Aarika Samone Rhodes

[{"question": "Video for Ballotpedia", "answer_html": "<div style=\"float:left\">\n<table cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"wikitable\" width=\"205\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td><div class=\"thumb embedvideo autoResize\" style=\"width: 258px;\"><!--\n--><div class=\"embedvideo autoResize\" style=\"\"><!--\n--><div class=\"embedvideowrap youtube\" style=\"width: 250px\"><iframe allow=\"accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"141\" loading=\"lazy\" modestbranding=\"1\" src=\"//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/LCEPpA4wj8w\" width=\"250\"></iframe></div><!--\n--></div><!--\n--></div><span style=\"font-size:80%\">Video submitted to Ballotpedia<br/>Released February 3, 2021</span>\n</td></tr></tbody></table></div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"></div>", "answer_text": "Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released February 3, 2021"}, {"question": "Ballotpedia survey responses", "answer_html": "<p>See also: <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a></p>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Aarika Rhodes completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rhodes' responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-97086-2021-05-01\" id=\"heading-bio-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-97086-2021-05-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho are you? Tell us about yourself.\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-bio-97086-2021-05-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tAarika has devoted her life to children and education. In 2013, Aarika received the Teacher of the Year Award from the Los Angeles Clippers for her achievement in constructing an effective science curriculum. She has also been published in the Journal for Multicultural Education for an article she co-authored with Dr. Shartriya Collier and Betty Burston entitled: Teaching STEM as a Second Language: Utilizing SLA to Develop Equitable Learning for All Students. In 2018, Aarika was invited to the Better Together Teachers’ Summit at California State University Northridge to speak to dozens of educators about helping every child access curriculum by creating individual connections with each student. Aarika has taught students from diverse backgrounds in public and private schools. She understands the importance of closing the disparity in academic performance between groups of students. Aarika attended public schools her entire life and was often the only student of color in the classroom. But she used it as motivation to be an honor roll student and break stereotypes. This is how she learned to stand against injustice and inequality and acquired her work ethic. She brought her capacity for hard work and her commitment to equality into the classroom as a teacher. Aarika went on to study at California State University Northridge where she earned a B.A. in Liberal Studies with an emphasis on Science and an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-97086-2021-05-01\" id=\"heading-key-message-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-97086-2021-05-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tPlease list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-97086-2021-05-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>The Economy</li><li>Education Reform</li><li>Social Justice and Equality</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-97086-2021-05-01\" id=\"heading1-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-97086-2021-05-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-97086-2021-05-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe jobs of today require collaborative workers who can create innovative solutions to problems. The old model of education, based on memorization and rote learning, is outdated. As a teacher, I am passionate about creating an educational system that prepares every child for success in a 21st century economy. While at school, kids should have the opportunity to participate in real-world experiences and leave the classroom inspired every day. Our current educational system is filled with disparities that prevent every child from receiving the quality education they deserve. The COVID-19 Pandemic has made these educational inequalities even more glaring. Our struggling and underserved students have fallen even further behind during online instruction. Many of our most vulnerable students have been struggling to learn online without a stable internet connection or a reliable computer. This is an injustice. We need to meet this moment with robust, innovative legislation to rebuild our educational system.<br/><br/></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-97086-2021-05-01\" id=\"heading2-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-97086-2021-05-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading2-97086-2021-05-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe people I admire the most are my parents. My father was born into one of the few black-owned cotton farms in rural Shaw, Mississippi. That is where he acquired his leadership skills, work ethic, faith, and perseverance. My father devoted his adult life to being a professional fighter and martial arts instructor. And my mother was born in New Jersey but traveled back and forth between Europe and the United States because her father served in the United States Army and Vietnam. After recently retiring from her nine-to-five job she held for 35 years, she decided to become an entrepreneur. I attribute my creativity, selflessness, and go-getter mentality to my mother. Both of my parents have equipped me with strong morals and values. <br/><br/></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-97086-2021-05-01\" id=\"heading3-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse3-97086-2021-05-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tIs there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading3-97086-2021-05-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse3-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThere are two pieces of literature I would recommend. The first is Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from a Birmingham Jail. I recommend this because it is packed with insights that persist today. The second would be a children's book I read to my students at the beginning of every school year, \"The Little Red Hen\". Although it is a simple book about making bread, the message is about selflessness, teamwork, and how together we can all prosper. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-97086-2021-05-01\" id=\"heading4-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse4-97086-2021-05-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading4-97086-2021-05-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse4-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe characteristics that are most important for any elected official to have consist of the following: Integrity, humility, and honesty. These three qualities not only make a great leader but validate they can be entrusted to do the right thing.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-97086-2021-05-01\" id=\"heading5-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse5-97086-2021-05-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading5-97086-2021-05-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse5-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe core responsibilities for someone in the House of Representatives are to listen and be present in their district, be accessible and transparent. This is critical because you are being entrusted to care about their concerns and advocate on their behalf. Finally, to be a role model for young people so they are inspired to be civically engaged and participate in their community. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse6-97086-2021-05-01\" id=\"heading6-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse6-97086-2021-05-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse6-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat legacy would you like to leave?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading6-97086-2021-05-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse6-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe legacy I would like to leave is giving young people the space to be heard and empowered to make their dreams come true. I personally believe, leaders do not create more followers, they create more leaders. What better legacy than knowing you cultivated the next generation of leaders to change the world for the better. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse7-97086-2021-05-01\" id=\"heading7-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse7-97086-2021-05-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse7-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat was the last song that got stuck in your head?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading7-97086-2021-05-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse7-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe last song that got stuck in my head is Beyonce's \"Crazy in Love\". It's a good thing I love this song! \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse8-97086-2021-05-01\" id=\"heading8-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse8-97086-2021-05-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse8-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading8-97086-2021-05-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse8-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe United States House of Representatives is an institution of the people thereby offering an elementary school teacher a pathway to be elected and hopefully serve on the education and labor committee. This in and of itself is unique. