My name is Akash Hawkins. I’ve lived in the 34th Senate District in Long Beach my entire life, where I’ve had the opportunity to attend some of our states best public schools.  We live in a wonderfully diverse state. When Obama was elected in 2008, he inspired me to believe that everyone could have the same opportunities that I had, to go to great public schools and to fulfill their American Dream.

I learned the importance of a good education early on. My mother immigrated to this country when she was a child, earning her doctorate degree, and giving back to the community as an educator. I attended California State University, Long Beach where I studied Political Science and Economics. Like millions of my peers, I accumulated thousands of dollars of debt to get my education. As your State Senator, I will fight for every child to get an amazing K-12 education and fight for a higher education system where all of our children can pursue their dreams without collecting crippling debt.

Growing up as a biracial American, I have always valued our beautiful and diverse society. Our diversity makes us stronger and greater as a nation. It is imperative, now more than ever, that we fight back against the hateful rhetoric coming out of Washington and fight for an America where all of our voices are heard and represented. As your Senator, I will ensure that all of our rights are protected, regardless of our heritage or creed.

Like most of us, the Great Recession has had a major impact on how I view the world.  It reminded me that I could no longer stay on the periphery of politics, but that all of us have an important role to play in our nation's politics. We’ve seen what happens when reckless bankers are let loose without supervision. We’ve seen the countless lives that were uprooted and the generations of wealth that were destroyed.

Today, we continue to witness the dangers of massive inequality where millionaires and billionaires take home massive bonuses while everyday Californian’s struggle to afford housing and healthcare. We are witnessing the dangerous effects of Climate Change with continuous drought and fires beyond control. As your Senator, I will fight for YOU. I will fight to make affordable housing and healthcare a human right. I will fight for California to lead the nation in reducing carbon emissions and stopping Climate Change.