I was born and raised here in Grand Rapids on the SE side in a blue collar union family. Both my grandfather’s were in unions, my father was in a carpenters union and my husband is in the welders’ union. We grew up lower middle class but always had what we needed thanks to the protections that unions provided us. I bought my first house on the westside about 18 years ago and have been here ever since. I have the great privilege of being mother to two daughters ages 16 and 2. I have a master’s degree in counseling, am fluent in Spanish and work for a local non-profit as a mental health therapist. I have devoted my entire life to improving the lives of others and making the world a better place.