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As your Congressman, I will fight every day to make government work for the people who actually keep our communities running. Not the donor class. Not the corporations. Not foreign interests. I will strive to faithfully represent you, the people, and deliver real results.

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<h5>Fund our people powered campaign</h5>Jonathan Paz is running for Congress to fight for working families who have been ignored for too long. As the son of immigrants and a lifelong organizer, he has seen ICE harm communities, watched neighbors get priced out, and stood with people demanding justice at home and abroad. Jonathan brings lived experience, courage, and a record of taking on powerful interests. Your contribution will help build a people-powered campaign that puts working people first and refuses corporate PAC money.<h5>Donate by Check</h5>Make checks out to "Committee to Elect Paz", and mail to:Committee to Elect Paz PO Box 541487 Waltham , MA 02454 US

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Higher Wages

Medicare For All

Immigration Justice

No More Endless Wars

<h3>Fighting for a Good Life Economy</h3>I envision a Good Life Economy where everyone can achieve material freedom – one where people can afford housing, healthcare, and education, and still have time with their families.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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<h2>An economy for and by working people</h2><img src="https://run.imgix.net/e42c4fdf-ec4f-4a9c-930e-0be8030c21d3/05ae1db0-926a-4637-824b-0dca97dd0e55/05ae1db0-926a-4637-824b-0dca97dd0e55.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C1521%2C1339&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="42" variant="framed">Jonathan grew up in Waltham, the son of Bolivian immigrants, spending his childhood on soccer fields in Arlington and wrestling mats in Woburn – places that made Massachusetts feel safe and welcoming. That sense of security changed when Jonathan was 14, after his father was detained and deported, separating his family.Rather than letting that moment define his future, Jonathan fought back. He became the first in his family to attend college, earning a degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. His family’s experience shaped a lifelong commitment to social justice.Jonathan began his career as an educator, teaching Spanish and Portuguese and leading immersion programs. He later became a union organizer, representing hundreds of workers across industries and helping secure fair contracts, safer workplaces, and job protections.His leadership soon expanded to the state level, where he took on high-stakes fights and beat long odds. Jonathan helped defeat Big Tech-backed, anti-worker ballot initiatives and played a key role in advancing landmark legislation like the Tuition Equity Act, securing millions for immigrant students in higher education.In 2019, Jonathan was elected as one of the youngest City Councilors in Waltham’s history, unseating a 30-year incumbent. On the Council, he fought for public housing, tenant protections, and environmental action. In 2023, he ran for Mayor, challenging the political establishment with a vision rooted in equity, inclusion, and sustainability.Over the past year, Jonathan has focused on immigration defense during ICE raids across Massachusetts, helping launch an immigration defense hub in Waltham and raising thousands for emergency support. His work has earned recognition from local and statewide organizations, including the Globe Magazine’s Amplify LatinX ALX100 and ALPFA Boston’s NEXT 50 Award for Community Leadership.When he’s not organizing, Jonathan enjoys running along the Charles River, dancing salsa and bachata, and playing chess. Guided by his roots, he continues to fight for a world where justice isn’t a privilege but a promise kept.<span class="image video image-center" data-embed="&lt;iframe width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/-Cv8c8-VavI?si=D3A5R0EyYgQE8kq6&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot; allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;" style="width: 100%;"><img imageurl="https://run.imgix.net/e42c4fdf-ec4f-4a9c-930e-0be8030c21d3/178c37d9-ac30-4ab6-9ff7-f0d2c7128e10/178c37d9-ac30-4ab6-9ff7-f0d2c7128e10.png?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C3360%2C1772&amp;w=1500" embedcode="&lt;iframe width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/-Cv8c8-VavI?si=D3A5R0EyYgQE8kq6&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot; allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;" alt="" caption="" align="center" alignwidth="50" src="https://run.imgix.net/e42c4fdf-ec4f-4a9c-930e-0be8030c21d3/178c37d9-ac30-4ab6-9ff7-f0d2c7128e10/178c37d9-ac30-4ab6-9ff7-f0d2c7128e10.png?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C3360%2C1772&amp;w=1500" data-embed="&lt;iframe width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/-Cv8c8-VavI?si=D3A5R0EyYgQE8kq6&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot; allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;"><span class="video-button-placeholder" data-embed="&lt;iframe width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/-Cv8c8-VavI?si=D3A5R0EyYgQE8kq6&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot; allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;">

