Tara Sreekrishnan, deputy chief of staff and legislative director for State Senator Dave Cortese, is vying for a seat in California’s State Assembly in her campaign to represent District 26 in Silicon Valley.
If she wins, she will make history as the first Hindu woman in the California Assembly and the only Indian American woman to represent the Bay Area.
As an elected official of the Santa Clara County Board of Education (SCCBOE), and the first Indian American to do so, Sreekrishnan has dedicated herself to empowering the next generation and promoting equity through strong education systems.
“My focus has always been rooted in uplifting our next generation- ensuring we have strong schools and education and ensuring that we have opportunities for students to excel and thrive,” she said in an interview with India Currents.
Her mother, former school employee and community volunteer, is a source of inspiration for Sreekrishnan. Inheriting her mother’s love for community service, Sreekrishnan played a key role in the signing of 15 bills into law at the California State Senate in this past year. One such bill administered the distribution of Narcan and Narcan training to middle and high school campuses, while another ended the use of prone restraint on students. Both of which are testaments to her dedication to student safety.
Overseeing 270,000 public school students across 31 districts in Santa Clara County, Sreekrishnan hopes to close the achievement gap through equitable legislation.
Along with education reforms, Sreekrishnan addresses housing, health, and equity in her campaign. According to San Jose Spotlight, her platform addresses the intersectionality of many key issues. She believes increasing families’ access to education and health care will prevent them from becoming houseless.
Advocating for streamlined housing developments to tackle the ongoing housing crisis, Sreekrishnan proposes solutions at the local and state level.
“We can allow for more flexibility to make it easier for folks to build housing, we can invest in affordable housing and wraparound support,” she stated to India Currents.
A state audit published in April revealed that California failed to track nearly 24 billion dollars in investments towards homeless support systems within the past five years- a gap Sreekrishnan, an instrumental figure in the audit, is determined to close.
She aims to take state and local action by increasing the housing stock, streamlining housing programs, and bolstering local construction workforces.
Her plan to challenge the climate crisis mirrors a similar philosophy, breaking down this complex global issues and addressing it through state and localized action. A co-founder of the non-profit organization Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action, Sreekrishnan mentors and supports students in their campaigns to make an impact within their community.
Noticing that climate change is an overwhelming issue that continues to harm the mental health of students, inspiring eco-anxiety, Sreekrishnan supports students in their various environmental campaigns from promoting an all-electric vehicles to implementing climate change education in schools.
As for her healthcare policies, Sreekrishnan approaches this issue from the perspective of an ovarian cancer survivor, where her personal fight for quality healthcare informs her stance on the issue.
“I’ve experienced firsthand how our healthcare and hospital system doesn’t always meet the needs of women,” she expressed to San Jose Spotlight. “I know how quality healthcare can make the difference between life and death.”
She pushes for expanded healthcare access, particularly in reproductive health and elder care. Championing this movement for increased health clinics and services tailored to seniors, she calls for an increase in state funding to meet the needs of these vulnerable communities.
Using her unique experiences to shape her policies is a trend for Sreekrishnan.
“I don’t see many leaders who look like me,” Sreekrishnan discussed with San Jose Spotlight. “My experience has shown me that people who look like me should be in every room where decisions are being made.”
As a daughter of immigrants, born and raised in District 26, she offers a diverse perspective. Lack of representation in leadership has fueled Sreekrishnan’s campaign to bring diverse voices to the table and uplift those who are often unheard.
“It is important for us to be a collective voice so we are heard. So when issues come up that affect us, we are a strong voice on those issues. And then we have to stay continually engaged, on a broad range of topics,” she said to India Currents.
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