Biography

Born in Chicago and a Sacramentan since 1985, I have been involved for more than five decades as a participant and organizer in struggles for justice and peace in the United States and in Palestine-Israel, including from 1974 to 1985 in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

I worked in both countries as a magazine and newspaper editor, including for 10 years at the Sacramento Bee, and have written extensively for U.S. and European publications about Middle East politics.

I completed law school in Jerusalem and later worked for 17 years at Legal Services of Northern California, managing, and greatly expanding, its free legal assistance programs for seniors.

Since 2011, I have worked as a volunteer, much of it as an organizer and human rights attorney. I have worked on cases to defend faculty and students under fire for engaging in support for Palestinian rights on campus, and a federal appellate case defending a business’s right to boycott. I led the 2016 fight against a state anti-boycott bill, saving California from having to defend an unconstitutional statute.

An elected member of the state and county Democratic Party central committees, I have led efforts to pass resolutions, legislative stances and platform planks supporting Palestinian human rights while also working alongside fellow progressives on worker rights, single-payer healthcare, greatly expanded affordable housing, stopping climate change, ending racism, patriarchy and predatory capitalism, and getting dirty money out of politics, among other priorities.

I am active nationally and locally with Jewish Voice for Peace as well as the National Lawyers Guild International Committee, Wellstone Progressive Democrats of Sacramento, the Progressive Caucus of the state Democratic Party and Democratic Socialists of America.

To balance the stress of politics I run, grow vegetables and play viola in the Camellia Symphony Orchestra.

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Platform

Why I'm Running

I’m running for Congress because our longtime incumbent , Doris Matsui, along with most of Congress, is out of step with voters in the district and around the country. In the latest shameful display of cowardice, they have refused to bow to the will of the vast majority of Americans who want our government to demand a cease-fire by Israel in its horrific assault on the people of Gaza.

Amid vicious attacks on basic democracy, obscene wealth for the few, leaving most of us behind and with widespread economic hardship for many, and horrific wars around the globe making the climate crisis even worse, this is no time to stand in the middle of the road. “Not too bad” is not nearly good enough.

A different world – one based on the needs of people and the Earth, not corporate superprofits – is possible, and necessary.

Most of Congress is hopelessly corrupted by the influence of money in the form of corporate donations. I will take none. Instead, we need leaders who articulate, promote and work hard to fulfill a vision for society that guarantees equal rights and opportunity for all, rejects war and occupation, upholds human rights under international law and pursues economic, racial, climate, gender and social justice – on a planet that can survive the growing threats to its ability to support life as we know it.

After four years of an embarrassing, dangerous megalomaniac of a president, many of us breathed a sigh of relief, thinking we could return to “normal.” But in truth, “normal” for decades has meant social polarization over politically manipulated “culture wars”; millions un- or inadequately housed while hedge funds rake in profits; a criminally inadequate, for-profit healthcare system; still rampant and too often violent racism, sexism, misogyny, homo- and transphobia; a racist criminal justice system; rampant political corruption; environmental and climate disaster … and a thousand cuts to the social institutions that make us human: education, culture and meeting the needs of all.