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<h2>My Work</h2><h3>Championing the Labor Movement</h3>At SEIU Local 888, I represented public- and private-sector workers – from custodians to librarians at Boston University. I helped win strong contracts, protected jobs during layoffs, and led a statewide food-service worker campaign that secured gender pay equity across several bargaining units.<a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/05/09/nation/long-overworked-young-medical-residents-worry-their-lives-are-line-they-treat-coronavirus-patients/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">At SEIU CIR, during the first COVID-19 outbreak, I fought for medical residents and fellows who were treating patients without basic PPE at Boston Medical Center and Cambridge Hospital. </a>We pushed hospitals to provide safer working conditions and fair protections on the job.Seeing frontline workers forced to fight for both safety and dignity during a public-health crisis solidified my belief that every American deserves affordable, accessible healthcare – not as a privilege, but as a fundamental right. And when workers have power, we can build a thriving economy with sustainable, good-paying jobs for everyone.<h3>Standing Up to Big Tech</h3><a href="https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/10/06/massachusetts-app-based-uber-lyft-drivers-contractor-bill-ballot-question" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">As Organizing Director at Mass Not For Sale, I led the campaign that defeated Uber and Lyft’s $100 million ballot initiative </a>– a corporate effort to slash worker protections. I managed a statewide team of organizers, built a coalition of labor unions and community groups, and mobilized over 80 state legislators and dozens of local leaders.Our team reached thousands of drivers through multilingual outreach, peer-to-peer organizing, and public forums. We not only won a major legal victory – we laid the groundwork for app-based workers to win the right to form a union in Massachusetts.Protecting workers from corporate abuse isn’t just an economic issue – it’s how we ensure families can afford healthcare, housing, and basic stability without being exploited by billion-dollar companies.<h3>Winning for Waltham Working Families</h3>As a Waltham City Councilor, I turned community input into real results. I secured over $1.2 million in public-housing improvements, secured funding for a new, state-of-the-art high school, and <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/12/27/business/moody-street-waltham-cars-pedestrians-covid-retail/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">helped transform Waltham’s Downtown into a vibrant hub for outdoor dining at Moody Street – saving jobs, small businesses and strengthening local culture during the pandemic.&nbsp;</a>I started public service with the slogan “Community First” and refused money from corporate landlords. I organized town halls, built a COVID neighborhood task force, and engaged residents directly – because I’ve always been beholden only to working people, not corporate interests.This approach – putting people first – is the same spirit we need to rebuild the Democratic party and fix our rigged political system.<h3>Protecting Communities with Rapid Response</h3>When Trump’s ICE targeted immigrant families, we didn’t wait for Washington to save us: we organized, protected our community, and fought back with courage. <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/06/ice-deportation-trump-miller-homan-waltham-massachusetts-fuerza-volunteers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">I founded Fuerza Waltham and supported LUCE’s statewide emergency hotline for ICE raids.</a> We created a rapid-response system that trained hundreds of residents to document ICE activity, protect neighbors, and support families in crisis. I also founded the Fuerza Interfaith Emergency Fund (FEIF) providing direct aid to families harmed by immigration enforcement.I’ve understood the cruelty of our immigration system since I was 14, when my family was separated. Everything I’ve seen since confirms what I knew then: we need an immigration system rooted in humanity, not brutality and fear. Rejecting violence against families – here at home – must also mean rejecting endless wars abroad. The money spent on war and ICE should instead go to lowering the cost of living and expanding access to healthcare, housing, and creating sustainable jobs.

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I’ve dedicated my life to fighting for working people – in the classroom, in union halls, and in public service. I chose this path because no one should face the injustices my family did.

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Here are some common misconceptions we’ve been hearing at the doors. It’s important you know they’re not true on Sept. 1st.

Busting Incumbent Myths

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Myth: Isn’t Clark a progressive?Fact: Clark regularly votes against progressives values, especially when it comes to ICE, Palestine, and Big Tech

Myth: We need Clark because she’s in leadership.Fact: We don't just need someone in leadership, we need someone willing to lead.

Myth: Taking corporate PAC money isn’t a big deal, everyone does it.Fact: There are many influential Democrats who don’t take corporate money.

Myth: Clark’s high rank brings money into the district.Fact: Clark brings in less money than MAs most junior congressperson

Myth: Grassroots Democrats can’t win against Big MoneyFact: Voters are fed up with Big Money deciding who our leaders will be.

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Jonathan Paz is running for U.S. House of Representatives in Massachusetts's 5th Congressional District in 2026, fighting for working families, union workers, and everyday people.

