New Mexico needs our own version of The American Dream—a state where every child gets a world-class education, everyone has a place they can call home, and every New Mexican has professional, affordable healthcare. As someone who was undocumented, Cindy knows these building blocks must be in place to create success. Cindy wants to help build this New Mexico Dream for the families of Senate District 9. 

Cindy’s platform includes:

Every child deserves a great education: Education was the top priority for my family because it created a pathway for opportunity and hope. My parents did not finish high school and my grandparents’ schooling stopped in third grade. Every child in New Mexico ought to be able to have the best early childhood programs; the best K-12 programs; and the best career technical education programs, community college, and university education in the nation. That means paying educators what they are worth, creating top-notch facilities for learning, and creating new ways for parents to be involved in their child’s education.

Everyone needs a place they call home: Ask any young person and most young families and they will tell you that the American Dream of owning a home is becoming unattainable. At the United States Department of Housing, I worked to ensure that we expand housing opportunities to communities across the country, particularly for first-time home buyers. Our state is sitting on billions of dollars of surplus funds. We need to put those dollars to work to create more affordable housing stock here in Senate District 9, which will also create thousands of construction jobs. We need first time homebuyer assistance programs, loan counseling, and low-interest loan funds to make New Mexico’s version of the American Dream a reality. 

Every New Mexican deserves professional, affordable healthcare: As a former undocumented immigrant for 20 years and a brain surgery survivor, I know firsthand how important healthcare access is. Healthcare should not be rationed based on who can pay. Just as all New Mexicans deserve effective and affordable education, we also all deserve safe and affordable healthcare. There are multiple entry points into the solution: First, we need to reduce rates through New Mexico’s health insurance exchange. And second, we must redouble our efforts to recruit, and retain high quality nurses, doctors, dentists, and other healthcare professionals to our state.