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse9-97086-2021-05-01\" id=\"heading9-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse9-97086-2021-05-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse9-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tDo you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading9-97086-2021-05-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse9-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tNo. I believe that anyone that wants to serve and dedicate their life to our country should have the opportunity to do so. That is the beautiful part of our democracy, the people get to vote in who they want to represent them. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse10-97086-2021-05-01\" id=\"heading10-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse10-97086-2021-05-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse10-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tIs there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading10-97086-2021-05-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse10-97086-2021-05-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThere has been a lot of incredible people who have served our country in the United States Congress, but the representative I admire the most is Shirley Chisholm. She was the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress. But what is more, an advocate for minorities, women, and children. In Congress, I aspire to be just as effective and work hard to pass meaningful legislation that will cultivate the next generation of leaders, ensure every American can live in dignity, and model what it means to never compromise one's character. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.</i></p></div>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nAarika Rhodes completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rhodes' responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. Aarika has devoted her life to children and education. In 2013, Aarika received the Teacher of the Year Award from the Los Angeles Clippers for her achievement in constructing an effective science curriculum. She has also been published in the Journal for Multicultural Education for an article she co-authored with Dr. Shartriya Collier and Betty Burston entitled: Teaching STEM as a Second Language: Utilizing SLA to Develop Equitable Learning for All Students. In 2018, Aarika was invited to the Better Together Teachers’ Summit at California State University Northridge to speak to dozens of educators about helping every child access curriculum by creating individual connections with each student. Aarika has taught students from diverse backgrounds in public and private schools. She understands the importance of closing the disparity in academic performance between groups of students. Aarika attended public schools her entire life and was often the only student of color in the classroom. But she used it as motivation to be an honor roll student and break stereotypes. This is how she learned to stand against injustice and inequality and acquired her work ethic. She brought her capacity for hard work and her commitment to equality into the classroom as a teacher. Aarika went on to study at California State University Northridge where she earned a B.A. in Liberal Studies with an emphasis on Science and an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction. Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? The Economy Education Reform Social Justice and Equality What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? The jobs of today require collaborative workers who can create innovative solutions to problems. The old model of education, based on memorization and rote learning, is outdated. As a teacher, I am passionate about creating an educational system that prepares every child for success in a 21st century economy. While at school, kids should have the opportunity to participate in real-world experiences and leave the classroom inspired every day. Our current educational system is filled with disparities that prevent every child from receiving the quality education they deserve. The COVID-19 Pandemic has made these educational inequalities even more glaring. Our struggling and underserved students have fallen even further behind during online instruction. Many of our most vulnerable students have been struggling to learn online without a stable internet connection or a reliable computer. This is an injustice. We need to meet this moment with robust, innovative legislation to rebuild our educational system. Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why? The people I admire the most are my parents. My father was born into one of the few black-owned cotton farms in rural Shaw, Mississippi. That is where he acquired his leadership skills, work ethic, faith, and perseverance. My father devoted his adult life to being a professional fighter and martial arts instructor. And my mother was born in New Jersey but traveled back and forth between Europe and the United States because her father served in the United States Army and Vietnam. After recently retiring from her nine-to-five job she held for 35 years, she decided to become an entrepreneur. I attribute my creativity, selflessness, and go-getter mentality to my mother. Both of my parents have equipped me with strong morals and values. Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy? There are two pieces of literature I would recommend. The first is Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from a Birmingham Jail. I recommend this because it is packed with insights that persist today. The second would be a children's book I read to my students at the beginning of every school year, \"The Little Red Hen\". Although it is a simple book about making bread, the message is about selflessness, teamwork, and how together we can all prosper. What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official? The characteristics that are most important for any elected official to have consist of the following: Integrity, humility, and honesty. These three qualities not only make a great leader but validate they can be entrusted to do the right thing. What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office? The core responsibilities for someone in the House of Representatives are to listen and be present in their district, be accessible and transparent. This is critical because you are being entrusted to care about their concerns and advocate on their behalf. Finally, to be a role model for young people so they are inspired to be civically engaged and participate in their community. What legacy would you like to leave? The legacy I would like to leave is giving young people the space to be heard and empowered to make their dreams come true. I personally believe, leaders do not create more followers, they create more leaders. What better legacy than knowing you cultivated the next generation of leaders to change the world for the better. What was the last song that got stuck in your head? The last song that got stuck in my head is Beyonce's \"Crazy in Love\". It's a good thing I love this song! What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution? The United States House of Representatives is an institution of the people thereby offering an elementary school teacher a pathway to be elected and hopefully serve on the education and labor committee. This in and of itself is unique. Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics? No. I believe that anyone that wants to serve and dedicate their life to our country should have the opportunity to do so. That is the beautiful part of our democracy, the people get to vote in who they want to represent them. Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after? There has been a lot of incredible people who have served our country in the United States Congress, but the representative I admire the most is Shirley Chisholm. She was the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress. But what is more, an advocate for minorities, women, and children. In Congress, I aspire to be just as effective and work hard to pass meaningful legislation that will cultivate the next generation of leaders, ensure every American can live in dignity, and model what it means to never compromise one's character.\nNote: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it."}, {"question": "Campaign website", "answer_html": "<p>Rhodes' campaign website stated the following:\n</p>\n<div style=\"height:400px;overflow:scroll;border:1px solid gray;margin:20px;padding:10px;\">\n<table data-nosnippet=\"\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none;background-color: transparent; auto; ;\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"border:none; color:#B2B7F2;font-size:35px;font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: left; padding: 10px 3px;\" valign=\"top\" width=\"20\">“\n</td>\n<td style=\"border: none; padding: 4px 10px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p><b>SUPPORTING THE UNHOUSED</b>\n</p><p><b>There are over 8,000 people experiencing homelessness in the San Fernando Valley.