What types of transportation do you use during an average week, and how has this shaped your view of transportation policy?

My typical week includes a mix of driving and public transit use, including Metra, which has given me firsthand insight into how transportation access varies across communities. While reliable transit benefits many residents, too many people in the district still lack safe and convenient options, especially for walking, biking, and bus service.

These experiences have reinforced my belief in universal accessibility to publicly provided transportation, because safe and efficient mobility supports economic mobility, improves quality of life, and strengthens social connection.

What are some transportation challenges in your district?

Many parts of my district suffer from an overreliance on driving and a lack of equitable access to safe, reliable public transportation, particularly for underrepresented and vulnerable communities. As a result, transportation has become a longstanding barrier to opportunity rather than a bridge to jobs, education, and essential services.

A clear symbol of this inequity is the decades-long push to extend Chicago's Red Line. Communities beyond 95th Street have long been denied reliable access to jobs, health care, and essential services, and despite years of advocacy, progress has been delayed, most recently by the Trump administration’s federal funding freeze impacting this long overdue investment.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”) plays a significant role in transportation throughout the state, in Chicago, and Cook County. What is your opinion on their role with the Chicago Department of Transportation, Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways, local communities, and the impact that has?

IDOT must be a true partner to Chicagoland city and county public agencies and, most importantly, to the communities they serve. This is especially true for residents of historically underrepresented neighborhoods that have too often been excluded from transportation decision-making. That means early and intentional engagement with residents to ensure projects reflect community priorities around safety, access, and economic opportunity.

How do you view the Illinois General Assembly’s role in setting IDOT’s priorities for public transit, passenger rail, and strengthening accessibility in transportation?

I view the General Assembly’s role as breaking down silos between agencies and communities, elevating best practices, and ensuring IDOT’s priorities reflect equity, accessibility, and real community needs. I’ve done this work firsthand as a community development consultant for large institutions, and as an attorney and community organizer helping align advocacy campaigns with on-the-ground realities.

That approach goes to the heart of my campaign: Rebuilding trust in government by ensuring people aren’t just beneficiaries of policy, but active and respected participants in shaping it.

States like Colorado, Minnesota, Virginia have passed legislation that has shifted their transportation infrastructure spending towards projects that prioritize safety, transit and cycling, and greenhouse gas mitigation. What’s your position on Illinois’ current transportation infrastructure spending, and if you could change anything, what would it be?

Our state has made important progress, but our transportation spending should more clearly treat equity and opportunity as core priorities. I would shift resources toward transit, walking, and biking as tools to expand access to jobs, education, and essential services, especially in communities that have been historically underserved. I believe that when transportation policy is centered on expanding opportunity, it helps build a more integrated, dynamic economy and improves outcomes statewide.

This fall, the Illinois General Assembly passed a historic investment in transit operations – as well as significant governance reforms in the establishment of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority. How do you view the Assembly’s role in ensuring both the short- and long-term success of this legislation?

The General Assembly’s recent transit reform bill was a historic win and shows the progress we can make when we treat public transportation as essential infrastructure. This is a rare and potentially once-in-a-generation opportunity to get transit right and we cannot afford to squander it.

As a State Senator, I would welcome the opportunity to help lead the implementation by refining policy details and ensuring local voices are meaningfully reflected as decisions are made. I truly believe that, if done right and in partnership with the advocates who helped us get to this point, this investment can expand opportunity in communities long underserved, advance climate and safety goals, and help rebuild public trust by demonstrating that government can deliver real, tangible results for working families.

What is your position on investing to expand passenger rail service in Illinois, including the development of high-speed rail?

Good quality passenger and high-speed rail systems are a common feature of many dynamic, competitive economies around the world because they connect regions and grow labor markets, while simultaneously also helping to reduce congestion and emissions.

I support investing in expanded passenger rail in Illinois, including high-speed rail where feasible, as a long-term strategy to expand economic opportunity and strengthen our state’s competitiveness. As with any large-scale investment, these projects must be guided by equity, strong public engagement, and clear public benefits so we do not repeat the mistakes of the past that locked out many communities, including some in my district.

Federal funding for Illinois transportation projects – such as the Red Line Extension and Red-Purple Modernization projects – has come under threat from the Trump administration. How can legislators shore up funding for critical infrastructure projects under a hostile federal climate?

We should do everything possible at the state level to avoid being at the whim of the mercurial nature of Washington politics, especially when it comes to critical infrastructure. That means prioritizing progressive, state-controlled revenue options that provide stability and align with our equity and climate goals. One approach I’m particularly open to is congestion pricing, especially given the demonstrated recent successes in New York City's program that has reduced pollution, improved commute times, and strengthened emergency response while generating dedicated funding for transit.