Your Voice MAtters

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 Hoosier families are feeling squeezed every single day. Grocery prices are rising, childcare is becoming unaffordable, and rent and mortgage costs continue to climb. Hoosiers are being forced into impossible choices just to make ends meet. Around kitchen tables across the state, there’s real worry about heating bills, school expenses, and whether paychecks will go far enough.

No one should have to choose between paying the bills and putting food on the table. No family should worry that one unexpected expense would be the end to their stability. Yet, that’s the reality for too many. Parents are skipping meals so their kids can eat, even working multiple jobs and still falling behind. This type of stress gets to people, and families deserve better than that. 

Indiana, as a whole, needs leadership that understands these struggles and is ready to act, someone who would push to lower everyday costs, strengthen public schools, and help families build stability. Just getting by should not be the norm. 

 Public schools are the backbone of our communities. As an educator, I believe Indiana should fully fund public schools and make sure funding increases with inflation so schools can meet students’ needs every year. Taxpayer money should go directly to public schools, not to voucher programs that are not clearly accountable. Any school that receives public money should be run by locally elected school boards that answer to the community. The public should also have easy access to see how schools spend this money, so everyone knows their tax dollars are being used wisely.

Teachers play a critical role in education, and they should have a strong voice in decisions about their classrooms, working conditions, and the overall school environment. Expanding teachers’ collective bargaining rights will allow them to help shape the policies that directly affect their students and their work. When teachers are heard and respected, schools run better for everyone.

Indiana must also set clear rules for how artificial intelligence is used in schools. These rules should protect students, ensure fair learning, and support teachers in using technology safely and responsibly. AI should be a tool to enhance education, not replace thoughtful teaching.

Every child from preschool through high school deserves a safe, welcoming, and well-supported public school. Students should have access to trained teachers, strong resources, and programs that help them succeed. Public schools should be places where students feel included, valued, and ready to reach their full potential.

Workers’ rights matter because every Hoosier deserves fair pay and safe working conditions. Indiana’s minimum wage of $7.25 is unacceptable in 2026. When workers earn more, they spend more at local businesses, which helps our communities and strengthens the economy. Higher wages also mean fewer workers have to rely on government assistance, making it easier for families to afford basic needs.

As a candidate for Indiana House District 11, I support raising the minimum wage step by step over the next few years. A higher minimum wage would reduce poverty, strengthen small businesses, and help full-time workers earn enough to live on.

I also support repealing Indiana’s right-to-work law, which weakens unions by allowing workers to benefit from union contracts without paying dues. Reversing this law would strengthen workers’ voices and protect collective bargaining. I strongly support unions and the right of workers to organize for better pay, benefits, and safer workplaces. Workers should not be punished for standing together. I also support ending policies that place taxes or unfair costs on union petitions and organizing efforts, because workers should be able to speak up without barriers.

Finally, we must pass laws that protect workers across the state. Indiana should create paid sick and family leave so workers do not have to choose between their job and their family. We must also make workplaces safer by increasing penalties for wage theft, child labor violations, and unsafe working conditions. Indiana should be a state that puts workers first, not big corporations.