Cristian Zapata

Biography

The truth is undeniable, Oklahoma Leadership had failed our youth. In the past ten years it has severely underfunded our schools and left an entire generation lagging behind. Even more so in marginalized communities. There was a time when attending college and trade school was feasible for man but the cost has exploded leading to many to carry large debts. It is time Oklahomans get the education, teachers, and learning facilities it deserves at no cost to the individual.

Unions once the corner stone and pride of the working class has been weakened over the decades. They have become increasingly important and necessary in recent years as the inequality gap continues to grow. Unions bring practical improvements such as higher wages, health and safety protections, and protects workers against both the abuse of their bosses and the general exploitation. Unions empower the individuals who build them, encouraging their sense of community and their ability to work for social change. They teach the basic democratic lesson that people can change the world around you as well as your working conditions. This empowerment can lead workers to advocate and act for broader social and economic justice, beyond their own lives. It is time for a revitalization in unions in this state. HEALTHCARE Healthcare in Oklahoma has been revoltingly mishandled, from the closing of many rural hospitals and clinics to the opioid epidemic to nationwide issues like rising prescription costs. Our people deserve much better. The idea that you can put a price on ones health is barbaric and inhumane. This is a fight that affects all Oklahoman’s and one that is quite literally in some cases a fight for our lives. We must count on one another to fight until every Oklahoman is Guaranteed Universal healthcare.

Immigrants for too long have been blamed for failures in budgets, healthcare, and employment rates. It is truly disgusting that our elected leaders have scapegoated one of the most vulnerable members of our society for their failures. It is time for those of us with the ability to stand up to those in power, do so. We can and must fight for at the state level to ensure a sense of safety and community for all people. WOMEN’S RIGHTS It is more important than ever that we address the discrimination, pay inequality and societal harassment that women face and fight on a daily basis. We must fight to ensure that they have the same opportunities to pursue higher education and a career as their male counterpart. We must fight to increase protections from the sexual and domestic violence that 1 in 3 women experience. We must fight to ensure that women have the right to reproductive healthcare and control over their bodies. We must fight until women are given equal opportunities and independence.

The Oklahoma Justice system is by far one of the worst in the nation, its incarceration rates are 55% higher than the national average, making it the highest in the world overall, and it incarcerates a disproportionate amount of people of color, almost 400% more in some cases. This mass disenfranchisement of people of color has severely limited our voice in the political processes and the ability to build generational wealth. Privately owned prisons have also been a huge determent to our society with violent crime being less common every year, these prisons are under obligation from leech shareholders to remain at full capacity leading to pressure on judges to hand out harsher sentences and keep mandatory minimums. We must reform these inherently racist institutions that serve the interests of the wealthy and privileged.

Discrimination at all levels impacts queer and trans people from an early age. LGBTQIA+ youth, rates of homelessness, incarceration, and substance abuse are all disproportionately high. Our state leaders have recently gone through great lengths to be unusually cruel to an exceptionally vulnerable community. This the complete opposite to what their propose is of ensuring all their constituents feel safe and at peace in their communities. We must do more to end intolerance and bigotry throughout our state.