Introduction 

Briefly, why are you running for office?

I am running for Mayor because I am deeply concerned about where Durham is headed. We are at risk of losing what makes Durham Durham—its heart, its people, and its promise. A better Durham—for everyone— means protecting that spirit and expanding opportunity for more people, in more ways, to live, learn, work, worship, serve, invest, and play—no matter your age or zip code. That is why we lead with H.O.P.E.—because Housing, Opportunity, People’s Safety, and Environment are not optional. They are the foundation of a Durham that works—for everyone. Durham is H.O.P.E.—and I am ready to lead it forward. 

What are the most important issues facing your locality? 

The most important issues facing Durham are the rising cost of housing and the growing concerns around safety and trust. Affordable housing is becoming out of reach for too many, pushing families out of the city they have built. At the same time, crime and violence are eroding our sense of security—not just in numbers, but in lived experience. Both issues are connected by a deeper challenge: systems that are not working for the people. We must build a Durham where housing is a foundation for stability, and safety is rebuilt through trust, care, and community-rooted solutions. 

What role do unions and union members play in your locality?

Durham’s progressive values support collective bargaining. As Mayor, I will ensure those values are not just symbolic, but reflected in how we invest, build, and govern. Unions protect fair wages, safe working conditions, and ensure that workers have a voice in shaping how we live, work, and grow. Union rights are community rights. As one of seven votes on the City Council, I will lead with the conviction that a city that values its workers builds a foundation of shared prosperity, opportunity, and respect. I will encourage my colleagues to align with a vision where every decision honors worker dignity and keeps Durham’s growth rooted in its people. 

Issues: Support for Unions 

The United States Constitution guarantees freedom of association to all, and federal labor laws protect most workers from retaliation by employers when choosing to unionize. 

Do you believe all workers should be free to choose to form and join unions without fear of retribution? 

Yes  

How will you publicly support workers in your community during union organizing drives and contract negotiations? 

I will stand with workers—clearly, publicly, and without delay. Organizing is a courageous act, and workers deserve to know their leaders see them, hear them, and will not stay silent. I will use my platform to uplift worker voices, attend actions when invited, and issue public statements that affirm the right to organize without fear. I will meet directly with workers, ensure their stories are heard, and make clear that dignity in the workplace is not up for debate. 

As one of seven votes, I will also work to encourage my colleagues to stand with workers when it matters most. Support is not performative. It is presence, protection, and power used in the people’s interest. I will not wait for the outcome before choosing a side. I will stand with the people who build this city—before, during, and after the fight. 

How would you promote the procurement of union goods and services by your locality?

Procurement is one of the most powerful tools we have to reflect our values. As Mayor, I will work to ensure that Durham’s purchasing decisions prioritize union-made goods and services wherever legally and practically possible. That includes reviewing city procurement policies to remove unnecessary barriers, increasing transparency in how contracts are awarded, and setting clear preferences for businesses that uphold fair labor standards, pay living wages, ensure safe working conditions, and deliver high-quality work. 

As one of seven votes, I will encourage my colleagues to adopt a procurement strategy that reflects Durham’s commitment to labor justice, economic inclusion, and community investment. That means intentionally expanding opportunities for union shops, Black-owned businesses, women-owned enterprises, and historically underrepresented local vendors who have too often been excluded from public contracts. 

Union labor delivers excellence—and so do the legacy and diverse businesses that anchor Durham’s economy. Our public dollars must reflect both. When we buy union and invest locally, we are not just making purchases—we are building power, stability, and shared prosperity across our city. 

Issues: Public Employees 

Most private and public sector workers alike have the freedom to negotiate union contracts known as “collective bargaining agreements” with their employers. North Carolina is one of only two states with a blanket prohibition on such contracts for public employees. A simple repeal of this ban would restore the freedom of public workers and their employers to negotiate collective bargaining agreements without requiring them to do so while continuing to forbid strikes by public employees. 

Do you support the freedom of public employees and their employers to negotiate collective bargaining agreements? 

Yes  

Would you write a letter to your state lawmakers in support of public employee collective bargaining? 

Yes  

Do you support the ability of public employees to pay union dues via payroll deductions the same as they would fund other contributions? 

