Solutions, not slogans
Massachusetts is one of the best states to live in. But it should be better.
Housing costs too much. Traffic is painful. Our energy bills are going up. The result is that too many of us see our friends, neighbors, and family members leave for other parts of the country - almost 182,000 people since 2020.
These are problems we can solve. But we have to actually solve them.
I’ve worked in startups, policy analysis, election reform, and education, but my most important job is being a dad.
And I don’t want my son to grow up in a state where schools are strained because teachers can’t find a place to live, where the destructive impact of climate change is accepted as inevitable and unfixable, and where every sport we watch together is covered in gambling ads.
That’s why I’m running to be the Democratic nominee for State Representative for the 34th Middlesex District in Somerville and Medford. Together, we have the power to create a better Commonwealth - but only if ideas become legislation, and promises become reality.
Who Am I
I grew up south of Boston, went to college in Rhode Island, completed a PhD in International Relations in England, and lived in New York where I met my wife. When I moved back to Massachusetts in 2017, it felt like home again.
After grad school, I got a job in political risk, covering geopolitics and macroeconomics, and writing reports for UNICEF, the European Parliament, and the World Bank.
But I often felt like I was observing democracy, not participating in it. So I joined the Ranked Choice Voting campaign in 2018 to bring more choice and accountability to Massachusetts. I then started a tech company to make the policy process more transparent and efficient.
For the last four years, most of my time has been spent taking care of my son, Kailash. My wife is a doctor, so while she was working long hours at the hospital, I was getting Kai ready for daycare, cleaning the house, walking our dog, preparing dinner, picking him up from daycare, and trying to trick him into eating vegetables.
Everyone tells you that becoming a parent changes you, but they don’t always say that it also changes how you see the world.
Waiting for a late-arriving 101 bus with a fussy toddler reminds you of why transit reliability is so important. Playgrounds are not amenities but necessities when it’s a Saturday afternoon and you need him to burn off energy.
And the fact that so much of our civic life happens in meetings during his bedtime routine made clear how voices can be unheard.
I’m running to ensure that the problems we face now are solved before he grows up.
Why I’m Running
I grew up listening to my grandfather’s stories of South Boston during the Great Depression.
They were, individually, about having to wear mismatched shoes because they couldn’t afford new ones or the basketball court that swayed when it rained too hard.
Together, they were about progress.
America used to be one way. Then, through the hard work of citizens and governments, things got better.
It can sometimes feel like that basic idea of progress is gone. It can even feel like we’re slipping backwards.
The federal government is attacking scientific research, threatening immigrant communities, and cutting Medicaid. We have 26% fewer journalists than we did in 2008. Health insurance costs and the rent are a constant source of stress.
Yet too often it seems like our elected officials are content to talk about doing things rather than actually doing the work and getting it done.
I’m committed to being a full-time representative for this district, working every day with urgency to solve problems and improve governance for all residents.
