Personal Experience

I have seen firsthand the transformative power of bringing people from different backgrounds together for dialogue, collaboration, and mutual respect. These experiences have shaped my vision for creating stronger community bonds, where every resident feels valued, heard, and empowered. As mayor, I will take concrete steps to turn this vision into reality. My approach will focus on fostering trust, creating opportunities for collaboration, and amplifying underrepresented voices.

Creating a Community Engagement Task Force

This task force will include leaders from various faith groups, cultural organizations, and civic groups to identify and address challenges faced by Sugar Land’s diverse communities. This will also create an open line of communication between our diverse residents and the city government– making sure all voices are truly heard.

Expanding Interfaith Collaboration

I’ll build on my experience as an interfaith advocate to create spaces where faith leaders can collaborate on city initiatives, such as poverty reduction, public health, and environmental sustainability. Working together for a cause brings people together. I have witnessed this with my own eyes and believe this is something we should be striving for city-wide.

Why Community Bonds Matter

Strong community bonds create a ripple effect of positive change. They foster trust and mutual respect, making neighborhoods safer and more connected. They promote civic engagement, encouraging residents to participate in shaping our city’s future. And they create a sense of belonging that makes Sugar Land not just a place to live but a true home for all.

A Vision for Small Business Empowerment

Imagine a Sugar Land where local entrepreneurs feel confident they can grow their businesses, create jobs, and contribute to the vibrancy of our community. By fostering a thriving small business ecosystem, we can create a Sugar Land where residents and visitors alike support and celebrate the unique offerings of our local economy.

Incentives for Local Shopping

I’ll promote programs that encourage residents to shop locally, such as “buy local” campaigns and loyalty programs for residents who support Sugar Land businesses. This will help keep dollars circulating in our community, boosting the local economy.

Small Business Market Days

We have a thriving farmers market at Imperial, but we can do more. Small Business Market Days are an exciting way to connect Sugar Land’s residents with our local entrepreneurs while fostering a sense of community and supporting the local economy. These events will rotate locations to get small businesses more reach and have affordable vendor spaces for maximum participation. This allows small businesses to showcase their products and services, attract new customers, and build lasting relationships within the community.

Overview

Sugar Land thrives when its residents are actively involved in making our city a better place. The Volunteer Incentive Program aims to encourage civic engagement by offering non-monetary rewards and recognition for residents who dedicate their time and talents to city-supported projects. This can look like discounts on recreational programs or priority registration for city events, and formal recognitions at city council meetings. This program not only enhances community participation but also reduces costs for public initiatives by leveraging volunteer contributions.

Long-Term Vision

This program is meant to be a stepping stone toward broader efforts to incentivize giving back to our community. By starting with non-monetary incentives and building partnerships, we can demonstrate the value of community engagement and potentially advocate for state-level tax credit programs in the future.
My Volunteer Incentive Program represents a practical, impactful way to foster civic pride and engagement in Sugar Land. By rewarding residents for giving back, we create a culture of service, connection, and shared responsibility for our city’s future.

Building a Resilient and Reliable Energy Future

Power outages disrupt lives, impact businesses, and compromise safety. Sugar Land deserves an energy infrastructure that is reliable, efficient, and prepared to handle the demands of our growing community. By focusing on common-sense solutions and energy efficiency, we can ensure that our residents are not left vulnerable during extreme weather or grid failures.

Key Actions to Improve Energy Reliability: Micro Grids

Natural gas may be cheap, but it is especially vulnerable to winter storms. Freezing temperatures can cause mechanical failures in the equipment used to transport, extract, and process the gas. If the power goes out, so does our gas supply. Micro grids not attached to the larger power grid can specifically address this problem. By having a self-sustaining power system in place, our city can make sure we have reliable backup power even when the grid goes down. Current Federal tax credits already exist to help mitigate the cost of solar panels and battery systems, and residents can also sell their excess energy back to the grid which puts money in your pockets while making our grid more sustainable.

Enhance Emergency Preparedness:

Extreme weather events have made emergency preparedness a crucial part of our city’s safety. As mayor I will further develop and strengthen our city-wide emergency energy plan and make sure that includes backup power systems for critical infrastructure, designated more cooling and heating centers, and rapid response protocols for outages. We will also create priority restoration plans for the neighborhoods with our most vulnerable populations of the elderly and children.

Why This Matters

Reliable energy isn’t just a convenience—it’s a necessity for safety, economic stability, and quality of life. When our energy systems are resilient, families can weather storms without fear, businesses can operate without costly disruptions, and our city can thrive in any condition. By embracing innovation and collaboration, we can build an energy future that is sustainable, equitable, and dependable for every resident of Sugar Land.

Sidewalks

Safe, accessible sidewalks are the backbone of any thriving community. In Sugar Land, too many sidewalks are narrow, uneven, or poorly connected, creating challenges for pedestrians, families, and bikers alike. By prioritizing city-wide sidewalk improvements, we can ensure safer routes for children walking to school, better access to parks and community spaces, and a more connected, pedestrian-friendly city. Investing in our sidewalks isn’t just about infrastructure—it’s about building a safer, healthier, and more vibrant Sugar Land for everyone.

City-Wide Survey

We need to conduct a survey to identify critical areas for sidewalk repair and expansion: The city currently maintains 846 miles of sidewalks and 445 lane miles of streets. That’s a lot of roads. Yet they currently only perform a city wide street assessment every four years. I think we can do better, and add to our current assessment. I’ll advocate for an accessible online platform where residents can report sidewalk hazards, missing segments, or high-traffic areas needing attention. We’ll partner with city engineers and the public works department to assess sidewalk conditions and prioritize areas near schools, parks, and high traffic areas.

Collaborate with Local Schools and Community Groups

Schools and community groups are essential partners in addressing critical pedestrian routes. I will organize walk audits. These are grassroots efforts that have parents, students and community members observe and document unsafe sidewalks. This helps alleviate cost while also giving the parents and community buy-in to the process.

If we want Sugar Land to continue to be a place that attracts businesses and new residents, we have to make sure our infrastructure is not an obstacle. Walkable sidewalks and accessibility contribute to the safety of our neighborhoods and are a primary factor in people’s decision to place down roots in a community.