I am running to represent District 36 in the Arkansas State House of Representatives. I was born and raised in Piggott, Arkansas, and moved to Jonesboro to attend Arkansas State University. Afterward, I earned my doctorate in education at the University of Arkansas, then returned back to Jonesboro, where my wife, Leslie, and I have lived for nearly 15 years, I now work as a senior researcher for Digital Promise, a non-profit education research and development organization. Additionally, I have volunteered with several community organizations, working to further mutual aid, labor rights, tenant rights, civil rights, and environmental justice.

I was born into a working-class family along with my brother and sister. My dad worked in factories his entire life, while my mom worked odd jobs, eventually retiring from her job in a public school cafeteria. Even with a dwindling, local manufacturing industry, my parents worked hard and provided for our family, often with the help of family and community, despite not having a lot of money. I learned the value of hard work from them, but more importantly, I learned the value of community and family. Thanks to them, my sister and I were the first in our family to graduate college.

My campaign is built on those very same values. I believe that when we unite and work together, we strengthen not only our communities but also each other. We often see the best of humanity after disasters, when communities rise up and ensure everyone is safe and secure. However, we don’t need to wait for a disaster to strike to have a community approach to fixing the issues that we face today. Together, the possibilities are endless as to what we can achieve.

It is my firm belief in the power of community that makes me hopeful that we can bring meaningful and positive change to Arkansas. We can strengthen community in the workplace by ensuring all workers have the right to organize and advocate for better pay and benefits without government and corporate interference. We can strengthen the health of our communities by ensuring no one has to go into debt to see the doctor or to get prescription medication. We can ensure our communities are well-educated and prepared for the future by fully funding public schools, with an education system focused on student and teacher well-being.

Together, we can build a brighter Arkansas for communities and families.