I am a proud native of Washington, DC, born at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Ward 4 and raised in Brightwood and Riggs Park. A graduate of  Phelps High School and the University of the District of Columbia. Ward 5 has always been the home of Veterans and Veteran Families, even to-date! As the daughter of a Gulf War Army Medic, I learned the value of community serving alongside my mother, aunts, and grandmother through our former family church (Pentecostal Baptist Church) uptown on Colorado Ave NW, especially during the Drug and HIV epidemics. These experiences have fueled my commitment to serving diverse communities, embracing individuals from all walks of life, and advocating against the stigma surrounding opioids.

With over 15 years in public-facing roles…