| I am the House Representative for House District 23 and the House Majority Leader. I am so excited to represent my district and our caucus. I learned as a young child how to fight back against injustice, as I watched my mother and her siblings march alongside Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta fighting for better working conditions, fair wages, and the right to unionize. As a young adult I took on a very personal battle of my own. As a domestic violence survivor and a once homeless single mom of a young son, I once again drew on the strength my mother taught me. I fought against the stigma and broke the cycle of abuse so my young son would grow up to respect and honor women.
I worked for over three decades in the dental industry, including a dental practice right here in Jeffco. I have long been invested in helping vulnerable members of our community and improving the quality of life for all Coloradans. In 2015, I was a leader of the campaign for Wheat Ridge Issue 300, a grassroots uprising of citizens pushing back against out-of-control development. I then served on the Wheat Ridge City Council and as Director of the Wheat Ridge Fire Protection Board. My work in the community also includes serving as a board member of the Jefferson Center for Mental Health, the Wheat Ridge Planning Commission, and a proud member of the Jefferson County Democratic Latino Initiative (JDLI).
Since being elected to the House of Representatives in 2018, I have been a champion on issues such as supporting working families, protecting survivors of domestic violence , animal welfare and as a responsible gun owner I've led the way in common sense gun laws. I have led legislation to improve wages for home care workers, maintain sibling relationships between foster youth, consumer protections, supporting small businesses, supporting our neighborhood public schools, teachers and so much more. I have fought hard to protect the environment, combat climate change, fought for society's most vulnerable, promoted student success, and worked to address the problem of affordable housing. In this last 2023 legislative session I co-sponsored numerous bills such as SB23-016 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Measures, HB23-1161 Environmental Standards for Appliances, and SB23-005 Forestry and Wildlife Mitigation Workforce. As we know in the past, Colorado summers have had their fair share of air quality warnings in the front range, proving how vital air quality improvement is.
I currently serve on two committees at the State Capitol- Executive Committee and Legislative Council. This session I was also very grateful to earn the support of my colleagues by being elected to serve as the House Majority Leader. I am proud to be a member of the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, the Democratic Women's Caucus, the Colorado Legislative Animal Welfare (CLAW) Caucus, and the Children's Caucus. I am also a PorchLight Family Justice Center Board Member.
There is still much work to be done, and I look forward to continuing to serve at the Capitol with
a focus on protecting survivors of domestic violence, passing common-sense gun safety laws, advancing consumer protections, supporting our small businesses, healthcare including reproductive health care, and protecting our land, air, and water. I have met so many neighbors in my community with their own powerful stories during my time as your representative and I am committed to leveling the playing field for all of us. I look forward to continuing to work together with you, to create collaborative change in Colorado! |