Jonathan Paz for Congress | MA-5 | 2026

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The climate crisis is real, human-made, and already reshaping our lives. Meeting this moment requires more than small fixes. It requires the clean re-industrialization of our country toward a sustainable future. I support a bold federal green jobs program that puts people to work tackling climate change while strengthening our communities.That requires a just transition: retraining workers, paying people to go back to school, and investing in industries that heal our planet: clean energy, climate resilience, public transit, and environmental restoration. These must be the union jobs of the future. As such, we should empower the genius in working people to do living wage, unionized work that is both extremely urgent and socially beneficial, not trap them in the fossil fuel jobs of the 20th century.&nbsp;We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver the largest investment in union jobs, wages, and training since the New Deal. This is our chance to build an economy that prioritizes working families, protects our planet, and leaves no one behind.<h4>As your congressman, I will advocate for legislation that achieves the following policy goals:</h4>Reaching Net-Zero Emissions by 2030: Rapidly decarbonizing every sector of our economy is needed if we are to have any hope of achieving net-zero greenhouse gases by 2030. This involves banning new fossil fuel leasing on federal land and waters and instead building renewable energy infrastructure, electrifying vehicles and new buildings (while also retrofitting existing ones), and requiring 100% clean electricity on the grid.Actualizing the Green New Deal: In order to enact a Green New Deal, we need to mobilize our society at the scale of previous world wars through training, jobs programs, and clean re-industrial investment. Building upon the Biden Administration’s proposal, I will seek to make permanent a civilian climate corps that regularly hires thousands of disadvantaged and young workers for insulation retrofits, natural restoration, and public transit expansion. All projects will use Project Labor Agreements to guarantee competitive wages and prioritize local hiring.Financing Public Ownership: The green energy revolution will not be funded by the market alone. We need to diversify public funding and programs to meet our ambitious environmental targets of reaching net-zero emissions by 2030, as well as ensuring the clean re-industrialization of our economy and a just transition for workers. As a result, as your representative in Congress, I will support the establishment of a Green Infrastructure Bank to fund mass transit &amp; renewables and a Climate Jobs Trust to finance green manufacturing products &amp; services.Building Transit-Oriented Public Housing: We need to aggressively build and upgrade millions of affordable, climate-resilient homes that are connected to public transportation in order to meet our goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2030. This means I will support the implementation of a Federal Green Public Housing program to retrofit existing housing with insulation, heat pumps, and solar panels under strong tenant protections laws. Since new housing is needed to help solve our affordability crisis, all new buildings must be built with better insulation standards, which will cut occupants’ heating/cooling needs and thus reduce the buildings’ carbon footprint. In addition, I will work to guarantee free or subsidized local transit passes for all, since public transit reduces emissions. Finally, I will push for the construction of electrified Amtrak rail to connect Massachusetts to New York and DC.Respecting Indigenous Sovereignty: As a Bolivian-American with Indigenous heritage, I affirm the full authority that Native Americans have over projects on their lands and waters. As your Congressman, I will work to make sure that no federal project proceeds without the free, prior, and informed consent of the relevant tribal community. I will also look to invest in community-led solutions, for example, funding to revive traditional water management and land stewardship practices.Renewing the Federal Government’s Commitment to Conservation: The federal government has a long and admirable history of promoting conservation of our federal lands and wetlands. But we need to go further. As your representative in Congress, I will advocate for legislation that adopts circular economy mandates such as extended producer responsibility, the “right to repair,” and zero waste targets for major sectors of our economy, including phasing out single-use plastics and requiring that federal contractors use recycled content. In land use, I will make permanent the protection of our federal forests &amp; wetlands — prohibiting logging or mining in these precious ecosystems.Ensuring Transparent Resilience &amp; Climate Adaptation: In the face of the Trump Administration’s unprecedented attack on public funding of science and basic research, I will advocate for transparent, science-based resilience standards for our Green New Deal. In order to ensure accountability, federal agencies will be legally required to publish emissions data &amp; progress reports online. A public “Climate Scorecard” will be used to show whether agencies met annual goals. In addition, I will work to ensure that all FEMA grants and new construction must meet flood &amp; heat-resilient design standards, with funding prioritizing regions hardest hit by climate disasters, based on data (NOAA, FEMA risk maps, etc.). Finally, I will mandate climate disclosure for corporations, empowering investors and consumers who are abiding by ESG best practices.Leading Internationally on Climate: As your representative in Congress, I will lobby the President to rejoin global climate treaties and press for a global price on carbon. I will also support legislation that cancels fossil subsidies abroad, helps fund developing countries’ clean energy transition and climate adaptation, and works with allies to cut global aviation and shipping emissions.

