Did you ever wake up suddenly from a deep sleep with a new idea that had never crossed your mind? That’s what happened to me in 2017. I recently left the field of education. After reading the book “Dark Money” by Jane Mayer, I knew our country had to change course. My thoughts centered on the need to find someone to run for Congress, and then work non-stop to get them elected. But who? Although I never considered running for office before, I was jolted awake by one thought: Why couldn’t it be me?
My eyes were first opened to our societal disparities in high school. In my first job, I was “big sister” to 8 and 9-year-old boys in a home for abused and neglected children. I worked in neighborhoods of Detroit that had been burned in the 1967 uprising. That’s when I decided to become a teacher. I graduated from MSU with a BS in child development and elementary education.
I loved teaching. But after six years, I witnessed how quality child care was out of reach for most families. I took a class at MSU on running childcare businesses, and opened the childcare center, plus an educational toy store to subsidize the cost of running the center. The early childhood center in Grand Rapids ran for over 15 years. In that time we grew to accommodate 150 children from 6 weeks to 12 years of age. We also worked with businesses to open on-site childcare for their employees. At our highest point, we employed more than 80 people.
From 1991-2003, I worked for the HighScope Foundation as an elementary field consultant, and from 2012-2016 as Director of Elementary Education. I had the privilege of working with teachers in low-wealth communities, including Native American reservation schools. I observed the heartbreaking inequity in our public school system. The children who needed most received the least. Children traumatized by poverty have great difficulty learning. The cycle had to be broken, and there was little urgency- or even adequate awareness- of the situation.
In 1996, We expanded the childcare businesses. Then the Great Recession of 2008 happened. We lost nearly everything, including our home and the toy store, and had to file for bankruptcy. Like so many, we played by the rules and worked hard for 30 years, and Wall Street took it all. And they got away with it!
At least we still had our jobs. In 2012, we were able to purchase a home in Bellaire, in Antrim County. We spent summers preparing the soil to start a small farm. We made it our permanent home in 2021. We love living in northern Michigan.
But back to my revelation to run for Congress in 2018. I originally declared to run in Congressional District 6. But when Rick was hired as the Davenport University Women’s Coach in Grand Rapids, I decided to run for Congress in Congressional District 3 instead. This made more sense as we had lived there for nearly 40 years. I was on a mission to affect change for the good.
Although I won my primary, I lost to the incumbent, Justin Amash. But I loved every minute of campaigning! I would never have met so many wonderful people or learned about their lives by sitting at home and wishing for change. And again, when no Democrat filed to run in our newly drawn 104th MI House district in 2022, I decided to run for that seat. After that run, I left the Michigan Democratic Party.
In between my two runs for office, I chaired and grew the Rural Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party for four years. Thanks in part to Zoom, the Caucus increased in size to hundreds of members, all over rural Michigan.
Most recently, I’ve been working with the Gladwin County Community Builders to open conversations between neighbors. The Community Builders have made improvements in housing, Internet connectivity, childcare, community recreation, and mental health services. As your representative in District 104, I would bring this model of cooperation to our district.
I am an Independent candidate because we must be united in our cause, open to all possible solutions. I am asking for your vote in November. As your representative, I will continue to meet with you, and be that conduit for opportunities, so all can have a successful life.
In closing, our two daughters, Tiffany and Alison, Ali’s husband-John, and our two grandchildren Logan and Peyton, mean the world to me. I am energized by knowing that we are working for a better future for everyone.