What Inspired Me to Run
I grew up in a union household, raised by a single mother who immigrated from post-war Japan for a better life. As a flight attendant for TWA, my mom and her union got attacked by greedy investors chasing profit. I learned firsthand, we don’t win by asking nicely, we win by fighting and organizing together.
The Massachusetts State House is one of the least transparent legislatures in the country, where votes were taken behind closed doors. For decades, our community’s priorities took a back seat to fast-tracked corporate handouts. During Trump’s first presidency, Beacon Hill didn’t pass a single bill to protect immigrants from ICE, stalled meaningful climate policy, while multiple tax breaks for the world’s largest corporations sailed through without a recorded vote.
That’s why I led the fight to make all votes publicly available, which we won last year! I co-founded Act on Mass, a statewide grassroots organization building a movement for legislative transparency. Even though many legislators on Beacon Hill said, “it can’t be done,” we built up the political pressure so powerful people can’t tell us no.
In addition to making all votes publicly available, with more transparency and working in a coalition with a small group of legislators on the inside, and unions, community organizations, and residents like you, we successfully blocked a corporate tax break that had been slipped into the budget, and helped secure $1.5 billion for public schools.
What We Have Delivered
With the accountability from more transparency, and when we organize and demand better, we win. Now that all votes are on the record, we built up the political pressure for the Massachusetts State House to take action to protect immigrants from ICE. This past spring, we advanced two pieces of legislation that will put up significant barriers to stop ICE from terrorizing our communities.
We blocked a bill that would have let utility giants hike up our electricity and gas bills for their profits, while pulling back all of our state’s climate commitments. This was possible thanks to transparency and pressure from our statewide climate justice movements.
What Is Next
I’m running for State Senate because our community cannot afford business-as-usual. Together, we can build a State House that finally tackles the crushing cost of living, protects our neighbors, and reins in unregulated AI.