</b>\n</p><p>Our communities are not whole until everyone has a home. Thousands of our neighbors are living on the streets. Kids in our communities are trying to attend school while living in cars. This is not who we are supposed to be. It is time to act. Homelessness is a complex problem. There are as many reasons for homelessness as there are people experiencing homelessness. While the problem is significant, we know where to start. Aarika will work closely with local officials to create more temporary shelters. Those experiencing homelessness who also suffer from other problems need access to medical, mental health, and drug rehabilitation services. We need to work toward long term solutions by improving educational opportunities, creating jobs by stimulating the local economy, and working towards affordable housing to prevent our residents from becoming homeless in the first place.\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work for:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>More homeless shelters</li>\n<li>Increased mental health and drug rehabilitation services</li>\n<li>A consolidated database of resources available for people experiencing homelessness</li>\n<li>A strong local economy by supporting small businesses</li>\n<li>Housing subsidies for low income families to ensure affordable housing</li>\n<li>An Expanded Work Opportunity Tax Credit to provide employers with incentives to hire workers experiencing homelessness</li>\n<li>A Universal Basic Income (UBI) to provide a basic safety net</li>\n<li>Medicare for All to reduce the impact that medical debt and a lack of quality healthcare has on people becoming homeless</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>EDUCATION REFORM</b>\n</p><p><b>A changing 21st-century economy demands a 21st-century education.</b>\n</p><p>The jobs of today require collaborative workers who can create innovative solutions to problems. The old model of education, based on memorization and rote learning, is outdated. As a teacher, Aarika is passionate about creating an educational system that prepares every child for success in a 21st century economy. While at school, kids should have the opportunity to participate in real-world experiences and leave the classroom inspired every day.\n</p><p>Our current educational system is filled with disparities that prevent every child from receiving the quality education they deserve. The COVID-19 Pandemic has made these educational inequalities even more glaring. Our struggling and underserved students have fallen even further behind during online instruction. Many of our most vulnerable students have been struggling to learn online without a stable internet connection or a reliable computer. This is an injustice. We need to meet this moment with robust, innovative legislation to rebuild our educational system. In Congress, Aarika will support universal preschool, reduce the emphasis on standardized testing, preserve art and music programs, advocate for vocational schools, and support college debt forgiveness programs.\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work for:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Universal Preschool</li>\n<li>Smaller classroom sizes</li>\n<li>Access to healthy school lunches</li>\n<li>School nurses and counselors in every school</li>\n<li>Increased resources to support kids with learning disabilities</li>\n<li>Life skills courses in financial literacy, woodshop, and home economics</li>\n<li>Hands-on, project-based learning environments that reduce the emphasis on standardized testing</li>\n<li>Opportunities for field trips for real-world experiences</li>\n<li>College debt forgiveness programs and an end to predatory lending</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES</b>\n</p><p><b>Small businesses are the gems of our local community.</b>\n</p><p>COVID-19 has devastated small businesses which are the foundation of our local economy. We need to act to help them survive this pandemic. We need to act to help our small businesses rebuild to become even stronger. A strong local economy provides job opportunities and pathways to success for our residents. Locally owned shops, restaurants, and cafes serve as the focal point for our vibrant community life. In Congress, Aarika will work for tax credits and incentives to make it easier to start and run a small business. She will fight to end policies that give large corporations a competitive advantage. She will work to pass Universal Basic Income and Medicare for All to put more spending power in the hands of CA-32 residents and remove the burden of health care costs from business owners. Together we can support our small businesses and bring prosperity to CA-32.\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work for:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Tax credits and incentives for starting and running small businesses</li>\n<li>Making small business loans more available</li>\n<li>Ending policies that give large corporations a competitive advantage</li>\n<li>Implementing a Universal Basic Income (UBI) that will put more spending power in the hands of CA-32 residents</li>\n<li>Passing Medicare for All to remove the burden of meeting rising health care costs from employers</li>\n<li>Encouraging CA-32 residents to buy local whenever possible (an estimated sixty-eight cents of every dollar spent locally stays in the local economy)</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM</b>\n</p><p><b>Police brutality must end.</b>\n</p><p>For too many years we have watched the murder of unarmed black Americans like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police officers who ultimately escape responsibility. We are frustrated but we cannot get discouraged. We are in the majority. Millions of Americans have marched in protest with Black Lives Matter. Tens of thousands of honest police officers are ashamed of law enforcement regulations that exist to protect guilty police officers. We need to create a new relationship between police and communities based on trust and respect. We can do this by creating national standards on police escalation of force protocols and by increasing transparency standards during investigations of misconduct. We need to support police officers with quality training in these new tactics. We need to hire more trained mental health professionals to respond to situations that do not require direct law enforcement intervention. When we restore trust between police and communities, everyone benefits.\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work for:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Access to quality training for every police officer</li>\n<li>National police standards which include use of force protocols that emphasize de-escalation and standards for transparency during investigations</li>\n<li>Increased funding for mental health services</li>\n<li>A national database to compile information on police misconduct</li>\n<li>An end to Qualified Immunity</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>PRISON REFORM</b>\n</p><p><b>End for-profit prisons and promote restorative justice.</b>\n</p><p>The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world but we are not the world's safest country. American prisons are filled with inmates guilty of minor infractions and non violent drug offenses. California spends $80,000 annually to lock up each prisoner (more than five times what we spend per K-12 pupil). Many of these inmates could safely pay for their crimes without serving jail time. Most criminals who deserve jail time can work toward redemption. Our goal is to create a criminal justice system where punishments fit the crimes and rehabilitation is possible. The only goal private for profit prisons have is to make money which they can only do by filling jail cells. Private prisons predictably lobby for all of the worst crime legislation that increases incarceration without improving public safety. We need to reform minimum sentencing laws and end the war on drugs which criminalizes a mental health problem. We need to create educational and job training opportunities within correctional facilities to offer prisoners meaningful pathways to reform. We need to reform bail regulations and improve court appointed representation. Thousands of Americans each year serve days or weeks in jail because they cannot afford bail and thousands more enter guilty plea deals for crimes they are innocent of because they cannot afford a lawyer. We need to create an America where nobody profits from prisons and where justice does not cost money.\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work for:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Ending for-profit prisons</li>\n<li>Reforming minimum sentencing laws for nonviolent crimes</li>\n<li>Ending the war on drugs which criminalizes mental health problem</li>\n<li>Reforming bail regulations and improving court appointed lawyers to make sure nobody is imprisoned because they cannot afford bail or a lawyer</li>\n<li>Educational and job training opportunities within prisons</li>\n<li>Educational and counseling resources for at-risk youth</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>CLOSING THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE</b>\n</p><p><b>When children are set on the path to success, students, educators, and communities win.</b>\n</p><p>Too many adults who end up in the criminal justice system were failed by their schools as children. Our most vulnerable students -- those with special needs, histories of abuse, and who are growing up in poverty -- are more likely to be disciplined than supported. Young students already begin the process of being institutionalized into separate programs for kids with behavioral issues where the focus shifts from education to control. This is a precursor for many students who become incarcerated later. Locking up an inmate in prison costs California more than five times what it spends educating each public school student annually. Our students deserve better. We cannot afford to waste all of this potential. We have to provide a quality education, and mental health and counseling services for every child. We need to end the zero-tolerance policies, school disturbance laws, and the over-policing of schools that are leading to kids being treated like criminals.