V's 5 Core principles
HUMAN RIGHTS
Human Rights are about more than legal protections. Our rights as humans are about preserving dignity and recognizing the inherent worth we all have as people. And I have worked hard to make Johnson County a safer place for all of us: Updated the county's 2002 Human Rights Ordinance to reflect more current and inclusive language. Created the Transgender Advisory Committee to ensure that those residents directly impacted by changes in state law are leading the direction of our county response.
INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
My approach to Inclusive Economic Development has been shaped by my life experience as an LGBTQ+ Filipinx-American business owner. My planning firm, Astig Planning, created the Johnson County Inclusive Economic Development Plan (IEDP) that is used by our business community to usher in a more vibrant and diverse county-wide economy. The recommendations provided by my planning firm in the IEDP were utilized as the basis for Iowa City's $3.98M BIPOC Business Support Framework / Infrastructure ARPA-funded grant program. The IEDP is part of Better Together 2030's All In Vision for a shared future for the county.
SUSTAINIBILITY & RESILENCE
Sustainability and Resilience are more than buzzwords, they steer my actions as a steward of the natural world and as a future ancestor. As a watershed planner who founded my own planning firm to address issues at the nexus of climate change impacts and social/racial justice, I am acutely aware of the research and findings of how humans are influencing the world around us. I use scientific research in combination with my professional expertise to inform the decisions I make. I voted to place a moratorium on data centers in Johnson County until we have a clearer understanding of the impacts on our natural resources, such as water and energy use. I have supported our continued investment of the USGS' Silurian Aquifer study to understand water quality and quantity concerns for future development.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Affordable, Safe, and Decent Housing is a human right. I have worked alongside our manufactured housing residents since day one of my tenure in office. Out-of-state owners have been increasing rents for one of the last affordable housing options available- mobile homes. In my role as a Supervisor, I wrote the owners of several of our parks and asked them to address the concerns of the Johnson County Residents United group. We have a meeting with the owners to discuss these issues in late January. I was the past Vice President of the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition, an organization at the heart of community action and creative solutions.
ENGAGED DEMOCRACY
Engaged Democracy is a core value that stems from my belief that we must stay informed and vigilant in order to re-imagine how the government serves the communities we are sworn to uplift and protect. When I was a Fulbright Scholar in the Philippines, I organized local bamboo farmers and furniture makers to meet with their local officials to create safer practices for improving their health and economic livelihoods. I have knocked doors for local and national political candidates, organized phone banks, attending marches and vigils, spoken at rallies and sat in living rooms to listen to resident's concerns and worries. We are all we have. And I take my responsibility as someone elected by the public to listen and act accordingly.