Every dollar counts here in IL‑17. From Rockford’s west side to the farmlands outside Peoria, working families are stretched thinner than ever. Grocery prices have jumped faster here than the national average, and winter heating bills bite down hard. Yet wages have barely moved since 2019, forcing too many of our neighbors to choose between food, childcare, and medical care. Nearly 18% of our...

The housing crisis isn’t just an urban problem, it’s hitting communities across IL-17. Over 35% of renters in our district spend more than 30% of their income on rent, and Illinois ranks among the top states for mortgage foreclosures. A home is the foundation for work, school, and health, and when that foundation is shaky, everything else can crumble.

Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are not “entitlements”. Period. They are earned benefits, a sacred promise we’ve made to our people. Over two million Illinoisans rely on Social Security, including tens of thousands right here in our district who count on it for every trip to the grocery store. Thousands more depend on Medicare and Medicaid to stay healthy. These are not handouts; they...

 Universal Care, No Exceptions 
Healthcare should not depend on your wallet, your zip code, or your job. Yet across IL-17, I’ve met people who are rationing insulin, skipping doctor’s appointments, or drowning in medical debt. In the richest nation on Earth, that is an outrage. Healthcare is a human right and not a privilege reserved for the wealthy or well-connected. No family should face...

Investing in Our Backbone 

IL-17’s farmers and rural communities are a cornerstone of our economy and our heritage. From the dairy farms of Stephenson County to the cornfields of Knox County, family farmers feed our nation and fuel our communities. Yet our farmers face mounting challenges: chaotic trade wars that closed off markets, corporate monopolies driving down farm prices and driving up...

When our veterans raised their hands to serve, they made a promise to protect us without hesitation. We must keep our promises to them when they come home. Too many veterans struggle to access the healthcare and benefits they were guaranteed. Some drive hours just to reach a VA clinic, or face months of backlog for their claims. Others battle invisible wounds like PTSD or addiction without...

We live so much of our lives online from paying bills, applying for jobs, keeping in touch with loved ones; yet Big Tech companies have amassed alarming power over our data, our economy, and even our democracy. It’s time to reclaim the internet for the public good. Tech giants shouldn’t be allowed to invade our privacy, crush competitors, or spread disinformation without accountability. We need...

Reproductive freedom is a fundamental human right. Yet since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, millions of Americans including people right here in the Midwest have lost access to safe, legal abortion care. Illinois has become a crucial safe haven for those seeking care, but our neighbors in Wisconsin, Missouri, Indiana and beyond are now living under draconian bans...

I’m running for Congress because I believe everyone no matter your race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, income, or zip code deserves dignity, safety, and opportunity. America’s story is one of expanding the circle of “We the People,” of movements that fought to include those who were once excluded. But right now, we’re seeing a dangerous backlash. Too many of our neighbors are being...

Our planet is telling us something is very wrong. Our farms are seeing more frequent droughts one year and then catastrophic floods the next. Our suburbs have endured “once-in-a-century” storms that now hit every few years, overwhelming aging stormwater systems. Whether you’re a farmer, a homeowner, or a young person worried about your future, it’s clear: climate change is here, and it’s an...

I am a proud product of Illinois public schools, from elementary school all the way through NIU. I know firsthand that teachers are miracle workers who often do so much with so few resources. I know that a great public education can open the door to opportunity, because it did for me. Today, our public schools remain the beating heart of our communities, urban and rural alike. But they’re under...

Immigration isn’t just a policy issue for me; it’s personal. As the Afro-Latino child of an immigrant family, I’ve lived the story of the American Dream. And I’ve seen how our broken immigration system hurts real people: the farmworkers in our fields, the DREAMer students in our colleges, the nurses, engineers, and small business owners who are our neighbors.

We are the generation that grew up with active shooter drills. I’ll never forget crouching under a desk as a student, wondering if that day might be the day a shooter came to our school. We’ve lost classmates, neighbors, and friends to senseless gun violence. We’ve learned to live with fear in places that should be safe from schools and movie theaters to grocery stores and places of worship.

Our democracy is under attack not just from foreign interference, but from insiders who undermine it with dark money, voter suppression, and outright extremism. In recent years, we have witnessed a campaign of lies about our elections, unprecedented attempts to overturn the will of the people, and a concerted push to make it harder for Americans to vote. We cannot take our democracy for granted...