\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work for:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Increased funding for special education</li>\n<li>Making mental health and counseling services available for every student</li>\n<li>More funding for intervention programs for struggling students</li>\n<li>Reforming zero-tolerance policies which force school administrations to severely punish students for minor offenses</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME (UBI)</b>\n</p><p><b>Every American deserves to live with dignity.</b>\n</p><p>According to the Federal Reserve, nearly 40% of Americans would struggle to cover an unexpected $400 expense. Every day across CA-32, people are forced to make difficult financial decisions. Families are forced to choose between meeting an unexpected car repair bill and ensuring their children have food and clothing. Parents have to choose between pursuing a career or staying home to avoid paying for childcare. Financial burdens force people to delay important life goals such as having children and buying homes. Universal Basic Income (UBI) provides every American citizen a basic guaranteed living stipend once they turn 18. This idea is as old as America. It has been championed by Thomas Paine and Martin Luther King Jr. UBI respects the right of every American to live a decent life. What could you and your family do with an extra $1,000 a month?\n</p><p><b>Universal Basic Income (UBI):</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Provides a bottom floor (safety net) to help ensure access to food, shelter, and basic necessities for everyone</li>\n<li>Nurtures creativity and supports artists</li>\n<li>Allows people to take risks such as starting new businesses</li>\n<li>Supports the vital work that unpaid caregivers do</li>\n<li>Provides people stuck in abusive households the financial ability to leave (1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men have been victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives)</li>\n<li>Provides security for Americans who become unemployed due to automation and the closure of polluting industries as advances in green energy continue</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>MEDICARE FOR ALL</b>\n</p><p><b>No one should go without health care.</b>\n</p><p>Americans spend more than any other wealthy country on health care yet our health care system is inefficient and unequal. Sick patients who need immediate care cannot negotiate or shop around for lower prices. Hospitals and drug companies negotiate with a patchwork of multiple different insurance companies. The result is price gouging and dismaying surprises. People suddenly find that a medicine which used to cost $10 now costs $400 or that a formerly in-network doctor is now out. The system is inefficient for everyone and devastating for those who cannot afford full access. African-American, Native American and Alaska Native women, for example, are about three times more likely to die from complications during pregnancy. The COVID-19 Pandemic has shown the weakness of an employer based health insurance system. As hundreds of thousands of Americans have died, millions more have lost employer-based insurance as their jobs shut down.\n</p><p>Medicare for All solves these problems by providing universal health care based on an expanded version of the highly successful Medicare program for seniors. Every American will receive quality health insurance with no premiums, no co-pays, no deductibles, no out of network doctors, and no surprise billing. Expanded coverage will include dental, hearing, mental health, and substance abuse services. A single-payer system cuts out inefficiency and price gouging, lowering national healthcare costs. In Congress, Aarika will support the Medicare for All Act of 2019 and any legislation that will expand coverage for Americans. Medicare for All creates an efficient healthcare system based in justice and equality. Every American has a right to be healthy.\n</p><p><b>Medicare for All:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Provides quality health insurance for every American with no out of pocket expenses</li>\n<li>Includes no cost prescription drugs</li>\n<li>Covers mental health and addiction treatment services</li>\n<li>Guarantees access to quality prenatal care for every pregnant mother</li>\n<li>Ensures that no American will face financial burdens or bankruptcy from medical debt</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE</b>\n</p><p><b>We need to rethink our relationship with the environment.</b>\n</p><p>Climate change is a defining threat of our times. The people of the San Fernando Valley understand better than most the threat of rising temperatures, drought, and wildfires. We understand the frustration of living with gas leaks that harm the health of our communities and take months to fix. Together, we can work to reduce carbon emissions, support renewable energy, and invest in carbon capturing technologies to reverse the effects of climate change. We need to limit fracking and extracting operations on federal lands and increase safety standards for gas and oil pipelines. In Congress, Aarika will co-sponsor the Green New Deal to build a clean, efficient energy infrastructure system. We can create thousands of high paying jobs and achieve energy independence while protecting the environment. We have a responsibility to act now to ensure a healthy planet for generations to come.\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work to:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Support programs that model environmental care for students</li>\n<li>Support Community gardens and green spaces</li>\n<li>Support local and national non-profit sustainability organizations</li>\n<li>Increase incentives for electric vehicles</li>\n<li>Limit fracking and reduce mining and extraction operations on federal land</li>\n<li>Co-sponsor the Green New Deal to create a clean energy infrastructure that will support thousands of jobs</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>ACHIEVING SOCIAL JUSTICE</b>\n</p><p><b>We are stronger together.</b>\n</p><p>This country was created as a land where everyone can be free and equal. We have never fully realized this vision but we have also never failed as a country to become better with each generation. We continue this work. Everyone deserves respect and equality regardless of gender, race, class, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation. In Congress, Aarika will be a voice for everyone. She will work for full equality for Americans with disabilities by ensuring healthcare access and offering incentives for employers to hire disabled workers. Aarika will stand with the LGBTQ+ community. She will fight hiring and housing discrimination. She will work to pass Medicare for All and UBI to guarantee that the most vulnerable Americans have healthcare access and a basic safety net. Aarika will be a champion for everyone treated unfairly anywhere.\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work to:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Ensure everyone is treated with respect and equality</li>\n<li>Protect LGBTQ+ rights</li>\n<li>Implement incentives for employers to hire disabled workers</li>\n<li>Pass Medicare for All to ensure that vulnerable Americans have healthcare access</li>\n<li>Implement UBI to ensure that vulnerable Americans have a basic safety net</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>ENDING GUN VIOLENCE</b>\n</p><p><b>We need to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.</b>\n</p><p>Every day in America teachers stop their lessons to run active shooter drills. Instead of focusing on their education, students focus on how to stay alive if someone walks into school with a gun. This has become an unacceptable “new normal.” Students deserve to feel safe and protected at schools. Parents deserve to know that when they drop their kids off they will be safe until pick up. Everyone deserves to be able to go to a movie theater or a music festival without being afraid of a mass shooting. Sensible gun reforms are not a threat to the millions of responsible gun owning Americans. We need universal background checks which would close the gun show loophole and we need national standards around disqualifications for gun ownership. People convicted of violent crimes, domestic abuse, and those with a history of mental illness connected with violence or thoughts of self harm should not own guns. Together we can create a safer America. We need to partner with groups such as Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety to stop the crisis of gun violence.\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work to:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Stand up to the NRA</li>\n<li>Implement universal background checks</li>\n<li>Create national standards that disqualify those with a history of domestic violence or other violent crimes, and those with mental illness coupled with thoughts of self harm or harm of others from gun ownership</li>\n<li>Support Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety</li>\n<li>Make our communities safer while protecting the rights of responsible gun owners</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>IMMIGRATION REFORM</b>\n</p><p><b>Immigration is the story of America.