I support a bold federal green jobs program that puts people to work tackling climate change while strengthening our communities. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver the largest investment in union jobs, wages, and training since the New Deal.

A Green Energy Revolution

Working families are being crushed by runaway costs – from rent and mortgages to groceries and prescription drugs – while corporations rake in record profits. This didn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of decades of bipartisan policies that put corporate greed ahead of ordinary people.In one of the most expensive states in the country, we need bold action. I will fight to rein in price-gouging corporations, negotiate all prescription drug prices, and support strong antitrust and consumer protection laws. An economy that works for working people means lower costs, real competition, and putting power back where it belongs: in the hands of consumers, not monopolies.

I will fight to rein in price-gouging corporations, negotiate all prescription drug prices, and support strong antitrust and consumer protection laws. Let's put power back where it belongs: in the hands of consumers, not monopolies.

Bring Prices Under Control

LGBTQIA+ people should live and thrive without fear of discrimination in healthcare, housing, employment, education, and public spaces. That also means expanding access to comprehensive, nondiscriminatory health care - including gender-affirming care.&nbsp; We need to unequivocally stand with LGBTQIA+ communities - especially trans people - against political scapegoating and state violence.Transitioning from a world that devalues queer and trans people to one that supports queer and trans people to thrive will require affirmative investments. Queer and trans people - especially youth - are disproportionately likely to be unemployed and unhoused. We will immediately need inclusive supportive housing and income support programs to make sure people will make it to the new America we are building.

Our economic system has been especially brutal to working-class women, queer and trans people, and people of color. I believe in defending civil liberties and governing with a lens centered on those most impacted, not those most powerful.

Queer and Trans Equity&nbsp;

The Democratic Party had the chance to raise the federal minimum wage under President Biden but failed to make it happen. We need to fast track a raise in wages to a <a href="https://www.epi.org/publication/raising-the-minimum-wage-to-25-an-hour-by-2031-would-raise-wages-for-more-than-a-million-washington-workers-while-boosting-the-states-economy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: var(--color-text-accent-primary); text-decoration-color: var(--color-text-accent-primary);">new minimum of $25,</a> but our efforts can’t stop there. Congress must act to strengthen and defend unions, protect the right to organize, and make sectoral bargaining the norm again. History has shown us that when workers have power, wages go up – and the economy works for everyone, not just for the billionaires and corporations!

We need to fast track a raise in wages to a new minimum of $25, but our efforts can’t stop there. Congress must act to strengthen and defend unions, protect the right to organize, and make sectoral bargaining the norm again.

Higher Wages

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We need a foreign policy based on our values. That means centering human rights, justice and peace as the pillars of America's engagement in the world, and making military action a last resort. We must acknowledge the damage done when we fail to live up to international human rights standards - to our global neighbors and ourselves. We need laws and institutions that ensure our values are upheld regardless of short-term political convenience. Countless foreign wars of choice have resulted in shameful harm to people around the world, made our country less safe, and wasted valuable resources that could be used here at home. At the same time, we have failed to support allies who supported us, and defend the defenseless when it was inconvenient to us.In the richest country in the world, people can’t afford rent and groceries but Congress always finds money to drop bombs on people - in “other” parts of the world. As your congressman, I would actively oppose&nbsp; the Democratic leadership’s complicity in our warmongering status quo. We cannot “bomb our way to peace.” Instead, I would rein in the imperial Presidency and reassert the role of Congress in resolving international conflicts peacefully through diplomacy. No President should have the power to threaten our allies or try to “own” other sovereign countries. We will deepen our commitment to and integration in institutions of international law. America and the world will be safer when we abide by our values and ensure we and our allies always respect human rights.&nbsp;I will support legislation to join the International Criminal Court, because no President should be above the law. I will support rebuilding and reimagining USAID to invest in global health, flourishing, and peace. I will oppose aid to any country committing war crimes and fix the Leahy Law to make sure no President can ignore the law when he wants. I will support limits on covert actions and reform the War Powers Act to end the President’s ability to launch attacks without Congressional authorization. I will support an end to our failed embargo of Cuba and end broad sanctions, because disagreements between governments should not impoverish any people. I will support self determination from Palestine to Ukraine, because human rights must be universal to be meaningful.&nbsp;Let us be architects of peace with justice, not merely for our time, but for all time. America will lead not by wishful words, but by material works.

Peace with justice. Respect for sovereignty and international law. International cooperation. Standing up for human rights.

