I’m a second generation migrant, a union delegate, a social worker and a proud socialist. I’ve lived in Melbourne my whole life and have experienced racist policing and harassment first-hand.
I’ve been involved in political campaigns in the western suburbs since moving here nine years ago. I rallied with members of the local community in opposition to alt-right extremist Milo Yiannopoulos and his racist supporters in 2017. In 2020, I helped support people in the Flemington public housing estate when they were subjected to an abrupt, police-enforced hard lockdown.
Running in the federal election earlier this year, I spoke with many residents in the area who are concerned about fair treatment of migrants and asylum seekers, the rising cost of living, the poorly planned Essendon airport expansion, and the growing wealth gap between the billionaires and everyone else in Australia.
If elected, I will use my platform to push against racist police practices and policies that discriminate against asylum seekers, international students and migrants. I will campaign for equality and fairness, to lower the cost of living and to create enough public housing for everyone who needs it. There’s so much we could achieve if we made billionaires and corporations pay their fair share. I will also mobilise the community to fight against the growth of far-right groups and ideologies, and against racism, whether it’s in policing, service provision, or political dog-whistling.