Erika is running to fight for a government that works for the many, not the few. As an organizer, an antitrust economist, a democratic socialist, and a proud daughter of a single immigrant mother, Erika understands both the struggles working people face and the mechanisms by which corporations take control of our government to rig the rules in their favor.
For our democracy to truly work, everyone needs to have their voice heard in shaping policies and laws that will impact their communities. If people like you and I do not have our voices heard, then policies end up being crafted by corporate interests who have access to vast sums of money and our politicians. The laws that have been passed over the last 40 years show how the weakening of our democratic institutions has led to policies stacked against working people and the empowerment of dangerous demagogues like Trump.
I co-founded Act on Mass, the lead organization for transparency in the Massachusetts State House, because a lack of transparency in state government is leading to policy outcomes that do not reflect what the majority of Massachusetts residents want. Bills that would protect immigrants, improve our public schools, fight climate change, and increase affordable housing are blocked year after year in committee without a public vote. Most people are shocked when they hear that most votes in the State House are not publicly available, but it is true. A bill can have a majority of the legislature signed on as “co-sponsor” (such as bills to prevent wage theft, 100% renewables, and the Roe Act to improve reproductive healthcare access) and still be shelved in secret, with no way for you to know how your State Representatives voted.
The culture of our State House determines whether or not important legislation related to climate, housing, and protecting immigrants advances or dies. As I have organized around the State House, it has become clear to me that when evaluating candidates for office it is not enough to make sure that they agree with you on all the issues, but to ensure that they will stand up for them in public, even when it is uncomfortable.
Being raised by a single immigrant mother, I did not always feel like I deserved a voice. An early memory of mine is seeing parents of my classmates mimic my mom’s English outside of the preschool that I attended. As a child, I sadly believed that I was inferior because of my race, my class, and the shape of my family. Over time, I unlearned any doubt in myself and I am no longer voiceless. None of us are voiceless and we all deserve a stake in our government and have the right to hold our representatives accountable. I will make sure that the voices of Somerville are heard loud and clear in the State House.
Ensure that the objectives of the State House Transparency Pledge, an initiative that I have dedicated years to, become standard procedures in the State House
Make all committee votes publicly available upon request, including electronic polls and study orders
Require that all votes and testimony of committees are publicly available, including electronic polls and study orders
Ensure that State Representatives stand for roll call on any bill or amendment which that State Representatives has co-sponsored or has voiced support for