Stop Endless Wars

As difficult as it is to protect our neighbors from ICE’s reign of terror, we need to go a step further to get to the root of the problem. It’s time to overhaul our broken immigration system and replace it with one rooted in humanity, not cruelty.ICE is a rogue agency operating outside the law, and its abuses have now led to the killing of a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis on January 7. I’ve traveled all across Massachusetts and it’s clear: people don’t feel safer because of ICE. They live in fear of masked agents abducting their neighbors in broad daylight. What has become clear to the broader public has been true for immigrant communities for decades: brutality is the point. An agency designed by the Bush administration to apply the logic of the Global War on Terror to immigration enforcement cannot be reformed. Unfortunately, the Democratic Party leadership have not only further enabled ICE (with the passing of the Big Beautiful Act and the allocation of more than $170 billion for ICE) they have repeatedly failed to use their Congressional majorities to create a humane pathway to citizenship.When I say “Abolish ICE,” I mean 4 things:<ul><li>Abolishing ICE and CBP&nbsp; as a federal agency</li><li>Passing a 21st century immigration system, creating a humane pathway to citizenship for our immigrant neighbors</li><li>Redirecting ICE’s $170 billion budget back to schools, healthcare, and housing</li><li>Investigating and prosecuting ICE and CBP agents accountable</li></ul>

Let's pass a 21st century immigration system, creating a humane pathway to citizenship. Redirect ICE's $170 Billion budget to schools, healthcare, and housing. And, investigate and hold ICE agents accountable.

Abolish ICE and Reform Immigration

I envision a Good Life Economy where everyone has good housing, good healthcare, and a good education, and still have time with their families.&nbsp;&nbsp;Right now, the system works for the billionaire class and by design, fails working people. Too many families in Massachusetts’ 5th District are living paycheck to paycheck while the ultra wealthy&nbsp; and big corporations rig the rules in their favor. In the face of the cost of living crisis, our government has an obligation to&nbsp; provide short-term economic relief. We also need to transform the economy into one that sustains all of our people in harmony with the environment. We need an economy that enables working people to have a good life. We cannot go back to business as usual.&nbsp;<h5>The following are core elements of a way forward:</h5><img src="https://run.imgix.net/e42c4fdf-ec4f-4a9c-930e-0be8030c21d3/f3948d62-450f-4d2c-ab6d-e4af8f587d63/f3948d62-450f-4d2c-ab6d-e4af8f587d63.png?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C1258%2C1144&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="center" alignwidth="40" variant="base">

Raise Wages, Protect the right to organize and defend unions, Reign in price-gouging corporations, enhance consumer protections.

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Good Life Economy

Higher education should be accessible to all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background.This is because a democratic society needs informed citizens capable of critical inquiry and civic cooperation in order to solve its most pressing problems. In higher education, tuition and fees at our public colleges and universities continue to increase astronomically year after year, making earning a degree out of reach for millions of students from working class families. Millions of Americans who already went to college are burdened by student debt.Right wing bigots and anti-democracy billionaires have been attacking all levels of public education. Public universities face constant attacks on their funding because they help democratize society and reduce racist attitudes, while allowing people of color to advance economically. Pre-K-12 education is attacked for teaching accurate history about racial injustice. Segregationists continue to push back against any efforts to fund our schools fairly. Our disabled students are mocked and their resources are being cut down to nothing. Even our public libraries face hateful attacks for being spaces where queer kids and kids of color can learn about themselves.We need the largest reinvestment in our students and their families in decades. We also need immediate relief for people who already went to college and have student debt. That’s why I will fight not only for public colleges and community colleges to be tuition-free but also to provide relief for those who are shackled by student debt.We need a massive infusion of federal funds in training and supporting our teachers and librarians. We need investment in free school meals, and wrap around services - including disability services - so every student can come to school ready to learn. We need a deep commitment to supporting continuing education through our libraries to support a robust democracy. We need to defend inclusive education, end book bans, and make sure every student can show up to school as their authentic selves.&nbsp;It’s time for the United States to join most of the developed world in treating higher education as a public good, not a commodity.

It’s time for the United States to join most of the developed world in treating higher education as a public good, not a commodity. I will not only fight for public and community colleges to be tuition-free but also to provide student debt relief.

