JUSTICE
& EQUITY
THE CHALLENGE
Massachusetts has a reputation as a progressive state, and in many ways it has earned it. But reputation and reality are not the same thing. Racial wealth gaps persist. The criminal justice system still falls hardest on communities of color. LGBTQ+ residents face renewed threats to their rights and healthcare. Disabled residents encounter barriers at every level of public life. And the voices of marginalized communities too often reach Beacon Hill only after decisions have already been made.
Progress on equity requires more than good intentions. It requires governing frameworks with accountability metrics, sustained investment, and leaders willing to name what is not working and fix it. That is the standard I've tried to meet in my own work and the standard I'll bring to the Senate.
MY APPROACH
Make racial equity a governing framework: On the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, I was part of adopting the Equity Agenda in December 2018, making racial equity the explicit north star of public higher education in Massachusetts, with accountability metrics for closing gaps in enrollment, persistence, and completion. Equity in practice means specific goals, measurable outcomes, and transparent reporting. I'll apply that same standard across state policy.
Expand access and close gaps in higher education: Early College was designed specifically to address the equity gap in higher education. I voted for it on the BHE in 2017. It now serves 12,000 students, two-thirds of them Black, Latino, or low-income, at nearly double the rate of their comparable college-going peers. MassTransfer fixed the credit transfer problem that caused first-generation students to lose time and money when moving from community colleges to four-year institutions. These are equity interventions that produced measurable results. I'll champion H.4407, An Act Relative to College in High School, to codify these gains into law.
Reform the criminal justice system: I'll support ending mandatory minimums that produce unjust outcomes, expanding alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenses, and investing in reentry programs that actually reduce recidivism. Incarceration is expensive, often counterproductive, and falls disproportionately on communities of color. Accountability and public safety do not require mass incarceration.
Restore voting rights: I support restoring voting rights to incarcerated individuals. Civic participation is a cornerstone of democracy and its removal compounds the harm of incarceration without adding to public safety.
Combat hate and protect civil rights: I am unequivocally committed to combating anti-Black, anti-Latino, anti-Asian, anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian, and antisemitic hate in this district. I'll support strong hate crimes enforcement, ensure schools track and respond to bias incidents, and protect civil rights so every community member can live, learn, and participate without fear. When the Muslim Travel Ban was announced, I organized a coalition, produced a 100-page report, and filed seven amicus briefs across six federal cases. All four dissenting Supreme Court justices cited our work. That is what civil rights commitment backed by action looks like.
Protect LGBTQ+ rights and healthcare: LGBTQ+ residents face escalating threats at the federal level and in states across the country. Massachusetts must hold the line and lead. I'll defend access to gender-affirming care, support Shield Act 2.0 protections for transgender residents, oppose discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations, and ensure LGBTQ+ youth have the support and affirmation they need in our schools.
Advance disability rights and accessibility: I'll push to make public spaces, transportation, government services, and digital infrastructure genuinely accessible. Disability rights are civil rights. Accessibility requirements should be enforced, not treated as aspirational.
Address environmental justice: The burdens of pollution, climate change, and environmental degradation fall hardest on lower-income communities and communities of color. I'll ensure environmental policy accounts for cumulative impact, that fenceline communities have real voice in permitting decisions, and that the benefits of the clean energy transition are distributed equitably across the Commonwealth.
Support gender equity: I'll fight for equal pay, support for working parents, expanded access to childcare and paid family leave, and policies that address the structural barriers women face in the workplace and public life. I chaired the MassTLC Education Foundation to inspire girls and young women to pursue STEM careers because representation at the start of the pipeline determines who holds power later, and I created the Board-Ready Bootcamp to ensure that women, LGBTQ+, and tech leaders of color had the same access opportunities to reach the boardroom.
Center the voices of marginalized communities: Policy made without the people most affected by it lacks agency and rarely meets the need. I'll ensure community members have genuine input into the decisions that shape their lives. On the Winchester School Committee, I consistently advocated for English language learners, single parents, and dual-income families who could not take a Tuesday night off to attend public comment. We leveraged technology to bring radically more voices into our decision-making, an instinct I'll carry directly into the Senate.