Dear Friend,
It’s been great spending so much time in San Diego this summer, and I wanted to send a quick update on what I’ve been up to – from talking to Trans Family Support Services about their work serving families with trans kids to touring Liberty Military Housing’s complex at Murphy Canyon to ensure they’re meeting quality housing standards for service members.
Keep reading for more August highlights:
Supporting LGBTQ+ Community Members and Families
It’s heartbreaking and unacceptable that bullying, harassment, and discrimination are becoming commonplace for so many LGBTQ+ youth. That’s why we need more allies to use our privilege to fight against the flood of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, pass policies at the federal level to ensure equality, and support our LGBTQ+ community members and their families.
Last week, I was so glad to speak with Trans Family Support Services and learn about their efforts to help families with trans youth. I also toured the Transgender Health & Wellness Center to discuss their mental health services, legal support, and financial guidance. In Congress, I’m fighting for LGBTQ+ individuals, including the trans community, to be able to exist freely and fully as themselves.
Celebrating Fahari L. Jeffers’ Life and Legacy
San Diego-native Fahari Jeffers has been an inspiration to me and so many others. As a trailblazer, life-long learner, and co-founder of the United Domestic Workers of America, her incredible life reminds us to believe in ourselves, not be afraid of failure, and take chances. That’s why I was so excited to take part in the one-year anniversary of the opening of the Fahari L. Jeffers Elementary School to celebrate Fahari’s legacy and talk about the importance of quality education.
In that same spirit, I’m continuing to work in Congress to expand access to quality education – from pre-K through college – to open more doors for children throughout our region and across the country.
Ensuring High Quality Military Housing
Our service members and their families, in San Diego and around the world, deserve safe housing that meets quality standards. So I was glad to visit the housing facilities at Naval Base San Diego again – to see their innovative, new PPV model and to discuss the ways we can scale the best models to better serve our service members and military families.
I also toured Liberty Military Housing’s complex at Murphy Canyon and spoke to Navy leadership about their privatized housing. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Quality of Life Panel, I’m focused on living up to the promises we’ve made to our service members and military families and ensuring they have their basic needs met, from housing and health care to child care and food security.
Supporting San Diego’s Small Businesses
We all have our favorite neighborhood spots – the ones we visit every day or that we went out of our way to support during the pandemic. And it’s on all of us to keep supporting our amazing small businesses in San Diego, so they can continue to thrive and drive our communities and economies forward. That’s why I was excited to speak at the Small Business Administration’s 70th Anniversary and celebrate their efforts to encourage innovation, entrepreneurship, and small business growth in San Diego.
We’re Here to Help
My staff in San Diego is here to help if you need assistance with a federal agency, like small business loans, immigration challenges, issues with Social Security or Medicare, VA benefits, and more!
