Dear Neighbor & Estimado Vecino,

For Spanish readers, please read the full Spanish-language version of this email here. 

I hope you are well. I would like to share important information about my ongoing work. As always, please feel free to reach out to my office for help with any state-related issues. And don't forget, to stay informed, visit my official page. You also can check your preferences to make sure you're signed up for my emails. 

Espero que se encuentren bien. Me gustaría compartir con ustedes información importante sobre mi trabajo. Como siempre, no duden en ponerse en contacto con mi oficina para cualquier asunto relacionado con el estado. Y no lo olviden, para mantenerse informados, visiten mi página oficial. También puedes comprobar tus preferencias para asegurarte de que estás suscrito a mis correos electrónicos.

A $3 Million investment was announced by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging this week for 436 Senior Community Centers across the Commonwealth. This funding ensures that older adults are supported in familiar, local places with services to stay healthy and connected to their communities. Berks County’s Casa de la Amistad Senior Center was awarded $78,000.   

This past week I was excited to recognize and honor the student officers of the Wilson High School Interact Club for their efforts in organizing the annual Extravaganza, a large-scale Easter egg hunt designed specifically for special needs students throughout Berks County. President Lily Schneider, Vice President Briana Willwerth, Secretary Katherine Gibbon, and Treasurer Emma Williams did a phenomenal job at coordinating and leading this event which welcomed participants ages 4 to 21, featured 5,000 plastic eggs filled with candy, along with prizes and snack for attendees. The West Reading-Wyomissing Rotary club members also showed up to support the club officers as well. 

I also surprised teacher Mr. Chris Daubert with a citation for his prominent work within the School District and for empowering student-led community initiatives and projects. Mr. Daubert’s contributions to the Wilson School District exemplify his commitment to educational excellence and student success, making him an invaluable asset not only as an educator but as a community leader. 

I also attended the Apple Dumpling Festival and Pageant this past week, which has been a tradition that has brought our community together for over 60 years in Berks County. I was happy to support and celebrate Miss Arianna Berry, who participated in the pageant and received a Miss Apple Dumpling Trophy.  Congratulations Arianna, you make us all proud!!! 

In addition, this past week, I had the privilege of attending the Latin Fusion Baseball Back to Basics event and was even invited to throw the first pitch to kick off the tournament! I was able to acknowledge three players – Isaac De La Cruz, Ethan Nuñez and Jibsam Rodriguez –who represented the city of Reading in an international baseball tournament in Mexico. Congratulations to these players for their discipline, talent and consistency. Latin Fusion Baseball is a non-profit community organization (501c3) dedicated to promoting baseball and cultural integration in diverse communities, especially among youth. Their mission is to foster the holistic development of young people through the practice of baseball, promoting values such as teamwork, discipline, leadership, and education. They provide a safe and accessible environment where youth can develop both their athletic skills and their educational and leadership capabilities on and off the field. For more information visit here.  

Both Senator Judy Schwank and I were proud to celebrate the Hadassah Children Center this past week. Hadassah Children Center has achieved their STAR 4—the highest rating in Pennsylvania’s Keystone STARS Quality Rating System. I extend my congratulations and gratitude to Liziana Soto, owner and director of Hadassah Children Center and her team for their commitment to early care and education for children and families in the district.  

I joined educators, community leaders, local elected officials, law enforcement and probation officers at the Olivet Boys and Girls Club in Reading for the Second Annual Youth Empowerment Summit. This event aims to lead young people down the right path. I was proud to speak to the students about our legislative process and how bills become law.   

I toured the Berks County Election Services Center this week and got to see how election services work within our District. Our county election workers are critical to our communities and in preserving democracy. This week I voted for legislation to make it easier for voters to exercise their right to vote and improve the elections process by passing the Voting Rights Protection Act, which makes numerous reforms, including providing options for early voting, increasing access to ballot drop boxes and allowing voters to correct minor errors on a mail-in ballot, as well as allowing election officials to prepare mail-in ballots ahead of Election Day, also known as pre-canvassing (HB 1396). 

I was happy to welcome to the House Floor, Dr. Yamil Sanchez, former Assistant Superintendent of Operations for the Reading School District who is currently serving as the Delaware County School District Superintendent. 

I also joined my colleagues in welcoming members of the American Red Cross. Thank you for your visit and for the valuable work you do for our communities throughout the Commonwealth.

The Pennsylvania Legislative Black and Latino caucuses hosted Haitian Flag Day this week in Harrisburg commemorating Haiti’s Independence as the first free black nation globally. The House adopted my legislation HR 161 celebrating Haitian Heritage Month in Pennsylvania. This resolution extends all Pennsylvanians of Haitian decent the opportunity to celebrate the richness of their culture, traditions and resiliency. Thank you to Alex Civil from Bring the Change for helping amplify the voices of our Haitian brothers and sisters!  Haitian Flag Day will be celebrated on its official day of May 18, 2025, in the City of Reading at Alvernia University, for more information please email info@bringthechange.net. 

I joined my colleagues in the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus for the 4th Annual K. Leroy Irvis Day of Action. Kirkland Leroy Irvis was a pioneering figure in Pennsylvania’s political landscape, especially for the Black community.  K. Leroy Irvis founded the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus in 1973 and was the first African American to serve as Speaker of the House in any State Legislature in the United States. I am proud to honor K. Leroy Irvis' legacy alongside his wife, daughter, and family and will continue to advocate for policies that address the needs of BIPOC communities across the Commonwealth.  

This week, my House Democratic colleagues and I passed important bills that will help our neighbors and improve our communities:

We are making it easier for voters to exercise their right to vote and improving the elections process by passing the Voting Rights Protection Act, which makes numerous reforms, including providing options for early voting, increasing access to ballot drop boxes and allowing voters to correct minor errors on a mail-in ballot, as well as allowing election officials to prepare mail-in ballots ahead of Election Day, also known as pre-canvassing (HB 1396).

We protected patients’ health and wallets by requiring health insurance policies to cover medically necessary diagnostic breast exams, including MRI or ultrasound, without patient cost sharing (HB 433) and ensuring that patients are informed by hospitals about financial assistance to avoid medical debt (HB 79).

We unlocked billions of dollars in new investment and jump started the next generation of energy projects across pressing areas of need in Pennsylvania energy (HB 500). 

We are putting money back in pockets of new and established homeowners by helping people save to buy their first home by establishing the First-Time Homebuyer Savings Account Program (HB 818) and allowing mortgage borrowers to buy down their interest rate in order to reduce their monthly payment (HB 1103).

We’re helping people save for retirement by establishing the Keystone Saves program, a voluntary retirement savings program for workers who currently have no opportunity to save for retirement at their place of employment. (HB 1263).

We supported our veterans by raising pensions for veterans with service-connected blindness, paralysis or limb loss (HB 1144).

We stood up for workers by fighting exploitation of construction workers who are often misclassified by employers as independent contractors and therefore denied better wages, benefits and workplace protections (HB 721).

It's Primary Election Day on Tuesday, May 20. ??? Every vote counts. Head to your polling place between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. to cast your ballot. Make your voice heard. 

For more information, visit here.   

On May 31st from 10 AM – 2 PM, I will be hosting Fiesta de la Salud at Lauer’s Park Elementary School at 251 North 2nd Street, Reading PA 19601. There will be free glucose meters, free food, free massages, and MORE! I look forward to seeing more members of our community at the event. 

Pennsylvania State Capitol

104-A East Wing Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120

(717) 772-1858

District Office

1111 Penn Ave.
Wyomissing, PA 19610

(484) 577-2756