Bold Progressive Solutions
“Now is the time to pull together and champion bold, progressive solutions to our greatest challenges.” - Shelli
Fight For Our Environment.
According to a state report, some 60 percent of Indiana’s lakes and rivers are unsafe for human health and wildlife. The climate crisis is an existential threat to our collective survival, and it must be addressed immediately and holistically. The scientific evidence regarding impacts to our food supply and agricultural infrastructure, as well as the ongoing damage to the web of biodiversity throughout the Midwest, is clear. We must do all we can to adapt to a green economy and expand renewable energy production across our state.
Respect Public Education.
Indiana’s success starts in our public schools and the early years are critical. We must ensure high-quality Pre-K is accessible to all of our children. We must pay our P-12 teachers a living wage and provide the resources they need to serve all students. And we must increase opportunities for both post-secondary education and career training - the pathways to economic prosperity.
Grow Our Economy Inclusively.
Our economy only works when it works for everyone. Growth should be inclusive, and corporations seeking to locate in Indiana must include provisions for good jobs that pay fair wages and provide decent benefits. We must act to raise Indiana’s minimum wage to at least $15/hour so families can thrive within Monroe County. Corporations must be held accountable to act responsibly, and the rights of workers to unionize must always be protected.
Ensure Equity for Our Neighbors.
Indiana still does not have an inclusive hate crimes law with a full list of protected classes that includes all of our LGBTQ+ neighbors. This is wrong, and Indiana will continue to fall behind as long as anyone can be fired from a job or denied housing because of who they love or how they identify.
Protect Reproductive Justice.
We must defend an individual’s right to make safe, legal choices regarding their own body. Indiana has the 3rd worst maternal mortality rate in the country. Black families experience infant or maternal mortality at three times the rate - and Latinx families at two times the rate - of white families. These are issues of justice, and they are unacceptable. Everyone should have equal access to reproductive health care.
Improve Public Health & Wellness.
We must champion state-based policies to expand primary care access and provide mental health services to all in need - which includes treating misuse of opioids and other drugs as a public health crisis, not a criminal one. We must bring down prescription drug prices, and the time to decriminalize marijuana is now.
Reform An Unjust Criminal Justice System.
A disproportionate number of people of color - particularly young black males - are detained, jailed or incarcerated. We all deserve to live in communities working toward more equitable outcomes for individuals interacting with the criminal justice system.
End Gun Violence.
Putting an end to preventable gun deaths is a community obligation and a public safety imperative. We must respond quickly with strong policies to end the “gun show loophole” and keep guns out of the wrong hands.
Restore Our Democracy.
In this time of crisis, voters must be able to pick legislators responsible to them. Thanks to dark money and gerrymandering, too many legislators now pick their voters, and not the other way around. The time has come to elect state legislators who will restore the representative government our founders intended by re-drawing our district election maps in 2021 so that all votes have equal value.