My interest in legislative and policy work is deeply personal. I have spent much of my life seeing firsthand how government policies can either create opportunities for people with disabilities or leave them behind. My father was born blind, and growing up, I spent a lot of time at the Blind Center of Nevada and Blindconnect, where I met many other visually impaired people and families. These experiences made me realize that even when resources and organizations exist, there are still major gaps in accessibility, employment, education, and independence. After graduating high school, I began pursuing opportunities to better understand how government could address these issues. In 2023, I interned for Senator Jacky Rosen in Las Vegas, where I was introduced to the inner workings of the federal government. One of the most meaningful parts of the internship was being assigned a policy project that would be presented to staff across Las Vegas, Reno, and Washington, D.C. Although public speaking was challenging for me, I chose to focus my project on inclusive education for visually impaired students in Nevada. I conducted research, interviews, and site visits with organizations and programs serving people with visual impairments. Through this process, I began to understand how much policy decisions affect everyday experiences that many people never think about. Something as simple as being able to read information on a screen, access an audio description, identify colors in educational materials, or use technology independently can make an enormous difference. These are things many people take for granted because they assume everyone experiences the world in the same way. My father's experiences also showed me how these barriers can affect an entire family. Limited employment opportunities and difficulty accessing resources created financial challenges for my family. I also met visually impaired individuals who struggled to afford medications, screen-reading technology, and other tools necessary for independence. Seeing how much intelligence, ability, and potential existed within these communities while opportunities remained limited motivated me to pursue policy work. Since then, I have continued exploring government at different levels. I interned for Senator Amy Klobuchar, worked with Women Winning, volunteered on Huldah Hilty's successful Minnesota House campaign, and participated in an advocacy bootcamp where I met with representatives and discussed policies affecting women. I have also served in student government and was President of Leading Women of Tomorrow at UNLV, where I worked to give students a platform to raise issues they believed deserved attention. Today, I intern with the City of Henderson's Economic Development Department, where I have gained experience in local government and seen how policy affects communities beyond the federal level. These experiences have shown me that I want to continue working in government, whether at the local, state, or federal level. I believe civil discourse is essential to effective policymaking. People will not always agree, but good policy requires listening to different experiences, asking questions, and finding common ground. My goal is to use my personal experiences and government experience to help create policies that make people with disabilities more visible, represented, and included in the decisions that affect their lives.

Growing up I felt so incredibly tiny. Not physically, I was actually very tall for my age. Elementary is a time when our minds are so pure and innocent. For a while I was too, then 4th grade came along. I could tell popular from nerdy. I was somehow labeled as weird. Too tall, poor clothing, no friends, I was just kind of there. I existed but no one really knew. Why was I treated so crudely? As I kept explaining to my parents that I did not want to go to school, they were confused because I always loved going and learning something new every day. I concluded by just pushing my feelings aside so I would not make them feel bad. They gave me enough and all they could afford and even as a 9-year old I could understand that they were trying. As time passed by it somehow became the middle of the school year. Yes! Halfway done, then one day. On a random Wednesday morning, a new girl appears. Everyone automatically wanted to be her friend. She was taller than the other kids, she had radical clothes and pretty, long, sleeked, curled hair. She sat next to me, I did not think she would even say hi. She just talked and talked to me, making me feel as if I belonged. I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. She even invited me to play with her in recess. That was one of the happiest days I ever experienced. Such little things can go a long way, even if it sounds corny. A Lot of the time we don't know what someone could be going through and even just with a wave you can make someone smile and brighten their day. I believe that kindness should be taught to all kids as they grow up. School is usually where we start to figure out who we are. How we treat others and if we can humble ourselves enough to make sure everyone feels included. We could all strengthen each other and build up the confidence to make an impact on different lives. Even if it is scary, even if we move in silence. It's one of the most important aspects of the time we have here on this earth. If we keep pushing others down, no one will succeed. Together we are stronger than alone.