Anti-Hate Platform Launch

A number of organizations and publications have monitored the rise of hate crimes in the time since Donald Trump’s election. Data collected by ThinkProgress between November 2016 and February 2017 showed rising violence against Black, Latinx, LGBTQ, Muslim, and Jewish communities. Hate crimes targeting Jews hit an over 20-year high [1]. Further, Trump’s rhetoric is having a devastating impact on Muslim and South Asian communities [2]. Hate and discrimination have no home with me. Acts of bigotry impact us all as a society. We must always stand for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

That's why I've prioritized fighting discrimination as part of my platform:

The 8th Senate district is home to one of the most diverse communities in the state of Illinois in terms of race, ethnicity, and religion. Though we may come from different backgrounds, our hopes and dreams—for safe neighborhoods & strong communities—are equally shared. A large part of that is protecting against racism and discrimination. I stand firmly against all forms of bigotry and xenophobic, racist, misogynistic, homophobic speech and/or actions—including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia— enacted by anyone or taking place anywhere.

As an SEIU Organizer, I have stood up to the hateful rhetoric of Donald Trump and the dangerous policies of Bruce Rauner and I will continue to do so as the next State Senator of the 8th district.

As the President of the Indo-American Democratic Organization, I have vigorously urged organizations such as the Republican Hindu Coalition to stop their support of President Trump due to his attacks on immigrant rights, specifically Muslim Americans.

[1] https://thinkprogress.org/anti-semitism-2017-fcc7348f5a95/

[2] https://thinkprogress.org/trump-muslim-south-asian-8302651fb46f/