Jasmine "Mokah" Johnson

Civil Rights

We need to address the discrimination that women face in the workplace and in their daily lives by passing the Equal Rights Amendment, closing the gender pay gap, and ensuring that workers have access to paid parental leave. We must also provide support and protection to survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. I recognize that these issues affect people of all gender identities and that people of color are disproportionately impacted by this kind of discrimination. To move forward as a state, we must protect our most vulnerable communities. Learn more

Criminal Justice / Public Safety

Ending mass incarceration in Georgia isn’t just a moral imperative, it’s also economically sound. When we stop locking people up unnecessarily, we will save taxpayers millions of dollars a year. We can invest these savings into initiatives that will end the school-to-prison pipeline, rehabilitative programs for people struggling with addiction, resources for community policing, and police training on implicit bias and mental health interventions. Learn more

I support requiring state and local law enforcement departments to create a “use of force” database that is accessible to the public, and repealing of Georgia Citizen’s Arrest Law that is being claimed as a defense in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. Locally, I serve on the Police Accountability Task Force and work to build understanding and trust between law enforcement officers and community members. It’s time to build a new, just system of public safety that truly protects communities of color. Learn more

Economy

Over the years, I have worked to make Athens a more welcoming environment for businesses. Through the Swadeshi Black Market and Co-op, I helped provide a marketplace for local, minority-owned businesses to operate. Through the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement, I worked to combat discrimination by Athens businesses and celebrate local businesses that reflect our inclusive values. As your representative, I will continue working to end discriminatory laws that make it hard for businesses to thrive. I will strongly oppose any version of the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” a misguided attempt to legalize discrimination against members of the LGBTQ+ community who are opposed by local business and religious leaders, which will hurt Georgia’s economy. Learn more

Education

I will protect the HOPE Scholarship, support bipartisan efforts to introduce a needs-based version of the HOPE Scholarship, and work to expand the scholarship to include students at technical colleges and more nontraditional students. Making higher education accessible is an essential part of reducing the wealth gap in our communities. Learn more

We should fully fund our schools under the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula. To do this properly, the QBE formula needs to be updated to account for inflation and the number of low-income students enrolled at each school. My opponent, State Rep. Houston Gaines, claims he supports fully funding QBE on his website but voted against it and approved massive cuts to education funding during the last session. Legislators must make difficult decisions when setting the budget, but their choices make their priorities clear. I’ll fight to get our public school systems the resources they need to be successful. Learn more

Environment / Energy

Communities of color in Georgia are disproportionately victims of harmful pollution. As your representative, I’ll work to hold companies responsible for their harmful actions, starting with legislation to prevent dumping coal ash near groundwater sources without proper disposal methods. We must divest our state from fossil fuels and invest in clean energy sources and public transportation to create jobs in Georgia and build a healthier planet for generations to come. Learn more

Guns

We need a common-sense approach to updating our gun laws while protecting the rights of responsible gun owners. I support disarming known domestic abusers and implementing background checks on all gun sales. We must also pass Extreme Risk Protection Orders (Red Flag Laws) to remove firearms from people who pose an immediate threat to themselves or others. Assault rifles have no place on our streets, and we must fund comprehensive research and community-based interventions to prevent gun violence. Lastly, repealing campus carry will be a priority because my district contains the University of Georgia where so many students have told me how fearful they are of guns on campus. Learn more

Healthcare

All Georgians should have access to quality health care. Georgia ranks 41st in the country for health care access, and the latest estimates show that there are nearly 1.5 million people in our state living without health insurance. We can start by expanding Medicaid immediately. In doing so, we gain access to the $3 billion per year that our legislators are currently refusing. With that expansion, we can expand access to prenatal, pediatric and maternal health resources. Learn more

The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted that our public health system is only as strong as our least insured neighbor. As an underinsured candidate, I fear that my family will be unable to access the care they need during this pandemic. I know so many others facing the same situation but the problem didn’t start here. People with undiagnosed or untreated preexisting conditions are far more likely to experience complications due to the coronavirus. With nearly 5,000 deaths across Georgia and counting, our health care system and the leaders that designed it have failed us. Increasing access to health care benefits us all and must be a priority for our state. Learn more

Housing

Housing is a human right. Average rent in Athens has increased by 18 percent in the last decade. As luxury student high rises are prioritized, working class families face eviction and housing insecurity. An apartment is no longer possible to afford on a minimum-wage salary. With a rising number of community members experiencing homelessness, we need to make affordable housing more accessible by reviewing exclusionary and discriminatory zoning laws, investing in safe public housing, and make reporting and investigating landlord abuse for the 60 percent of Athenians who rent. Learn more

Immigration

Currently, undocumented immigrants are either unable to drive or must risk deportation by driving without proper documentation. I support immigrant activists in my community pushing for driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants. I will also work to repeal the unjust ban on undocumented students and DACA recipients who wish to attend schools in the University System of Georgia, notably University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, and GCSU. Increasing access to high education will directly increase economic equity in GA. Learn more

Wages / Job Benefits

Paying our workers is not enough. I will eagerly pursue opportunities to lessen the wage gap based on race, ethnicity, or gender ensuring equal pay for equal work and helping our communities build wealth instead of living paycheck to paycheck. As your representative, I will also fight for affordable housing and expanded public transportation, which are both critical to an inclusive economy. As more and more people participate in the gig economy, their rights to fair wages, benefits, and treatment must be further protected by state legislation. Learn more

The current economic crisis and pandemic have shown that our essential workers are underpaid and undervalued. As unemployment skyrockets, I fear for my neighbors, their livelihoods, and their businesses. People should not have to choose between putting food on the table and exposing themselves and their families to COVID-19. We need stronger social safety nets and support for those impacted by coronavirus and the economic disaster. Learn more