Allen for The People

I didn’t grow up with privilege or a silver spoon. I grew up in Longview, Texas, in neighborhoods where poverty, violence, and uncertainty were part of everyday life. For me, survival was never guaranteed — it was something I had to fight for. Nothing came easy. Every step forward took faith, determination, and grit.

My story isn’t perfect. Like so many young people navigating hard environments, I made mistakes, faced consequences, and learned painful lessons along the way. But those experiences didn’t break me — they built me. They taught me accountability, perseverance, and empathy. They showed me how systems that are supposed to protect us often fail the people who need them most. And they gave me a perspective that cannot be learned in any classroom.

I refused to let my past define me. Through faith, hard work, and a commitment to service, I turned my life around. I poured myself into education, leadership, and community advocacy. As a social work student and representative, I have fought for fairness, amplified voices that are too often ignored, and pushed for opportunities that lift people up instead of holding them down.

But my story is not just about me — it’s about the people of East Texas. Because I know my struggles are not mine alone. Families in our community are still fighting the same battles every day. Parents working two or three jobs and still coming up short. Children showing up to schools that don’t have the resources they deserve. Elders forced to choose between groceries and medicine. Veterans returning home to broken systems that don’t meet their needs.

I’ve seen enough. And I refuse to accept that this is the best we can do.

I am running because East Texas deserves better. We deserve leaders who know our struggles firsthand — leaders who don’t just talk about change, but who have lived the need for it. I am running to fight poverty, strengthen our schools, support working families, and ensure healthcare and dignity for our elders. I am running to give voice to the ordinary people who too often feel left out of the decisions that shape our lives.

I am not running for a title. I am not running for status. I am running for the people. For our teachers shaping young minds. For our nurses and doctors saving lives. For our farmers feeding our families. For our veterans who sacrificed for us. For every neighbor, friend, parent, and child who believes East Texas deserves a future filled with hope and opportunity.

My journey proves that your past does not define your future unless you let it. I believe the same is true for our community. We can rise above our challenges. We can demand better. We can write a new story — one of resilience, unity, and progress.

This campaign is not about politics as usual. It is about faith, fight, and people power. With God guiding me and with ordinary people standing together, I know that nothing can stand in our way.

This is our moment. This is our fight. And together, we will take our power back.

– Fantasha Allen