What I've Done

Helping Residents Be Heard

I helped earn the trust of a tenants union facing a 2.5-year elevator outage that was creating serious accessibility and quality-of-life challenges for residents. With potential TriMet service reductions adding another concern, I helped connect residents with the Mayor's Office through relationship building and advocacy.

Protecting Community Vision for Lloyd Center

I stood alongside the Save Lloyd community and testified before Portland City Council in support of a climate-conscious, community-centered vision for Lloyd Center's future.

Our proposal emphasized adaptive reuse and preservation where feasible while creating opportunities for future investment and regional collaboration.

The experience reinforced what I believe public service requires: representatives should stand alongside Portlanders who organize and advocate for their communities, elevate their voices, and advance practical alternatives, even when those alternatives may not prevail.

Currently, there is no redevelopment plan other than demolishing the existing structure, our Mayor is now on record saying as much and that it will be 30 acres of dirt. A blighted section that large in the Lloyd District is likely going to become a big barrier towards revitalizing that part of Portland.

Improving Government Coordination

I participated in conversations surrounding The People's Depot relocation and helped amplify concerns about a process requiring community organizations to navigate multiple separate agreements with different parties.

The experience reinforced my belief that government should bring stakeholders together and coordinate its work rather than requiring communities to manage disconnected systems themselves.

It was also a great opportunity to learn more about Good Neighbor Agreements, and the process that different parties engage in when adding something of substantial to a neighborhood.

Centering Community Voices

I've been working with community members regarding the proposed renaming of César Chávez Boulevard to ensure the voices of those most affected are included in the conversation.

I also distributed a survey to more than 600 residents whose addresses would ultimately be affected and have explored alternatives such as street co-naming that could honor important figures while reducing unnecessary burdens on residents and businesses.

These experiences have shaped how I approach public service: listen first, bring people together, and build solutions that work for the communities involved.

How I'll Govern

Government That Works Together

Portlanders experience one Portland, not separate agencies and jurisdictions.

The City of Portland, Multnomah County, Metro, TriMet, schools, state agencies, nonprofits, and community organizations all play a role in our city's future. When these systems operate separately, people fall through the cracks. When they work together, we can deliver better outcomes.

As a Councilor, I will focus on bringing partners together, breaking down silos, aligning priorities, and making sure public investments create meaningful results.

No More Starting Over

People experiencing homelessness, behavioral health challenges, addiction, poverty, or instability often have to navigate a maze of disconnected systems.

Government should make that process easier, not harder.

We need better coordination between healthcare providers, service organizations, housing providers, and government agencies so people can access the right support at the right time.

Better coordination means:

• Fewer people falling through the cracks

• Less duplication of services

• Faster responses during crises

• Greater accountability for what actually works

Government should help people navigate systems instead of requiring people to navigate government.

Community Voices in Government

Good government starts by listening.

Residents, businesses, and community organizations should have meaningful opportunities to shape decisions before policies are finalized, not after.

The best solutions often come from the people closest to the challenges. Government's job is to listen, collaborate, and help turn those ideas into action.

That means strengthening civic engagement, supporting neighborhood partnerships, creating better feedback loops, and making government easier to access.

Strengthening Civic Life

Strong neighborhoods are the foundation of a resilient city.

After spending months attending neighborhood associations, business associations, and community events, one thing has become clear: Portland needs stronger connections between residents and the decisions that affect their lives.

We should invest in the systems that make civic participation possible, including the Office of Civic Life and partnerships with neighborhood and business organizations.

Community groups should spend more time building relationships and solving problems, and less time competing for limited resources.

Supporting neighborhood events, local partnerships, and community-led projects helps create a Portland where people feel connected, informed, and invested in their future.

Trust, Accountability, and Public Service

Representation is not authority over people; it is responsibility to work with them.

Public service is not about defending systems because they exist. It is about asking whether they still serve the public and improving them when they do not.

Government should be functional, transparent, accountable, and responsive. Major decisions should be guided by clear goals, measurable outcomes, and public trust.

A City Where People Can Thrive

As the cost of living continues to rise, Portland needs practical solutions that help people afford to live, work, and build their futures.

That means supporting housing stability, strengthening small businesses, investing in neighborhoods, improving infrastructure, and creating opportunities for people to build a life here.

A strong local economy depends on the people who choose to stay, build, create, and invest here. Government should support that resilience by making it easier and not harder for people and businesses to succeed.

My Values

As someone who was displaced through international adoption from South Korea to Oregon, I know how profoundly agency, belonging, and opportunity shape a person's life. Those experiences strengthened my commitment to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to determine their own future, build a stable life, and fully participate in their community.

I believe every person deserves dignity, respect, and equal protection under the law. I will work to protect the rights of immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, including transgender people, and every community facing discrimination or barriers to opportunity.

I believe public service is about solving problems, listening to the people most affected, and bringing diverse perspectives together to find practical solutions.

My Commitment

I believe the best government is often invisible because when systems work, people are free to focus on their families, their work, their communities, and their futures.

I'm running to build a Portland where government listens, communities are empowered, and public institutions deliver results.

A Portland where residents don't have to fight the system to get things done.

My Priorities

These proposals are a starting point. I welcome good-faith feedback, new information, and better ideas. That is how policy improves.