Yes  

Issues: Living Wages 

There is no county in the United States where a person getting paid the federal minimum wage can work full time and afford an apartment or support themselves and their families. Local governments can ensure people working for them get paid family-sustaining wages and don’t live in poverty. 

Do you support the concept of paying living wages of at least $22 an hour to workers employed by your local government and those employed by local government contractors? 

Yes 

Do you support requiring companies that receive state or local tax incentives to sign enforceable community benefits agreements (CBAs) that guarantee living-wage jobs, local hiring, workforce training, and neutrality on union organizing? 

Yes  

Issues: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility provides a set of tools for building communities and institutions where everyone belongs and is able to thrive by addressing systemic barriers that have historically excluded women, people of color, people with disabilities, immigrants, and other marginalized groups. 

How would you use your position to foster racial, gender, accessibility, and immigrant justice in your community? 

As Mayor, I will use my position to ensure justice in Durham is not selective, but structural. Racial, gender, accessibility, and immigrant justice are not separate causes. They are shared realities that show who is most often unheard, underserved, and left behind. 

I will fight for budgets that prioritize historically excluded communities, appointments that reflect Durham’s full diversity, and policies shaped with the people—not just for them. This includes language access, ADA compliant infrastructure, workplace protections, community-based safety, and real investment in grassroots leadership. 

As one of seven votes, I will work with my Council colleagues to push for equity that is measurable, lasting, and focused on outcomes—not just appearances. I will lead with clarity and encourage alignment, because justice is not an add-on. It is the standard. 

How would you use your position to make immigrant worker issues visible?

As Mayor, I will use my position to make immigrant worker issues visible by naming them publicly, addressing them through policy, and ensuring immigrant voices are part of the decision-making process. Immigrant workers help power Durham’s economy, yet too often face exploitation, fear, language barriers, and invisibility within city systems. That must change. 

I will fight for stronger workplace protections, expanded language access, and deeper investment in organizations that serve immigrant communities. I will work to ensure city contracts, safety efforts, and workforce policies include and protect immigrant workers at every level. 

As one of seven votes, I will encourage my colleagues to recognize immigrant workers as essential to Durham’s future. Visibility is not a statement. It is a commitment written into policy, backed by funding, and built into the way we govern. 

If you have the chance, would you recommend a union member to serve on a local board or commission? 

Yes

How would you improve the accessibility of public transportation and of affordable housing?

Improving public transportation and affordable housing in Durham requires coordinated leadership, community voice, and a shared commitment across Council. These are not isolated challenges. They are connected systems that determine whether people can stay rooted, access opportunity, and move through the city with dignity. 

We must expand transit routes into underserved areas, increase frequency during early and late hours, ensure ADA compliance, and improve rider safety and accessibility. Transportation must connect to where people live and work, not remain limited by outdated systems. 

We must also redefine how Durham delivers affordable housing. That includes moving beyond inflated affordability metrics, reinvesting in existing units, and supporting public and nonprofit models that guarantee long-term affordability. Housing should not isolate residents. It should anchor them in thriving, well-connected neighborhoods. 

As Mayor, I will work with my Council colleagues to align policy, budgets, and community input around a vision where transit and housing serve the people first. Leadership must be collective, coordinated, and committed to lasting solutions. 

Campaign Strategy 

How have you been active in your community and what have you hoped to achieve through your engagement? 

Community work has never been about visibility. It has been about presence, listening, and building what is missing. Over the years, that has looked like teaching in Durham Public Schools, producing citywide events that uplift local leadership, creating spaces for young people to feel seen, and building platforms where artists, educators, and organizers could thrive together. 

The goal has always been the same: to make people feel like they belong—and to help shape systems that reflect their voice, labor, and value. Whether in parks, schools, studios, or policy spaces, community engagement has meant meeting people where they are and making room for what they bring. 

This campaign continues that same work. It is not about stepping into politics. It is about stepping further into the community I have always served. This time with the tools to deliver change at scale. 

Briefly describe your strategy to win, including campaign structure, fundraising, and voter outreach. 

This campaign is built on presence and persistence. The strategy is to touch every voter—especially those who have been overlooked—and move them from hope to action. We are raising what we need, reaching who we must, and doing it with urgency. 

Every conversation, gathering, and contribution moves us closer. This is not about waiting on voters to come to us. It is about showing up, earning trust, and building power—together. That is how we win.