Kanika Brown (D) - N.C. House of Representatives District 71
Q: How important is it for the NC General Assembly to ensure citizens have access to healthy and affordable food? (1-5 scale)
A: 5
Q: When elected, how will you help combat food insecurity in Forsyth County and North Carolina? (open-ended question)
A: Food insecurity, like so many issues, is linked intrinsically with poverty. If we want to help folks put healthy food on the table, we have to help them not only through action regarding strengthening programs like Food Stamps, we have to also help them out in their other areas of needs. That means expanding healthcare access. That means working to bring affordable housing and bring rent costs down. And that means being proactive in investing in infrastructure that will help our children put themselves in more stable economic conditions when they're older, like our public schools.
Q: How important is it for the NC General Assembly to take action against climate change? (1-5 scale)
A: 5
Q: How will you address climate change when elected? (open ended question)
A: Climate change is real and it's a problem that is already affecting North Carolinian families. I believe that we need to work hard to incentivize the development of renewable energy sources like solar and wind. We also have to make sure that existing laws and regulations are being followed - and consider increasing penalties for corporations that willfully ignore laws centered around environmental protection.
Q: How important is it for Forsyth County and North Carolina to shift to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower? (1-5 scale)
A: 5
Q: How will you increase the use of renewable energy in Forsyth County and across the state of North Carolina? (open- ended question)
A: The biggest way we can increase the use of renewable energy across North Carolina is to incentivize its development on both a commercial and personal-use basis. Things like re-instituting the renewable-energy tax credit seem like a commonsense way to make it more feasible for renewable energy developers to continue to expand their infrastructure here in North Carolina. When they expand their infrastructure, that not only means we have greater renewable energy options, that also means new green jobs for North Carolinians.
Q: How important is equitable, accessible public transportation? (1-5 scale)
A: 5
Q:How important is it to design streets for people to walk, bike, bus, and drive safely? (1-5 scale)
A: 5
Q: As a representative in the state assembly, how will you advocate for equitable public transit and more multi-use streets? (open-ended question)
A: We've seen the success of multi-modal transit systems in select places in North Carolina. A big way that we're going to address affordable housing and living is by making sure that we have communities that are not car-dependent.
Q: How important is it for representatives for the NC General Assembly to protect the quality and availability of water sources? (1-5 scale)
A: 5
Q: In what ways will the NC General Assembly protect water sources and make sure safe water is available to all communities? (open-ended question)
A: The biggest thing is making sure that we protect waterways from chemical and fracking runoffs, and ensure that companies who pollute our waterways are punished. The Gen-X health crisis out East is still ongoing - we have to be proactive rather than reactive if we want to ensure the health of our communities.
Q: How important is it for the NC General Assembly to pass policies that combat environmental racism? (1-5 scale)
A: 5
Q: As a representative for Forsyth County, how will you address issues of environmental justice?
(open-ended question)
A: We saw the importance of environmental justice earlier this year when the Fertilizer Plant caught fire, leading to harmful exposure of chemicals to overwhelmingly poorer neighborhoods. There are communities today who are still dealing with the ramifications of decades-long exposure to carcinogenic and otherwise harmful chemicals and haven't had a voice. We need to come into areas that have been left behind by the legislature and make sure that they know that we are here to help uplift their community, and take care of those who have been disabled through no fault of their own.
Q: How important is it that the NC General Assembly propose policy ensuring just and equitable development? (1-5 scale)
A: 5
Q: How important is it that NC General Assembly propose policy ensuring sustainable, affordable housing? (1-5 scale)
A: 5
Q: As a representative for Forsyth County, what policy would you propose to safeguard just and equitable development practices in our community? (open-ended question)
A: I don't want to say a particular policy because I don't believe that one policy would be able to solve our lack of both affordable and equitable housing. I think that's a broader process that takes in many different policies and practices, including working to rezone certain areas, developing new public transit systems, investing in infrastructure, and working with developers to incentivize building quality, affordable homes.