What actions would you take as a state legislator to protect and strengthen Washington’s food security safety net, including both public nutrition programs and the food banks and food pantries serving communities across the state?

As a legislator, I would fight to protect programs like SNAP, WIC, school meals, and senior nutrition programs. I would also prioritize reliable funding for our food banks and food pantries. I also want to strengthen partnerships with Washington farmers and producers so we can get more locally grown food into our food banks. At a time when we are all already struggling with the cost of groceries, protecting our food security safety net has to be a priority.

What have you done to understand food insecurity in the communities you seek to represent—including engaging with people experiencing hunger or local hunger-relief organizations—and what policies would you prioritize to address the root causes of hunger and ensure Washington residents can afford and access the food they need?

As a teacher, I saw firsthand how much a student’s basic needs affect their ability to learn. We often talk about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in education: if a child is hungry or worried about whether their family can afford groceries, it is much harder for them to focus on learning. I’ve also appreciated seeing the work happening locally to address hunger, from our local food banks to community meals to the Little Free Pantries that Swan School students have helped build and map throughout Port Townsend. As a legislator, I would focus on both helping people who are struggling now and addressing why so many people are struggling to afford food in the first place. That means protecting SNAP, WIC, school meals, and our local food banks. That also means working to lower housing and healthcare costs, expand affordable childcare, support good-paying jobs, and make our tax system less burdensome on working families and folks on fixed incomes.

What policies or investments would you support to strengthen Washington’s food system, increase access to locally produced food, support Washington farmers and producers, and reduce food waste?

I would support expanding Farm to Food Pantry and Farm to School programs so more Washington-grown food stays in our communities while creating reliable markets for local farmers. I would also invest in rural food infrastructure like processing, cold storage, and transportation, and expand food rescue efforts that get good food to families instead of letting it go to waste.