</b>\n</p><p>Our strength is our diversity. It allows us to innovate, create, and prosper. Immigrants are more likely to start small businesses and less likely to commit crimes than Americans born in the U.S. They strengthen our communities and revitalize our economy. We need immigration but our current immigration laws are dysfunctional. All across this country, our chronically labor short agricultural industry needs immigrant workers but U.S. immigration law makes it difficult for workers to legally immigrate to perform this work. The result is that our agricultural industry rests on the backs of workers who are both vital and treated like criminals. This is not just and it is not what is best for America. We need to increase immigration quotas for workers that our economy needs. We need to create a pathway to citizenship for long term, law abiding undocumented residents and protect our DREAMers. We need to invest in 21st century technologies to combat drug cartels and smuggling operations to keep criminals from crossing our borders. We can create a system that keeps us safe, respects immigrants, and makes America stronger.\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work to:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Protect the Dream and Promise Act for our DREAMers</li>\n<li>Protect the Enlist Act which grants legal status to anyone joining the military</li>\n<li>Expand immigration quotas for workers vital to the economy such as agricultural workers</li>\n<li>Create a pathway to citizenship for long term, law abiding undocumented residents</li>\n<li>Invest in 21st century technologies to combat drug cartels and smuggling operations crossing our borders.</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>SUPPORTING VETERANS</b>\n</p><p><b>We have a responsibility to serve those who serve this country.</b>\n</p><p>When Americans join the military they take an oath of service. Members of the military have the dedication to complete any mission given to them. They have the courage to go into harm's way if America calls on them. They have made a commitment to us and we need to fulfill our commitment to them. We need to give our veterans the resources they need to help them transition out of the military and into civilian life. We need to provide housing for homeless veterans. We need to improve VA care for injured veterans. We need to make mental health services available to end the crisis of veteran suicide. As the official motto of the VA states, we need “to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.”\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work to:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Expand programs to help veterans transition from military service to the civilian economy</li>\n<li>Provide housing for homeless veterans</li>\n<li>Improve the VA Health care system</li>\n<li>Increase funding for mental health services and end the veteran suicide crisis</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>CLOSING THE FOSTER CARE-TO-HOMELESSNESS PIPELINE</b>\n</p><p><b>Every child deserves a chance.</b>\n</p><p>Los Angeles County alone has over 33,000 foster youth who have experienced abuse, neglect or abandonment. Foster children are more likely to experience mental illness, anxiety, and depression. They are more likely to face poverty, suicide, and sex trafficking when they age out of the system. We have an obligation as a country to protect our most vulnerable children. We need to properly fund programs providing educational and mental health resources for our foster youth and we need to invest in transition programs for youth aging out of the system. Too many foster children enter into homelessness when they turn eighteen and exit the program because they lack resources and career and life readiness skills. We need to fulfill our obligations to our foster youth.\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work to:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Fund educational and mental health resources and counseling</li>\n<li>Increase training available to help foster parents support their children and create stable families</li>\n<li>Create career and life training transition programs for youth aging out of the system</li>\n<li>Implement a Universal Basic Income (UBI) to provide a safety net for foster youth</li>\n<li>Pass Medicare for All to ensure foster youth have access to quality healthcare</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>PROTECTING ANIMAL RIGHTS</b>\n</p><p><b>Animals deserve humane treatment.</b>\n</p><p>Animals are a valued part of our community and make our lives richer. They deserve to be cared for and protected. We need to fully fund our local animal shelters to end kill shelters and help every pet find a home. We need to outlaw puppy mills. We need to pass the SAFE Act to strengthen protection for horses. Animals raised for food deserve to live without cruelty. Factory farmed chickens, pigs, and cows live in appalling conditions. We need to offer restaurants incentives to use cruelty free meat. Protecting wildlife is a crucial part of environmental protection because animals are part of a healthy ecosystem. We need to protect our national parks to preserve habitats and we need to increase protections for endangered animals.\n</p><p><b>Aarika will work to:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Provides shelters more resources and end kill shelters</li>\n<li>Protect wildlife and endangered animals</li>\n<li>Outlaw puppy mills</li>\n<li>Support the Humane Society and other organizations fighting to protect animals</li>\n<li>Promote cruelty free meat</li>\n<li>Pass the SAFE Act which strengthens protections for horses</li>\n<li>Introduce and pass The Rome Act which prevents negligence and malpractice at any animal clinic or hospital because animals have the right to live</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>RANKED CHOICE VOTING</b>\n</p><p><b>Voters should be able to cast their ballot for who they believe in without fear of “wasting” their vote.</b>\n</p><p>Most voters end up casting their ballots for a candidate they like who has a good shot of winning instead of the candidate they actually prefer. This makes sense. In our current system, any vote for a candidate that does not end up in the top two usually helps a candidate that voter prefers the least. A successful third party liberal candidate usually takes votes from the Democrat. A successful third party conservative usually takes votes from the Republican. It does not have to be this way. Ranked choice voting solves this problem. In a Ranked Voting system, voters list their top three preferred candidates in order on their ballot. Once all the ballots are cast, the candidate in the race who received the fewest first-choice votes is removed. For anyone who voted for the now disqualified candidate, their vote goes to their second choice. Ballots are tallied again and then the candidate remaining who now has the fewest votes is eliminated and anyone who voted for that candidate has their vote given to their next choice. This process is repeated until one candidate has a majority vote and is declared the winner. Ranked choice voting makes the voice of the electorate heard and ensures that the winning candidate actually has the most support.\n</p><p><b>Ranked Choice Voting:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Allows voters to cast their ballots for who they believe in without fear of wasting their vote</li>\n<li>Increases the viability of third party and grassroots campaigns</li>\n<li>Ensures that the winning candidate is actually the most supported</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>DEMOCRACY DOLLARS</b>\n</p><p><b>You should not have to be wealthy for your voice to be heard in America.</b>\n</p><p>$6.5 billion were spent on the 2016 Congressional and Presidential elections. Most of this money came from corporations and the wealthy. How much money came from cashiers and crossing guards, teachers and firefighters, students and retired Americans living on a pension? We have a system stacked in favor of the wealthy because politicians are beholden to big money. Elections are expensive and politicians who stand up to big business risk losing their jobs. Democracy Dollars solves this problem by putting more than $20 billion in the hands of regular Americans. Every eligible voter will receive a $100 voucher per election cycle which they can only use for a campaign contribution. When regular Americans become the largest source of campaign contributions, politicians will start working for the teachers and the crossing guards.\n</p><p><b>Democracy Dollars:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Gives every eligible voter a $100 campaign contribution voucher per election cycle</li>\n<li>Makes it easier for politicians to reject corporate lobbyist money and rely on grassroots fundraising</li>\n<li>Makes regular Americans the main source of political contributions which will end the stranglehold on political power held by corporations and the wealthy</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>PRESERVING LOCAL NEWS AND JOURNALISTS</b>\n</p><p>Local journalism is a public good.\n</p><p>Local news is an essential part of CA-32. It keeps us informed about community events. It defends our democracy. Whenever there is a scandal involving abuse of power at the state or local level, it is usually a local journalist whose investigation uncovered the corruption. In our district, we have been confronted with wildfires and the Coronavirus Pandemic. In a crisis, we need immediate, on the ground information to keep us safe. The economy is changing and local news organizations everywhere are struggling to stay in business. Local journalism is a public good. In situations where local news companies cannot afford to stay in business, they should be subsidized by the federal government. The cost of allowing local journalism to fail is more than we can afford.