Relief from Student Loans, Investment in School-to-College Pipeline and Fully Funding Public Education

As a first-generation college student, I know all too well the burden many first-generation students face simply trying to get their foot in the door to continue their education beyond high school. Whether it’s little-to-no support with SAT/ACT test prep, costly college application fees, lack of mentorship to navigate the college application process and life on campus, the challenges can feel overwhelming and insurmountable.

As your Congresswoman, I would support legislation to erase student loan debt entirely so that upon graduation, students can focus on applying their degrees to build their wealth and savings, not losing it.

I would also work aggressively to fund our public education system, ensure teachers are paid more, and create a nationwide investment in college prep centers in some of the most under-resourced neighborhoods across the country. These centers will ensure our students, especially those in high school, are well-supported with advisors who can provide individualized attention, peer mentors, fully-funded class trips to visit various college campuses, and financial resources that ensure our youth see college as a true option for their futures. I would also support passing national legislation to make all public colleges tuition-free for all students, no matter their background.

Fighting Child Poverty

At the height of COVID-19, the federal government increased the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to between $3000-$3600. As a result, child poverty reached a historic low of roughly 5%.

But instead of continuing this investment in children and families, the government cut the CTC and also prevented children who have parents who are undocumented from gaining access to it.

If elected, I would fight to increase the federal government’s Child Tax Credit (CTC) to $3600 per year for all families with children under the age of 18 and reinstate CTC qualifications to include mixed-status households.