From Street Corners to Congress: Why Working Families Deserve More
Homemade bracelet by young neighborhood entrepreneurs in Sparks, Nevada
Freinds,
From navigating city streets to connecting with our youngest residents, this past week offered me a profound look at the heartbeat of our local economy and the promise that lies ahead. Every day, I see the extraordinary resilience and creativity of Nevadans: families balancing work and childcare, young people finding innovative ways to contribute to our community. These stories remind me what’s possible—and what’s at stake—as we work to build a more equitable future for everyone.
During a recent DoorDash delivery in Sparks, I crossed paths with a group of young entrepreneurs selling homemade bracelets on a street corner. Their entrepreneurial spirit inspired me. It was a powerful reminder of the spark in our youth. At the same time, their efforts underscored the very real financial pressures facing families right here in our neighborhoods. These young people weren’t just creating—they were helping to support their families and showing both the challenges and the untapped potential within our community.
This experience crystallized why I chose to run for Congress—not as a career politician, but as someone who has lived the realities of working-class life in Nevada. I ran on a Green Marshall Plan for America, a bold and comprehensive vision to rebuild our economy from the ground up. I center the needs of working families and invest in the next generation. At the heart of this plan are transformative policies like a universal basic income of $1,300 per month for every adult and the establishment of baby bonds for every child born in America. These are not just policy proposals; they are lifelines designed to restore hope, dignity, and opportunity to everyone, no matter their zip code or family background.
Let me talk about universal basic income. It’s a simple but revolutionary idea. Every adult receives a guaranteed, no-strings-attached income of $1,300 a month. I would fund this income floor by taxing billionaires and ultra-wealthy corporations who have long avoided paying their fair share. In America today, the wealthiest one percent control more wealth than the bottom ninety percent combined. While working families struggle to afford rent, healthcare, and education, billionaires often pay a lower effective tax rate than many teachers or nurses. This isn’t just unfair. It’s unsustainable. By closing loopholes and making sure the ultra-rich contribute to our shared future, we can provide economic security for every American and invest in the vibrancy of our communities.
But financial security doesn’t start at adulthood. It starts the day we’re born. That’s why my Green Marshall Plan includes baby bonds, a policy I champion based on the pioneering work of Professor Darrick Hamilton at The New School. So, what is a baby bond? According to Professor Hamilton, baby bonds are federally funded trust accounts established at birth for every child in America. These accounts are progressively funded. Children from lower-wealth families receive larger initial deposits, helping to close the racial and generational wealth gaps that persist in our country. The funds in these accounts grow over time and become accessible when a young person turns eighteen. This enables them to invest in higher education, start a business, purchase a home, or secure reliable transportation.
Baby bonds are not just a financial tool. They are an investment in human potential. By giving every young person a stake in their own future, no matter the circumstances they are born into, we empower them to dream bigger, take risks, and contribute to the broader prosperity of our society. Imagine a Nevada where every child knows that, upon reaching adulthood, they will have the means to pursue their ambitions. Whether that’s college, vocational training, or entrepreneurship, that’s the promise of baby bonds—a future where opportunity is not determined by family wealth, but by personal vision and determination.
These policies—universal basic income and baby bonds—are not isolated ideas. They are part of my larger vision for economic justice and the kind of society we can build together. They recognize that our economy is stronger when everyone has a fair shot. Investing in people is the best investment we can make. These policies are about rewriting the rules so that our children, and their children, can inherit a future filled with hope, security, and possibility.
In the coming weeks, I’ll continue these vital conversations on economic justice and the path to a more resilient and equitable Nevada. I invite you to join me. Share your stories, ask tough questions, and help shape the solutions that will define our future. Together, we can build a community where every person has the resources they need—not just to survive, but to thrive. That’s the vision I ran on, and it is the work I am committed to advancing, with your partnership and support.
In Solidarity,
Gamy Enriquez, MPA
References:
• Hamilton, D., Darity, W., Price, A., Sridharan, V., & Tippett, R. (2015). "Umbrellas Don’t Make It Rain: Why Studying and Working Hard Isn’t Enough for Black Americans." The New School, The Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, and Insight Center for Community Economic Development.
• The New School Institute on Race and Political Economy: https://www.newschool.edu/institute-race-political-economy/
• Economic Policy Institute. "The New Gilded Age: Income inequality in the U.S. by state, metropolitan area, and county." https://www.epi.org/publication/the-new-gilded-age-income-inequality-in-the-u-s-by-state-metropolitan-area-and-county/
• Urban Institute. "Baby Bonds: A Universal Path to Ensure the Next Generation Has Capital to Build Wealth." https://www.urban.org/research/publication/baby-bonds-universal-path-ensure-next-generation-has-capital-build-wealth
• Saez, E., & Zucman, G. (2019). "The Triumph of Injustice: How the Rich Dodge Taxes and How to Make Them Pay." W.W. Norton & Company.