\n</p><p><b>Local journalism:</b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Keeps our communities informed about local news</li>\n<li>Provides life saving information during times of crisis</li>\n<li>Holds local politicians accountable and uncovers corruption through investigative journalism</li>\n<li>Is a public good and deserves to be subsidized in situations where it risks going out of business</li></ul>\n<p><br/>\n<b>INNOVATION</b>\n</p><p><b>What is Bitcoin?</b> Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency. It uses blockchain technology to process secure transactions from user to user.\n</p><p><b>Bitcoin and Our Campaign</b> We are pleased to announce our campaign now accepts Bitcoin contributions up to $100 in value. Aarika believes in the right of every individual to manage their own finances and investments as they see fit. In Congress, Aarika will oppose any attempts to ban this emerging technology. Aarika is also a strong advocate for making sure financial literacy is taught in schools and for people being aware of the environmental impact of their investments.<sup class=\"reference\" id=\"cite_ref-quotedisclaimer_2-0\"><a href=\"#cite_note-quotedisclaimer-2\">[2]</a></sup>\n</p>\n</td>\n<td style=\"border: none; color: #B2B7F2; font-size: 35px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: right; padding: 10px 1px;\" valign=\"bottom\" width=\"20\">”\n</td></tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"cquotecite\" colspan=\"3\" style=\"border: none; padding-right: 4%\"><cite style=\"font-style: normal;font-size: smaller; float: right;\">—Aarika Rhodes' campaign website (2022)<sup class=\"reference\" id=\"cite_ref-3\"><a href=\"#cite_note-3\">[3]</a></sup></cite>\n</td></tr></tbody></table>\n</div>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1548351761485-0\"><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(\"div-gpt-ad-1548351761485-0\"); });</script></div>", "answer_text": "Rhodes' campaign website stated the following:\n“ SUPPORTING THE UNHOUSED There are over 8,000 people experiencing homelessness in the San Fernando Valley. Our communities are not whole until everyone has a home. Thousands of our neighbors are living on the streets. Kids in our communities are trying to attend school while living in cars. This is not who we are supposed to be. It is time to act. Homelessness is a complex problem. There are as many reasons for homelessness as there are people experiencing homelessness. While the problem is significant, we know where to start. Aarika will work closely with local officials to create more temporary shelters. Those experiencing homelessness who also suffer from other problems need access to medical, mental health, and drug rehabilitation services. We need to work toward long term solutions by improving educational opportunities, creating jobs by stimulating the local economy, and working towards affordable housing to prevent our residents from becoming homeless in the first place. Aarika will work for: More homeless shelters Increased mental health and drug rehabilitation services A consolidated database of resources available for people experiencing homelessness A strong local economy by supporting small businesses Housing subsidies for low income families to ensure affordable housing An Expanded Work Opportunity Tax Credit to provide employers with incentives to hire workers experiencing homelessness A Universal Basic Income (UBI) to provide a basic safety net Medicare for All to reduce the impact that medical debt and a lack of quality healthcare has on people becoming homeless EDUCATION REFORM A changing 21st-century economy demands a 21st-century education. The jobs of today require collaborative workers who can create innovative solutions to problems. The old model of education, based on memorization and rote learning, is outdated. As a teacher, Aarika is passionate about creating an educational system that prepares every child for success in a 21st century economy. While at school, kids should have the opportunity to participate in real-world experiences and leave the classroom inspired every day. Our current educational system is filled with disparities that prevent every child from receiving the quality education they deserve. The COVID-19 Pandemic has made these educational inequalities even more glaring. Our struggling and underserved students have fallen even further behind during online instruction. Many of our most vulnerable students have been struggling to learn online without a stable internet connection or a reliable computer. This is an injustice. We need to meet this moment with robust, innovative legislation to rebuild our educational system. In Congress, Aarika will support universal preschool, reduce the emphasis on standardized testing, preserve art and music programs, advocate for vocational schools, and support college debt forgiveness programs. Aarika will work for: Universal Preschool Smaller classroom sizes Access to healthy school lunches School nurses and counselors in every school Increased resources to support kids with learning disabilities Life skills courses in financial literacy, woodshop, and home economics Hands-on, project-based learning environments that reduce the emphasis on standardized testing Opportunities for field trips for real-world experiences College debt forgiveness programs and an end to predatory lending SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES Small businesses are the gems of our local community. COVID-19 has devastated small businesses which are the foundation of our local economy. We need to act to help them survive this pandemic. We need to act to help our small businesses rebuild to become even stronger. A strong local economy provides job opportunities and pathways to success for our residents. Locally owned shops, restaurants, and cafes serve as the focal point for our vibrant community life. In Congress, Aarika will work for tax credits and incentives to make it easier to start and run a small business. She will fight to end policies that give large corporations a competitive advantage. She will work to pass Universal Basic Income and Medicare for All to put more spending power in the hands of CA-32 residents and remove the burden of health care costs from business owners. Together we can support our small businesses and bring prosperity to CA-32. Aarika will work for: Tax credits and incentives for starting and running small businesses Making small business loans more available Ending policies that give large corporations a competitive advantage Implementing a Universal Basic Income (UBI) that will put more spending power in the hands of CA-32 residents Passing Medicare for All to remove the burden of meeting rising health care costs from employers Encouraging CA-32 residents to buy local whenever possible (an estimated sixty-eight cents of every dollar spent locally stays in the local economy) CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM Police brutality must end. For too many years we have watched the murder of unarmed black Americans like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police officers who ultimately escape responsibility. We are frustrated but we cannot get discouraged. We are in the majority. Millions of Americans have marched in protest with Black Lives Matter. Tens of thousands of honest police officers are ashamed of law enforcement regulations that exist to protect guilty police officers. We need to create a new relationship between police and communities based on trust and respect. We can do this by creating national standards on police escalation of force protocols and by increasing transparency standards during investigations of misconduct. We need to support police officers with quality training in these new tactics. We need to hire more trained mental health professionals to respond to situations that do not require direct law enforcement intervention. When we restore trust between police and communities, everyone benefits. Aarika will work for: Access to quality training for every police officer National police standards which include use of force protocols that emphasize de-escalation and standards for transparency during investigations Increased funding for mental health services A national database to compile information on police misconduct An end to Qualified Immunity PRISON REFORM End for-profit prisons and promote restorative justice. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world but we are not the world's safest country. American prisons are filled with inmates guilty of minor infractions and non violent drug offenses. California spends $80,000 annually to lock up each prisoner (more than five times what we spend per K-12 pupil). Many of these inmates could safely pay for their crimes without serving jail time. Most criminals who deserve jail time can work toward redemption. Our goal is to create a criminal justice system where punishments fit the crimes and rehabilitation is possible. The only goal private for profit prisons have is to make money which they can only do by filling jail cells. Private prisons predictably lobby for all of the worst crime legislation that increases incarceration without improving public safety. We need to reform minimum sentencing laws and end the war on drugs which criminalizes a mental health problem. We need to create educational and job training opportunities within correctional facilities to offer prisoners meaningful pathways to reform. We need to reform bail regulations and improve court appointed representation. Thousands of Americans each year serve days or weeks in jail because they cannot afford bail and thousands more enter guilty plea deals for crimes they are innocent of because they cannot afford a lawyer. We need to create an America where nobody profits from prisons and where justice does not cost money. Aarika will work for: Ending for-profit prisons Reforming minimum sentencing laws for nonviolent crimes Ending the war on drugs which criminalizes mental health problem Reforming bail regulations and improving court appointed lawyers to make sure nobody is imprisoned because they cannot afford bail or a lawyer Educational and job training opportunities within prisons Educational and counseling resources for at-risk youth CLOSING THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE When children are set on the path to success, students, educators, and communities win. Too many adults who end up in the criminal justice system were failed by their schools as children. Our most vulnerable students -- those with special needs, histories of abuse, and who are growing up in poverty -- are more likely to be disciplined than supported. Young students already begin the process of being institutionalized into separate programs for kids with behavioral issues where the focus shifts from education to control. This is a precursor for many students who become incarcerated later. Locking up an inmate in prison costs California more than five times what it spends educating each public school student annually. Our students deserve better. We cannot afford to waste all of this potential. We have to provide a quality education, and mental health and counseling services for every child. We need to end the zero-tolerance policies, school disturbance laws, and the over-policing of schools that are leading to kids being treated like criminals. Aarika will work for: Increased funding for special education Making mental health and counseling services available for every student More funding for intervention programs for struggling students Reforming zero-tolerance policies which force school administrations to severely punish students for minor offenses UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME (UBI) Every American deserves to live with dignity. According to the Federal Reserve, nearly 40% of Americans would struggle to cover an unexpected $400 expense. Every day across CA-32, people are forced to make difficult financial decisions. Families are forced to choose between meeting an unexpected car repair bill and ensuring their children have food and clothing. Parents have to choose between pursuing a career or staying home to avoid paying for childcare. Financial burdens force people to delay important life goals such as having children and buying homes. Universal Basic Income (UBI) provides every American citizen a basic guaranteed living stipend once they turn 18. This idea is as old as America. It has been championed by Thomas Paine and Martin Luther King Jr. UBI respects the right of every American to live a decent life. What could you and your family do with an extra $1,000 a month? Universal Basic Income (UBI): Provides a bottom floor (safety net) to help ensure access to food, shelter, and basic necessities for everyone Nurtures creativity and supports artists Allows people to take risks such as starting new businesses Supports the vital work that unpaid caregivers do Provides people stuck in abusive households the financial ability to leave (1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men have been victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives) Provides security for Americans who become unemployed due to automation and the closure of polluting industries as advances in green energy continue MEDICARE FOR ALL No one should go without health care. Americans spend more than any other wealthy country on health care yet our health care system is inefficient and unequal. Sick patients who need immediate care cannot negotiate or shop around for lower prices. Hospitals and drug companies negotiate with a patchwork of multiple different insurance companies. The result is price gouging and dismaying surprises. People suddenly find that a medicine which used to cost $10 now costs $400 or that a formerly in-network doctor is now out. The system is inefficient for everyone and devastating for those who cannot afford full access. African-American, Native American and Alaska Native women, for example, are about three times more likely to die from complications during pregnancy. The COVID-19 Pandemic has shown the weakness of an employer based health insurance system. As hundreds of thousands of Americans have died, millions more have lost employer-based insurance as their jobs shut down. Medicare for All solves these problems by providing universal health care based on an expanded version of the highly successful Medicare program for seniors. Every American will receive quality health insurance with no premiums, no co-pays, no deductibles, no out of network doctors, and no surprise billing. Expanded coverage will include dental, hearing, mental health, and substance abuse services. A single-payer system cuts out inefficiency and price gouging, lowering national healthcare costs. In Congress, Aarika will support the Medicare for All Act of 2019 and any legislation that will expand coverage for Americans. Medicare for All creates an efficient healthcare system based in justice and equality. Every American has a right to be healthy. Medicare for All: Provides quality health insurance for every American with no out of pocket expenses Includes no cost prescription drugs Covers mental health and addiction treatment services Guarantees access to quality prenatal care for every pregnant mother Ensures that no American will face financial burdens or bankruptcy from medical debt COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE We need to rethink our relationship with the environment. Climate change is a defining threat of our times. The people of the San Fernando Valley understand better than most the threat of rising temperatures, drought, and wildfires. We understand the frustration of living with gas leaks that harm the health of our communities and take months to fix. Together, we can work to reduce carbon emissions, support renewable energy, and invest in carbon capturing technologies to reverse the effects of climate change. We need to limit fracking and extracting operations on federal lands and increase safety standards for gas and oil pipelines. In Congress, Aarika will co-sponsor the Green New Deal to build a clean, efficient energy infrastructure system. We can create thousands of high paying jobs and achieve energy independence while protecting the environment. We have a responsibility to act now to ensure a healthy planet for generations to come. Aarika will work to: Support programs that model environmental care for students Support Community gardens and green spaces Support local and national non-profit sustainability organizations Increase incentives for electric vehicles Limit fracking and reduce mining and extraction operations on federal land Co-sponsor the Green New Deal to create a clean energy infrastructure that will support thousands of jobs ACHIEVING SOCIAL JUSTICE We are stronger together. This country was created as a land where everyone can be free and equal. We have never fully realized this vision but we have also never failed as a country to become better with each generation. We continue this work. Everyone deserves respect and equality regardless of gender, race, class, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation. In Congress, Aarika will be a voice for everyone. She will work for full equality for Americans with disabilities by ensuring healthcare access and offering incentives for employers to hire disabled workers. Aarika will stand with the LGBTQ+ community. She will fight hiring and housing discrimination. She will work to pass Medicare for All and UBI to guarantee that the most vulnerable Americans have healthcare access and a basic safety net. Aarika will be a champion for everyone treated unfairly anywhere. Aarika will work to: Ensure everyone is treated with respect and equality Protect LGBTQ+ rights Implement incentives for employers to hire disabled workers Pass Medicare for All to ensure that vulnerable Americans have healthcare access Implement UBI to ensure that vulnerable Americans have a basic safety net ENDING GUN VIOLENCE We need to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Every day in America teachers stop their lessons to run active shooter drills. Instead of focusing on their education, students focus on how to stay alive if someone walks into school with a gun. This has become an unacceptable “new normal.” Students deserve to feel safe and protected at schools. Parents deserve to know that when they drop their kids off they will be safe until pick up. Everyone deserves to be able to go to a movie theater or a music festival without being afraid of a mass shooting. Sensible gun reforms are not a threat to the millions of responsible gun owning Americans. We need universal background checks which would close the gun show loophole and we need national standards around disqualifications for gun ownership. People convicted of violent crimes, domestic abuse, and those with a history of mental illness connected with violence or thoughts of self harm should not own guns. Together we can create a safer America. We need to partner with groups such as Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety to stop the crisis of gun violence. Aarika will work to: Stand up to the NRA Implement universal background checks Create national standards that disqualify those with a history of domestic violence or other violent crimes, and those with mental illness coupled with thoughts of self harm or harm of others from gun ownership Support Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety Make our communities safer while protecting the rights of responsible gun owners IMMIGRATION REFORM Immigration is the story of America. Our strength is our