I am humbled and honored to have been encouraged to run for Lieutenant Governor of Alabama. After weeks of prayerful consideration and conversation with family, friends and advisors, I am thrilled to announce that I will pursue this tremendous opportunity.

My connections to Alabama have been made and strengthened for over half of my life. As a teenager, I developed a strong passion for civil rights that led me to serving Alabamians for the past 13 years. After college, I taught high school social studies in Montgomery Public Schools. I founded a nonprofit program that I still lead to expose low-income students in Alabama to different opportunities and to help hundreds of them achieve their college and career goals. After teaching, I pursued my law degree and have used it to fight for justice for all. As a city government advisor, I helped implement policies that improved people’s economic and health outcomes.

In my time as an Alabama state legislator, I have seen first hand that Alabamians want their public servants to focus on solutions to real problems, not culture wars and personal agendas. The issues of most concern to Alabamians — safe communities, good public schools, affordable and accessible health care, financial security and economic success — are not Democratic or Republican, but human concerns.

I have proven that it is possible and necessary to work across the aisle to solve problems. I have delivered on promises to improve public safety and save lives from gun violence, expand access to mental health services, increase community health care, and much more to empower and uplift all residents, especially the most vulnerable.

I have no illusions about the odds of winning this race. I am undoubtedly the underdog and have enormous challenges to overcome. Yet people are tired of the status quo. They are hurting from politicians focused on everything but the day-to-day issues actually impacting their lives. They want and deserve better. I promise that I will give my all to reach and turn out voters in every corner and every county of the state.

I know that Alabamians of all backgrounds and political identities can work together to build an even better, safer, and more affordable state for all. I humbly ask for your support and to join our movement as we embark on this effort together.