Universal Education

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Mass Peace Action Endorses Jonathan Paz

Regardless of disability, everyone deserves the right to education, healthcare, and safety. Currently, our system is not set up to support disabled Americans. Many disabled individuals are trapped in cycles of poverty and are not able to access needed care and support. I am committed to a world in which our government supports people of all abilities.&nbsp; I pledge to ensure equal access to education for disabled students. Equity for disabled Americans begins in childhood. Schools are often not provided with the resources and personnel to create an accessible and inclusive environment for disabled students. To ensure that students with disabilities receive the education they are entitled to, I support funding for paraprofessional training and educational development. I also support the expansion of mental healthcare services in schools. The school-to-prison pipeline <a href="https://www.3da.org/post/how-the-school-to-prison-pipeline-is-damaging-to-students-with-disabilities">disproportionately impacts disabled students</a>, and I pledge to ensure every student receives the support they need and abolish this pipeline. I pledge to expand access to care for disabled Americans. Under current policies, many who receive SSI benefits <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/06/18/g-s1-4991/social-security-ssi-marriage-penalty">lose those benefits</a> if their income levels change, including if they get married. Disabled individuals deserve full marriage equality and I pledge to fight for marriage to be a time of joy, not instability. Additionally, a shift to Medicare for All ensures continuous access to care that is currently not guaranteed. This includes long-term in-home care, which is out of reach for many disabled Americans and their families. I promise to ensure access to needed care, including mental health care, and a living wage and support for caretakers.I pledge to fight for a society in which disability and independence are not at odds. Our existing policy and infrastructure is not conducive to disabled adults having independence. In half of the states in the US, <a href="http://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/special-employment">it is legal to pay disabled workers less than the minimum wage</a>. This practice must be abolished. Accessible housing and transit is of utmost importance and we pledge to invest in these areas so that everyone can live and travel safely. Further, disabled Americans deserve to make their own choices. I support the recognition of policies such as <a href="https://supporteddecisionmaking.org">supported decision making</a> to ensure that every individual has the ability to have their voice heard in decisions about their own lives.

Regardless of disability, everyone deserves the right to education, healthcare, and economic stability. I am committed to building a world in which our government empowers people of all abilities to live with dignity and self determination.

Disability Justice

The prosperity promised by technological progress is being denied from humanity. Tech billionaires and their companies are harming us, our democracy and our planet. They are building data centers that steal local water and electricity and raise our energy costs. They give money to candidates who promote lies and steal elections. They refuse to rein in non-consenual nude images and child sexual abuse material. They profit off of exploiting and degrading women and children. They want AI to replace workers - teachers, truck drivers, cashiers, librarians, social workers, software developers - and frighten everyone else out of organizing for worker rights. They are happy to build technology for surveillance, war and ethnic cleansing so long as they continue to get richer.&nbsp;No more.I pledge to fight Big Tech monopolies, protect our personal data from being harvested for profit and surveillance, rein in AI, stop the data centers and tax the billionaires. We deserve a future in which technology is built for open communication and shared wealth, health and prosperity of all people.

I pledge to fight Big Tech monopolies, protect our personal data from being harvested for profit and surveillance, rein in AI, stop the data centers and tax the billionaires. We deserve a future in which technology is built for the shared wealth, health and freedom of all people.

Hold Big Tech Accountable

If you have a beating heart, you deserve to be able to see a doctor. When you see that doctor, you shouldn’t have to worry about having enough money to pay co-pays and deductibles.&nbsp;The United States is the only major, industrialized country in the world that does not guarantee healthcare for its people. This has been an international scandal for many years, because the United States also spends significantly more per capita on healthcare than other wealthy nations&nbsp; while achieving worse health outcomes. While the Affordable Healthcare Act brought greater access to health insurance, it has failed to control healthcare costs. This is because profit not need is prioritized in our current patchwork system dominated by private insurance. To make matters worse, the Democratic Party has repeatedly capitulated to the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries, at the expense of the health and well being of the American people.We should have a right to healthcare. What better way to fulfill that obligation than by expanding Medicare, an enormously popular government program already in place, to cover all people in the United States? Medicare for All would not only cover millions of uninsured people but also provide peace of mind to those with employer-provided plans who are afraid of losing their jobs because it would mean losing their insurance. Moreover, Medicare for All would also bring down healthcare costs by eliminating administrative waste and leveraging the enormous power of the federal government to control drug and provider prices. No more premiums. No more deductibles. No more co-pays. No more denials of care. Healthcare for all.

A Right to Healthcare. No more deductibles, premiums, or co-pays. Universal coverage that's free at the point of service.

