Core Principles
The African American community has endured decades of policies that treated addiction as a crime rather than a health issue. From the War on Drugs to discriminatory enforcement practices, the consequences have devastated families, destabilized neighborhoods, and fueled mass incarceration.
My platform focuses on healing, treatment, prevention, and economic reinvestment—not punishment. Addiction is a public health issue, and policy must reflect that reality.
Key Issues in Black Communities
- Criminalization of addiction leading to lifelong barriers to employment, housing, and education.
- Over-policing in predominantly Black neighborhoods despite equal or lower drug use rates than white communities.
- Lack of access to affordable, culturally competent rehabilitation services.
- Trauma and untreated mental health issues fueling cycles of substance abuse.
- Economic instability increasing vulnerability to illicit drug markets.
- Stigma preventing individuals from seeking help.
Policy Positions
1. End the Criminalization of Addiction
- Decriminalize possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use.
- Redirect police encounters related to drugs to health and social workers.
- Expunge nonviolent drug convictions automatically and retroactively.
2. Expand Treatment & Rehabilitation Access
- Create publicly funded rehab centers in high-need Black communities.
- Support culturally competent treatment models led by Black clinicians and community institutions.
- Expand insurance coverage for addiction treatment and long-term recovery programs.
3. Address Mental Health as a Core Component
- Integrate trauma-informed care into all addiction services.
- Expand community-based mental health clinics.
- Provide school-based mental health screenings and support services.
4. Harm Reduction Strategies
- Support safe-use sites to reduce overdoses and connect individuals to care.
- Ensure access to naloxone in schools, community centers, and public buildings.
- Expand needle exchange programs to limit disease transmission.
5. Economic Empowerment & Community Reinvestment
- Invest revenue from regulated cannabis markets into Black communities harmed by drug enforcement.
- Provide grants and business opportunities for Black entrepreneurs in legal cannabis industries.
- Develop job training and re-entry programs for people recovering from addiction.
6. Youth Prevention & Early Intervention
- Fund after-school programs, recreation centers, and mentorship pipelines.
- Teach life-skills and coping strategies in K–12 schools.
- Early intervention programs for at-risk youth with family history or environmental exposure.
7. Reform Law Enforcement Approaches
- Ban discriminatory drug enforcement practices.
- Shift overdose response away from police and toward medical professionals.
- Require police training on addiction, mental health, and de-escalation.