diversity. It allows us to innovate, create, and prosper. Immigrants are more likely to start small businesses and less likely to commit crimes than Americans born in the U.S. They strengthen our communities and revitalize our economy. We need immigration but our current immigration laws are dysfunctional. All across this country, our chronically labor short agricultural industry needs immigrant workers but U.S. immigration law makes it difficult for workers to legally immigrate to perform this work. The result is that our agricultural industry rests on the backs of workers who are both vital and treated like criminals. This is not just and it is not what is best for America. We need to increase immigration quotas for workers that our economy needs. We need to create a pathway to citizenship for long term, law abiding undocumented residents and protect our DREAMers. We need to invest in 21st century technologies to combat drug cartels and smuggling operations to keep criminals from crossing our borders. We can create a system that keeps us safe, respects immigrants, and makes America stronger. Aarika will work to: Protect the Dream and Promise Act for our DREAMers Protect the Enlist Act which grants legal status to anyone joining the military Expand immigration quotas for workers vital to the economy such as agricultural workers Create a pathway to citizenship for long term, law abiding undocumented residents Invest in 21st century technologies to combat drug cartels and smuggling operations crossing our borders. SUPPORTING VETERANS We have a responsibility to serve those who serve this country. When Americans join the military they take an oath of service. Members of the military have the dedication to complete any mission given to them. They have the courage to go into harm's way if America calls on them. They have made a commitment to us and we need to fulfill our commitment to them. We need to give our veterans the resources they need to help them transition out of the military and into civilian life. We need to provide housing for homeless veterans. We need to improve VA care for injured veterans. We need to make mental health services available to end the crisis of veteran suicide. As the official motto of the VA states, we need “to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.” Aarika will work to: Expand programs to help veterans transition from military service to the civilian economy Provide housing for homeless veterans Improve the VA Health care system Increase funding for mental health services and end the veteran suicide crisis CLOSING THE FOSTER CARE-TO-HOMELESSNESS PIPELINE Every child deserves a chance. Los Angeles County alone has over 33,000 foster youth who have experienced abuse, neglect or abandonment. Foster children are more likely to experience mental illness, anxiety, and depression. They are more likely to face poverty, suicide, and sex trafficking when they age out of the system. We have an obligation as a country to protect our most vulnerable children. We need to properly fund programs providing educational and mental health resources for our foster youth and we need to invest in transition programs for youth aging out of the system. Too many foster children enter into homelessness when they turn eighteen and exit the program because they lack resources and career and life readiness skills. We need to fulfill our obligations to our foster youth. Aarika will work to: Fund educational and mental health resources and counseling Increase training available to help foster parents support their children and create stable families Create career and life training transition programs for youth aging out of the system Implement a Universal Basic Income (UBI) to provide a safety net for foster youth Pass Medicare for All to ensure foster youth have access to quality healthcare PROTECTING ANIMAL RIGHTS Animals deserve humane treatment. Animals are a valued part of our community and make our lives richer. They deserve to be cared for and protected. We need to fully fund our local animal shelters to end kill shelters and help every pet find a home. We need to outlaw puppy mills. We need to pass the SAFE Act to strengthen protection for horses. Animals raised for food deserve to live without cruelty. Factory farmed chickens, pigs, and cows live in appalling conditions. We need to offer restaurants incentives to use cruelty free meat. Protecting wildlife is a crucial part of environmental protection because animals are part of a healthy ecosystem. We need to protect our national parks to preserve habitats and we need to increase protections for endangered animals. Aarika will work to: Provides shelters more resources and end kill shelters Protect wildlife and endangered animals Outlaw puppy mills Support the Humane Society and other organizations fighting to protect animals Promote cruelty free meat Pass the SAFE Act which strengthens protections for horses Introduce and pass The Rome Act which prevents negligence and malpractice at any animal clinic or hospital because animals have the right to live RANKED CHOICE VOTING Voters should be able to cast their ballot for who they believe in without fear of “wasting” their vote. Most voters end up casting their ballots for a candidate they like who has a good shot of winning instead of the candidate they actually prefer. This makes sense. In our current system, any vote for a candidate that does not end up in the top two usually helps a candidate that voter prefers the least. A successful third party liberal candidate usually takes votes from the Democrat. A successful third party conservative usually takes votes from the Republican. It does not have to be this way. Ranked choice voting solves this problem. In a Ranked Voting system, voters list their top three preferred candidates in order on their ballot. Once all the ballots are cast, the candidate in the race who received the fewest first-choice votes is removed. For anyone who voted for the now disqualified candidate, their vote goes to their second choice. Ballots are tallied again and then the candidate remaining who now has the fewest votes is eliminated and anyone who voted for that candidate has their vote given to their next choice. This process is repeated until one candidate has a majority vote and is declared the winner. Ranked choice voting makes the voice of the electorate heard and ensures that the winning candidate actually has the most support. Ranked Choice Voting: Allows voters to cast their ballots for who they believe in without fear of wasting their vote Increases the viability of third party and grassroots campaigns Ensures that the winning candidate is actually the most supported DEMOCRACY DOLLARS You should not have to be wealthy for your voice to be heard in America. $6.5 billion were spent on the 2016 Congressional and Presidential elections. Most of this money came from corporations and the wealthy. How much money came from cashiers and crossing guards, teachers and firefighters, students and retired Americans living on a pension? We have a system stacked in favor of the wealthy because politicians are beholden to big money. Elections are expensive and politicians who stand up to big business risk losing their jobs. Democracy Dollars solves this problem by putting more than $20 billion in the hands of regular Americans. Every eligible voter will receive a $100 voucher per election cycle which they can only use for a campaign contribution. When regular Americans become the largest source of campaign contributions, politicians will start working for the teachers and the crossing guards. Democracy Dollars: Gives every eligible voter a $100 campaign contribution voucher per election cycle Makes it easier for politicians to reject corporate lobbyist money and rely on grassroots fundraising Makes regular Americans the main source of political contributions which will end the stranglehold on political power held by corporations and the wealthy PRESERVING LOCAL NEWS AND JOURNALISTS Local journalism is a public good. Local news is an essential part of CA-32. It keeps us informed about community events. It defends our democracy. Whenever there is a scandal involving abuse of power at the state or local level, it is usually a local journalist whose investigation uncovered the corruption. In our district, we have been confronted with wildfires and the Coronavirus Pandemic. In a crisis, we need immediate, on the ground information to keep us safe. The economy is changing and local news organizations everywhere are struggling to stay in business. Local journalism is a public good. In situations where local news companies cannot afford to stay in business, they should be subsidized by the federal government. The cost of allowing local journalism to fail is more than we can afford. Local journalism: Keeps our communities informed about local news Provides life saving information during times of crisis Holds local politicians accountable and uncovers corruption through investigative journalism Is a public good and deserves to be subsidized in situations where it risks going out of business INNOVATION What is Bitcoin? Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency. It uses blockchain technology to process secure transactions from user to user. Bitcoin and Our Campaign We are pleased to announce our campaign now accepts Bitcoin contributions up to $100 in value. Aarika believes in the right of every individual to manage their own finances and investments as they see fit. In Congress, Aarika will oppose any attempts to ban this emerging technology. Aarika is also a strong advocate for making sure financial literacy is taught in schools and for people being aware of the environmental impact of their investments. [2] ” —Aarika Rhodes' campaign website (2022) [3]"}]