Medicare for All

Families pay too much for child care in this country. For just one child, <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/wb/topics/childcare/median-family-income-by-age-care-setting-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Families in District 5 fork out between 15% and 29% of their median income on childcare</a>. Combined with the costs of housing and groceries, this is squeezing US families to the breaking point. At the same time, daycare workers are some of the lowest paid and most underappreciated workers. They can't make a living doing one of the most important jobs in the world: caring for future generations. I pledge to make free, high-quality childcare a priority. To make sure that it is high-quality we will pay all daycare workers a living wage so that we can recruit and retain the best caregivers around - our children deserve it! This will put billions - literally <a href="https://theconversation.com/zohran-mamdanis-transformative-child-care-plan-builds-on-a-history-of-nyc-social-innovations-268462" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">billions - of dollars back in working families' pockets</a> so that they can afford their basic necessities, invest in their home, and save for their children's future.

I pledge to make free, high-quality childcare a priority. Combined with the costs of housing and groceries, childcare costs are squeezing US families to the breaking point

Free, High-Quality Child Care 

Everyone deserves a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.Housing is a human right - not a privilege. A place to call “home” should provide safety and a sense of belonging. It is the foundation that allows families to support each other, live in dignity, fulfill basic needs, and connect to the larger community. Whether renting, owning or seeking housing, everyone deserves a safe, stable and affordable place to call home.As your representative in congress, I will advocate for the building and renovating of more safe and affordable public housing. I will work to restore federal funding with incentives for towns and cities to have the ability to increase the local supply of equitable, sustainable, attractive public and non-profit housing options for working and retired residents. I believe that working families, their adult children, and seniors should be able to find quality housing, integrated into the fabric of the neighborhood, that gives everyone reasonable access to their community, place of employment, and basic needs. I will fight for universal housing. Every person is entitled to safe, secure, accessible, and affordable housing. No one in this wealthy nation should be unhoused. I will work to shift the societal view of housing from a purely market-driven commodity to a basic requirement for health, dignity, and personal safety.I believe in these seven principals, in line with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights:<ul><li>Affordability: Housing costs should not threaten or compromise a household's ability to afford other basic needs like food and healthcare.</li><li>Security of tenure: Residents must be protected from forced evictions, harassment, and other threats.</li><li>Habitability: Homes must provide physical safety, adequate space, protection against the elements, and a non-toxic environment.</li><li>Availability of services: Access to transportation, sanitation, electricity, and potable water.</li><li>Accessibility: The specific needs of marginalized and disadvantaged groups must be explicitly prioritized.</li><li>Location: Citing of habitation in "sacrifice zones” is unacceptable. Residents must have access to employment, healthcare services, schools, and other social facilities.</li><li>Cultural adequacy: Housing must enable the expression of cultural identity and diversity. </li></ul>As your representative in Congress, I will reintroduce the Sanders/Ocasio-Cortez “Green New Deal for Public Housing Act” which highlights the importance of deeply affordable and generously funded public housing as key to solving the affordable housing shortage. I will support:<ul><li>Publicly funded investment in mixed-income communities</li><li>Repair of existing housing, including weatherization and renewable energy retrofitting</li><li>Social housing development to allow the conversion of vacant commercial properties, vacant homes and tax-foreclosed properties into permanently affordable dwellings</li><li>Housing development near transit that meets passive house or zero-emissions standards&nbsp;</li><li>Incentives for permanently affordable development that, in turn, fosters self-sustaining communities</li><li>Increased tenants’ rights and protections</li><li>A Federal first-time homebuyer assistance program</li></ul>The unhoused must be treated with compassion and given safe, secure shelter and support services. I will advocate to address the root causes of homelessness and the needs of community members experiencing harms from homelessness. I believe the resources can be made available to transition communities towards providing housing for all and to ensure full democratic participation and inclusion of persons experiencing homelessness in that process.

Housing is a human right - not a privilege. Whether renting, owning or seeking housing, everyone deserves a safe, stable and affordable place to call home. I will work to restore federal funding for towns and cities to build sustainable, attractive public and non-profit housing options.

Housing for People, Not Profit

True public safety comes from meeting people’s basic needs and strengthening our capacity to care for one another - not from punishment, prisons, or surveillance. When communities are housed, healthy, and supported, harm is less likely to occur in the first place.If we are serious about preventing harm, we must expand access to mental health counselors, therapists, social workers, and crisis responders in our schools, neighborhoods, and public spaces. Too many people experiencing mental health and substance abuse crises are met with handcuffs instead of care. Jail is not treatment, and punishment is not prevention. We need trauma-informed, community-based responses that de-escalate harm and help people heal -- because safety means fewer people reaching a breaking point, not more people locked behind bars. We need real accountability for government abuses. This means ending qualified immunity and enabling lawsuits whenever a government official violates any person's Constitutional rights. True public safety does not require mass surveillance. As artificial intelligence and predictive technologies are increasingly weaponized against working people, activists, immigrants, and communities of color, we must draw a clear line: our rights do not end where new technology begins. As someone who has seen under the curtain of the surveillance industry, I support restoring and strengthening the Fourth Amendment for the 21st century, ensuring that privacy, due process, and freedom from unreasonable search and surveillance are protected in an age of AI, facial recognition, data mining, and digital policing. Public safety built on constant monitoring does not make us safer -- it is control.

