| When my parents brought me to Memphis as a seven year old to be treated for cancer at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis received us with open arms. I know many of you have followed my family's journey from the very beginning. You were there to pick us up when we faced our hardships and you were there to celebrate with us during our triumphs. I will never forget the outpouring of love and support we received after the car accident that killed my father and sister and paralyzed my mother. We were practically strangers yet you treated us like family. And during our happy moments you were there to cheer for us. I remember how proud many of you were when my family gained citizenship.
No one reaches success alone. I credit a lot of my success in life to Memphis. My formative years were spent here; I was educated at St. Ann Bartlett (2003), St. Agnes Academy (2007), and Christian Brothers University (2011). I am who I am because I grew up in Memphis.
Many people believe that our city is not a place of opportunity. I believe our city is a place where dreams can come true. We have two prominent examples in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Danny Thomas, two men who have shaped our city with their dreams.
When I was a little girl, I, too, had a dream. I wanted to help people through science. I worked hard in school and kicked off my science career in 2010 when I joined the St. Jude Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics. The experience was truly a dream come true. I got to work and publish scientific research with scientists I grew up admiring. St. Jude is the place that saved my life as a kid and it is where I learned how to be a scientist as an adult. My roots are firmly planted in Memphis.
I will forever be in debt to this city and I will spend the rest of my life attempting to give back to those who have given me so much.
So, it is with great excitement that I share that I have decided to give back through public service. Now is the time for me to donate my talents to helping our community reach its full potential. I know what we are capable of because I have lived it.
I want to serve as the next State Representative representing District 96. The opportunity to represent Shelby County in Nashville would be the highest honor of my life. As a working scientist and health care advocate, I have the knowledge, skills, drive, and resilience necessary to improve our community and the state of Tennessee.
I know that together we can make the impossible possible. I hope I can count on your vote, financial contributions, and volunteer hours. We have a lot of work to do, but I am confident that we will be victorious. |