On the Issues

I believe that the City of Newark will benefit from having more Advisory Committees.

To start adding more voices, I advocated for the formation of a Public Art Committee, which was included as a part of the Public Art Master Plan. For that Committee, I advocated for a dedicated seat for a High School member, which creates a real voice for Newark’s youth in important public policy decisions. This is a model that you do not see in other communities. Typically, other communities will have a Youth Commission that will only look at limited recreation opportunities that are specifically targeted toward young people. While that can be one area where the perspective of younger residents can be valuable, I believe it is a missed opportunity to not ask the best and brightest young people to weigh in on public policy. I hope to find more opportunities where the City can benefit from the wisdom and insight of all our residents, regardless of age.

I think one place that makes sense to add a commission is on the City of Newark/Newark Unified School District Liaison Committee. This is a proposal I brought forward unsuccessfully in 2025, but, if re-elected I will continue to advocate for a student member on that Committee.