can enjoy safe transportation and exercise options. Our city can grow so that every resident can access essential services within a 10-minute walk, bike ride, or transit trip by thoughtfully integrating zoning, housing, land use, and transportation. Learn more about the efforts of local organizations, like Sustain Charlotte, which works to “inspire choices that lead to a healthy, equitable, and vibrant community for generations to come.”

 

With thoughtful planning, the City of Charlotte can create this infrastructure in collaboration with other governmental agencies like the County and State.

Every Charlotte resident deserves access to a job that provides a living wage and the opportunity for advancement. There are several initiatives that the City and State fund to provide workforce development. Funding and outreach efforts should be increased for organizations that provide workforce development, like Goodwill Industries and the Urban League of Central Carolinas. Both organizations provide participants with job training courses in a wide range of disciplines, including IT, construction, customer service, and others. Many are offered free of charge or provide stipends during the apprenticeship period. This type of paid training, through Teach for America, allowed me to become a Math & Social Studies middle school teacher after graduating with two degrees in History.

 

We can create opportunities for residents and communities to thrive by creating targeted solutions to our workforce issues.