A Campaign for Peace, Justice, and a Livable Future

My wife and I have called Santa Cruz home for nearly a decade. We’re now raising our toddler here—surrounded by the natural beauty and community that make this place worth protecting.

Concern for our child’s future first inspired my run for Congress in 2024, but that concern quickly became something larger: a fight for peace, justice, and a sustainable planet.

Our first campaign united people who wanted to end endless wars—especially in Gaza—and who believed in building a dignified, equitable, and livable future. It proved that voters are ready for something different: a politics rooted in compassion, solidarity, and truth.

We deserve a government that invests in people, not war.

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Working-Class Roots and a Tech Career

I was born in Illinois, the son of a nurse and a mechanical engineer. Like many working-class families, we didn’t have the means to pay for college because of medical debt and the cost of living. I began studying computer engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, but after my first year, I faced the crushing weight of potential student loan debt.

A paid internship at IBM turned into a full-time position, and I’ve worked as an engineer ever since—with a brief return to earn my associate’s degree at a community college.

My experience taught me that high-quality education is a public good. From preschool through PhD, learning should be free and available to all—not a privilege purchased through debt.

From Activism to Organizing

My political awakening began after 9/11, deepened during the Iraq War, and took shape during the Occupy movement. After 2016, I began helping local campaigns with data and technology—joining the advisory group of Santa Cruz for Bernie and supporting grassroots candidates for city council, county supervisor, and Democratic Central Committee.

In 2024, I helped form the Green Party of Santa Cruz County to create a true home for people-powered politics—one that stands up to corporate influence and puts people and the planet first.

To fight for the many, not the money, we have to build outside the system that’s failing us.

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Breaking Free from the Two-Party System

I was once a Democrat. But over time, it became clear that neither major party is willing—or able—to deliver the transformative change our moment demands. Both are funded and directed by the same corporate interests profiting from war, inequality, and ecological collapse.

We can end the wars, take bold climate action, and guarantee housing, healthcare, and education as human rights—but only if we break free from corporate control and reclaim our democracy.

Building Momentum

In 2024, our campaign became the strongest federal Green Party race in the country, earning 6.4% of the vote. That’s more than a number—it’s a growing movement demanding peace, justice, and sustainability.

With your support, we can build on that momentum and challenge the status quo. Together, we can create a real democracy—by the people, for the people, and for the planet.