Issue Position: Local Projects

Issue Position

Elected office isn't just about passing legislation, or having 1 out of 435 votes, it is about leadership. It is about using your power and influence for the good of the people in Houston.

If elected, I will immediately begin two outreach programs for our children and teenagers. The first will be focused on children's nutrition and physical fitness, the second will be focused on teens who may be susceptible to gang activity. I am uniquely qualified to do both, so please allow me to explain:

Children's Health: Growing up in Katy, my mother was a nutritionist for the local school district. As a kid, I thought it was so exciting when she would come sit with me during lunch in the cafeteria. It made me feel special, and I knew she not only cared about me, but all the kids and what they were eating. She knew the importance of a good diet for growing bodies.

She passed away when I was only 10 years old, after fighting breast cancer for 5 years. It was devastating. Before she died, she told me that she knew I would soar to great heights. For me, that meant I needed to help other people, the way she did.

As a SEAL, I was constantly taught the value of physical fitness and good nutrition. Keeping our bodies fit and healthy is the building block for our success. If our health suffers, we cannot do the basic things necessary to be successful. We must teach our kids these lessons at an early age.

I will not only be an advocate for healthier school lunches, but I will be on the ground working with kids on their physical fitness. I will encourage my fellow Navy SEALs to travel to Texas and do the same. We will show kids what is possible when you start building a strong foundation early on in life.

Gang Violence: Houston continues to have a serious gang problem. It is absolutely poisonous to our young teens, resulting in criminal records, school drop-outs, and even deaths. Leading a successful life after being in a gang is extremely difficult. We need people who can relate to the choices teens are facing with respect to gang membership, and we need someone who can show them a better path.

But we can't just scare kids into making the right choices, we also have to show them a different path. I want to be able to show them what it really means to be part of a team, have camaraderie, and be truly tough. We will show them what life is like in the greatest and most elite team there is: the U.S. Navy SEALs. We must show teens that their choices now affect them forever; that they are capable of amazing things if they start on the right path now. There is no time to waste. We must reach them now.

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