Issues — Building Community

Children playing on a playground

Our kids deserve more playgrounds! More parks!

That's why I joined the city's parks board.

Community Spaces

Legalize neighborhood cafés, groceries, and pubs, so that it is possible to safely walk to the store. Walking to the store gives kids independence and responsibility, supports entrepreneurship, and brings neighborhoods together. The success of Local 104 shows how these sorts of businesses can create community and culture, and the fact that Skög Haus couldn't find a permanent home in our city was a loss that we can still correct.

Every kid deserves to have a playground within 15 minutes. In community meetings and my conversations at PTA, parks, and barbecues, I consistently hear that our city has great parks, but not enough space for kids to just play. On our city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, I work to guide development of our existing parks, and to plan the new lakefront park as a space for quiet reflection and also for kids and grownups to have fun. I want my kids and their friends to grow up with swings and slides in walking distance, and spaces where everyone can enjoy walking, birding, and chatting outside. And all safely and without traffic.

When we build streets for cars, we get traffic; when we build streets for people, we get community. Our city council already adopted a Healthy Streets program, a great first step. Now we have to build healthy, shared streets where people have priority over cars. We don't have to reinvent the wheel, we just have to reclaim roadways from them. Giving roadways and neighboring right of way back to people will make room for playgrounds, benches, and café tables, and for bike lanes and protected walkways connecting communities to shopping, parks, and transit.

Climate

Our city's climate action plan makes bold commitments, and we can achieve them by investing in the best of Lake Forest Park. Our community is rightly proud of protecting our urban forest. As an ecologist, I know our canopy protects ecosystem services and helps offset and sequester some of our carbon emissions.

While we preserve that tree cover and our region's remaining open spaces, we also know that housing policy is climate policy. Smart and creative techniques exist to add density where housing already exists, protecting open space and trees elsewhere. As a climate scientist and educator who has worked with some of the world's leading climate scientists, I will work with expert advisors in our community and nationwide to update our policies and codes sensitively and effectively.

We can make our community more efficient and more affordable at the same time. Zoning and code reforms should prioritize making the most of existing footprints and using sustainable materials. That won't just protect our local and global environment, it will ensure our kids can afford to move back to town, and their grandparents can downsize without moving away from friends, family, and medical providers.

Painting the Climate Mural

I ensured kids nationwide learn climate science.

I'm working with the community to bring those lessons home.

LFP BRT Rally

The community rallied for fast, quiet, clean bus service.

I'll push for public transit that serves and respects the needs of the whole community.

Community engagement

As an educator, community volunteer, nonprofit leader, and parent, I have worked in town and across the country to run outreach events and build dialogue around some of the most challenging issues of the day. At every scale, from national debates to local council meetings, decisions are too often dominated by the loudest voices. Our community can demonstrate that a better way is possible.

I believe in public servants meeting people where they live. Public meetings should happen at times and places that are accessible for working parents or people who cannot or do not drive. I will hold office hours and listening sessions in living rooms, apartment commons, and parks across the city. I will ensure that public hearings are advertised and planned to welcome youth, current renters, and future residents. Our elected leaders work hard to address the community's needs. I will join them in working just as hard to ensure our neighborhoods hear about the progress we're making, the challenges ahead, and have a voice in the decisions we all will make together.

I also will advocate incorporating participatory budgeting into our process. Let's create a path for the community to propose community projects, debate and advocate for their favorites, vote to select the best, and see them come to life. By using these proven methods, we can broaden participation, ensure public accountability for new revenue and expenses, and make our budget decisions more equitable for all.

What are your priorities?

This is your city and your campaign. Take this survey and share your wishes and dreams for what Lake Forest Park can become.