I am the Working Class Party candidate for the State House, in the 75th District, which covers most of the city of Grand Rapids.
I lived and worked my entire life in Michigan. Raised on a small dairy farm in Elsie Michigan, I am the son of second generation Slovakians. Moving from rural America to urban America was stressful. When I moved to Lansing, I had to learn about almost everything: how to interview for jobs, how to drive in traffic. And I had to learn a great deal about issues of racism, sexism and how to be sensitive and respectful to everyone – on the job and off the job.
While I was working in a restaurant, I went to community college, first in Lansing, then in Grand Rapids, to get a Culinary Arts Associate degree. Since then I have worked in various places as a chef. Right now, I am working in the kitchen of a nursing home.
I believe in the people I work with. We work hard, we work together, we laugh and have fun.
I believe that those who do the work are capable of working out the best solutions.
I believe in a cause, the cause of the Working Class. It is a cause worth fighting for and dedicating my life to. A working class party is more needed than ever.
Covid-19 threatens the residents of the nursing home where I work. The pandemic has touched off a deep economic crisis. And young people have come out to challenge the deep-seated racism in this country.
It is working class families that are hit hardest by these three crises: the pandemic, the economic crisis, and racism. The working class built this country. We can take it back. Working people will be able to take a big step forward with our own party.