At the age of 19, I moved from Oklahoma to California with only $25 in my pocket in search of better opportunities. For a while it was rough – I didn’t have a job and I didn’t have a permanent place to live. In fact, I spent many months sleeping on couches while temporarily staying at the home of friends.Since then, I have overcome plenty of adversity in my life. Early on I was told to never ever give up, and — from Oklahoma City to Lawndale – I never have.
Throughout his service as Mayor, and Councilmember, Robert has helped to cut the red tape to assist local small businesses. Due to his efforts, our region has attracted new retail stores – including a new Target store and other great small businesses – that have created good job opportunities for our families and have boosted revenue for vital services.
As the father of three daughters, Robert knows that prioritizing public safety is the right choice for our families. He believes that addressing the roots of crime, investing state dollars in our neighborhoods, and supporting public safety measures are key to keeping our communities safe.
If this epidemic has shown us anything, it’s that despite a strong economy many families are only one paycheck away from losing their homes. California is the fifth largest economy in the world, but our state’s homelessness crisis has reached unprecedented levels.
As Mayor, Robert was proud to lead the City of Lawndale’s COVID-19 response by authoring an ordinance prohibiting residential and commercial evictions, helping organize food giveaway events, and spearheading the “Lawndale Cares” food basket program. As District Director for Assemblywoman Autumn Burke, he connected constituents with rental assistance programs, and cut the red tape at EDD by helping them access thousands of dollars in unemployment benefits.
Robert knows the importance of protecting our environment, creating open green space, and making sure everyone has access to our coast. As Mayor and Councilmember, Robert kept his promise and helped reduce greenhouse emissions by opening three new parks in his city. As our Assemblymember, Robert will work to introduce key legislation to bring environmental justice to our coast, continue to protect our public lands, and protect our environment.
Robert supports full equal marriage rights under the law. As our Assemblymember, Robert will fight against any proposal that would strip away the rights of the LGBTQI+ community.