Why I am Running

I decided to run because it is important to have a recent graduate on the board who understands where Saint Paul Schools succeed and fall short. It is equally important for other queer and gender non-conforming folks to see themselves as leaders! We don't always get to choose our situations, but we do get to choose what we do with our voices and collective power. I will listen and amplify the voices of our collective community so we can work together to better our schools.

I graduated from Como Park Senior High in 2016 and have been a student of Saint Paul Public Schools since kindergarten. I loved the opportunities to expand my knowledge, experience diversity, and develop connections with staff and students alike.

Through a racial equity student program called Dare 2 Be Real, I was introduced to the empowerment young people can experience with the trust of adults around them. We had difficult conversations about race and identity, as well as their intersection with daily life. This vital program inspired me to confidently apply to be on the Student Engagement and Advancement Board (SEAB) in its pilot year of 2015-2016. During this time I worked closely with the SPPS Board of Education. I built long-lasting relationships with district staff and board members.

Even in 2015, I saw the importance to bridge the glaringly obvious divide between the teachers, principals, and the Board of Education. It has always been a top priority for me that all those who are in our schools - including district employees - feel they have a voice, and more importantly, are given the resources to best help all students succeed.

Since graduating, I served as a co-facilitator with SEAB for two years. Even as I attended college and was busier than I had ever been, I was still just as driven to build a better SPPS. My vision was for everyone to experience the confidence, support, and love I had in my 13 years attending SPPS schools.

To me, love and commitment are core components to this elected job; it is about my love for my teachers and mentors, my love for students to learn more than just how to write an essay or solve a mathematical equation, and my commitment to families and our community to keep us connected and grounded. We spend the majority of our formative years in schools. If we are not teaching our students more than what is in a book, if we are not teaching them how to be a better human who believes in themselves and those around them, then we are not teaching them to be successful after this stage of their lives.

I am running for the SPPS Board of Education because I believe every student can leave our schools with the skills to be a more successful person in any area of life that they choose. I am running because school was not just a place I was forced to be at 8 hours a day, but because school inspired me to be curious, to ask questions, and to pursue my dreams.

I know that every student deserves to be curious and to explore their dreams through Saint Paul Public Schools.