City of SacramentoCandidate for City Council, Council District 5

Investing in our youth

Investing in our youth is critical for a healthy community. There are negative out comes to not investing in our young people. Young people contribute to society, democracy and the economy. Without investment, the youth contribute to disease, crime and violence. Investing in our youth is investing in our economy.

The youth today are trying to learn to navigate this world and are facing challenges in poverty, education and employment. Depression and mental health disorders are increasing. Social media is having a negative influence, peer pressure and drug abuse is on the rise and young people are facing uncertainty.

Many children are living in poverty. Poverty has negative impacts on children's health, social, emotional and cognitive development, behavior and educational outcomes. Children born into poverty are more likely to experience a wide range of health problems, including poor nutrition, chronic disease and mental health complications. This can extend into adulthood with low income, chronic disease, and shorter life span.

Covid 19 has interrupted education and employment opportunities. Pressure to preform and compete is becoming a struggle for young people. Academic standards have become increasingly higher and the pressure to have educational excellence and score high on exams has become a burden. Universities and housing costs have increased and so has the weight of higher education.

Covid 19 has caused an increase in depression among our young people. We are currently facing a mental health crisis. Mental health challenges are real in children, adolescents, and young adults. Untreated these problems interfere with learning, socialization and self-esteem. Suicide rates have increased significantly teens are reporting they feel sad and hopeless.

While social media can be fun, and a great place to connect to friends and family, it poses risks for young people. Kids are exposed to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and there are privacy issues. Young people have turned to social media during the pandemic and not reality. The rise of social media has been linked to increased violence and gang related activity.

Kids like to fit in and go along with the crowd. Peer pressure can reinforce good behavior it can also reinforce bad behavior. The risks for influencing alcohol/drug use, or being exposed to gang violence has increased with social media. Peer pressure is a force for good or bad and we must steer our youth towards positive habits and positive role models.

We are living in uncertain times. Uncertainty for the future is a major concern for the youth of today. The pandemic has exposed inequalities both socially and financially. Climate change is now a top concern for our young generation. Young people are taking action and they are the agents of positive change.

Investing in children is the smartest investment to make. Our children are our future. We must invest in healthier systems for our future.  It is better to invest in preventative care then expensive social problems later. Investment must begin during early childhood development. During the early years lifelong behaviors and patterns are being developed. High quality programs promote positive development and leads to adults making positive contributions to society. When we invest in our children we are investing in our economy and our future and our community success.

GUN VIOLENCE

Fear of gun violence reduces the quality of life in our society. Political opposition to gun control has created government barriers instead of government support. Guns are the leading cause of preventable deaths. Children and teens experience high rates of gun injuries and death. A low sense of safety, access to unsupervised guns, and risky behavior such as drug dealing contribute to involvement of gun violence. Without nonviolent conflict resolution skills, individuals rely on guns to solve their problems.

Prevention methods include reduction of youth access to guns, raising emotionally healthy children and intervention to a person who are threatening violence.  Prevention must be implemented in our society to reduce violence. Prevention is going to need the entire community involved.

With the ability to make homemade guns and purchase parts online, ghost guns are a new factor to tackling gun violence. These build your own unlicensed weapons are untraceable. Anyone can purchase a kit and no background check is required. Technology has created a way to print guns with a 3D printer. We need preventative measures to keep up with technology and respond accordingly to prevent unnecessary death.

We need to create a new model for tackling gun violence. We need to bring community together and build alliances to create problem solving skills and prevent individuals from engaging in gun violence. No single program is enough. Schools, workplace, neighborhoods, health systems and faith based groups need to be active in prevention.  We must recognize if there is someone who is threatening harm to themselves or others. We must make it safe for someone to relay this information so innocent people are not harmed and a crisis intervention can occur.

With a problem solving approach and community engagement we can identify, plan, and collaborate deescalate and use crisis intervention. Encourage law enforcement and mental health facilities to create a partnership to assist with a mental health crisis that may provoke violence.

Everyone wants a safe city to live and thrive. We must work together to create a safe city. We must invest in our youth, so they have problem solving skills and conflict resolution. We must recognize and mobilize when we identify an individual who may do harm to themselves or others. We cannot live in fear and it is time to focus on a solution to gun violence.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Housing is a human right and we need to return to the American Dream of affording a home. A good home provides protection. Children are less exposed to violence and sexual abuse. It can increase the opportunities for earning income. It is easier to send kids to school and after school programs. Having a home gives you better access to healthcare. A safe and good home reduces mental stress and makes it easier to be included.  We must keep this dream alive.

 We are in a housing crisis and the increase in housing prices is causing economic harm.  People are spending the majority of their income on housing. With the price of housing so high people are facing food insecurity, can’t afford health care and cutting costs where possible. It greatly reduces the demand for consumer goods. This threatens the wellbeing of the community. There is not a county or state where a minimum wage full time worker can afford a two bedroom apartment.

The burden of significant rent increases makes it more difficult to thrive. We need to invest in affordable rental housing. We need to minimize the harms Covid 19 has caused on renters. We need to create better more accessible subsidized housing. We need to end discriminating practices and segregation with housing.

While a home owner may see their wealth rise a renter will see lower income. This creates wealth disparities this can hurt future generations wealth inequality. Having a home increases the possibilities for strong social, economic and cultural connections. Covid 19 has exposed the disparities in our communities and the underserved are suffering more than affluent communities. Poverty is on the rise.

When households spend most of their income on housing, they have less money to spend on social events. Budget constraints often leave individuals unable to partake in events that cost money. Participating in community events gives individuals the sense of belonging it is healthy to participate in events that create a stronger community. Participating is good for the economy, and builds a healthier economy.

Food insecurity is another downside of expensive housing. Healthy diet and nutrition are important for a vital life. Brain function and body function depend on a healthy diet. When housing costs are so high often good nutritious food is replaced by lower cost unhealthy diets. Malnutrition causes underdevelopment in children and poor health.This has a negative impact on society.

Land availability and zoning laws are major obstacles to subsidized housing. High quality subsidized housing needs long term commitment and not a band aid. We need to create incentives to construction of affordable homes we need to empower borrowers and create more options for first time borrowers. Partnerships with Habitat for Humanity and using land trusts and socialized housing are options that need to be used. Community space and future affordability needs to be a priority.

Racial equity needs to be addressed. We need increased minority home ownership opportunities. We need to invest in distressed racial segregated neighborhoods.  We need inclusive housing options that embrace diversity. History shows black people have been left out of home ownership and a target population to predatory lending. We must end discriminatory practices to home ownership and affordable housing. Integration must be the answer to segregation and structural racism.

Everyone deserves a roof over their head. We have the skills to create new and innovating housing options. We have the power to be inclusive with housing designs and community needs. Affordable housing can only help our community during these times of uncertainty. The benefits of affordable housing make it worth investing in. The health, safety and wellbeing of our families and communities depend on it. Housing is a human right and it must be affordable for all income levels. We have the ability to return the American dream of affording a home, a place of prosperity and pride.