True public safety comes from meeting people’s basic needs and strengthening our capacity to care for one another – not from punishment, prisons, or surveillance. When communities are housed, healthy, and supported, harm is less likely to occur in the first place.

True Public Safety

Jonathan Paz champions grassroots issues in his bid to unseat Rep. Katherine Clark

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Our democracy is in crisis, and long before Trump, the corruption of our pay-to-play system was already clear. Congress has weakened its oversight role, dark money corrupts our legislative and electoral processes, and the Supreme Court operates with little accountability. Power has concentrated to the top while working people are shut out.I am open to any serious reforms that strengthen democratic oversight and make our institutions answer to the public, including:<ul><li>Restoring voting rights, ending gerrymandering, and modernizing our democratic system for the 21st century.</li><li>Holding the President accountable, through measures up to and beyond impeachment.</li><li>Getting money out of politics. Citizens United must be overturned so billionaires and corporations can no longer buy elections. Democracy should not belong to the highest bidder.</li><li>Expanding and promoting publicly funded elections so the working class- not the donor class – are the foundation of our campaigns.</li><li>Expanding and transforming the Supreme Court to restore public trust and end the grip of elite ideological pipelines like the Federalist Society. No branch of government should be above accountability.</li><li>Banning insider trading by Congress. Members should not profit from the stock market. I won’t wait for it to become law; I won’t trade individual stocks while in office.</li></ul>Democracy survives only if we defend it and rebuild it.

We must restore voting rights, end gerrymandering, and modernize our democratic system for the 21st century. Citizens United must be overturned so billionaires and corporations can no longer purchase elections. Democracy should not belong to the highest bidder.

Power Back to the People

Our youth and working families deserve to live free from the epidemic of gun violence that has shattered too many communities. To build a country that is safe for all, we must confront the <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/gun-violence-prevention" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">root causes</a>&nbsp; of violence: inequality, poverty, misogyny, and the lack of access to affordable healthcare and mental health support. Ending gun violence in America means protecting and uplifting communities that have long been denied opportunity and are targeted by discrimination.We support <a href="https://www.everytown.org/issues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">evidence-based</a>, equitably applied reforms championed by young leaders across the country, including red flag laws to protect victims of domestic violence, closing background check loopholes, implementing waiting periods, and requiring safe gun storage and training.Finally, achieving these changes requires a Congress that is not beholden to corporate lobbies like the NRA, which will always put profits before the safety and freedom of the American people.

Our youth and working families deserve to live free from the epidemic of gun violence that has shattered too many communities. We support <a href="https://www.everytown.org/issues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">evidence-based</a>, equitably applied reforms championed by young leaders across the country.

Freedom from Gun Violence

Canvassers of all experience levels welcome! Learn how to gather signatures for Jonathan's campaign.

Arlington Signature Gathering for Jonathan

Experience canvassing is welcome, but not required! There will be trainings for new volunteers&nbsp;before each canvassing session. Our goal is not only to collect signatures but to have deeper conversations with our neighbors and recruit additional volunteers.

Arlington Canvass for Jonathan

Women hold more than half the sky in our movements for social justice.I am committed to a world free from gender violence in all its forms and inspired by the women in my district who are already leading this work. Women deserve equal pay, full representation, and recognition for their value in every corner of our society.We must support survivors by centering trauma-informed care, real accountability, and guaranteed resources for healing and safety. Congress must prioritize advancing reproductive justice - including the right to abortion, the right to a safe and healthy chosen pregnancy, and the right to a safe and healthy future for our kids. Real freedom means bodily autonomy. Real freedom means being able to choose to start a family without fear. As a party, we need to overturn Dobbs v. Jackson, end the Hyde Amendment, codify Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and support constitutional amendments to enshrine a woman’s right to control her own body.&nbsp;

We deserve a country free from gender violence in all its forms. Women deserve equal pay, reproductive autonomy, full representation, and recognition for their value in every corner of our society.

Women’s & Gender Equity

Congressional Candidate, Massachusetts 5th District

Jonathan Paz is running for U.S. House of Representatives in Massachusetts's 5th Congressional District in 2026, fighting for working families, immigration justice, and medicare for all.