I was first inspired to serve the public when I was 12-years-old, sitting in an audience and listening to Robert F. Kennedy talk about the possibilities of our state and our nation. Since I moved to the Coachella Valley in 1979, I've been working to continue that vision of expanding hope and opportunity, whether serving as a member of the City Council in Cathedral City, the board of the Salton Sea Authority or executive director of the Palm Springs Youth Center.

I want to continue using that experience to help the communities of the Coachella and Imperial Valleys healthy by expanding health coverage and expanding economic opportunities, improving our public schools and protecting our environment. The exciting thing is that we can all do that in our everyday lives.

We live in a very special corner of the state. Together, let's make a difference that will reverberate through every corner.