FAMILIES

As a mom of four and former small business owner, Joy knows what it’s like to work hard and dream about a better future for her family. Families need a governor who will fight for them so they have the stability, confidence, and support they need to start businesses, earn degrees, buy homes, and put down roots in our state. 

Countless Oklahoma families feel left out and left behind. Simply having a job (or three) is not enough. To support a family, Oklahomans need good jobs. As governor, Joy will work to restore a community’s freedom to raise the minimum wage and decide how much they value local workers.

Joy will eliminate regressive taxes on families like the grocery tax. She supports suspending the gas tax until sky-high fuel prices come down. Oklahoma deserves a governor who will fight for their bottom line for a change.

Joy knows childhood hunger is a huge challenge for Oklahoma families. Today, 1 in 5 Oklahoma children don’t get the food they need. Joy believes Oklahoma must do better for its children. Hunger costs Oklahoma over $1.4 billion each year through increased illness and decreased academic achievement alone. Joy will work to end childhood hunger in Oklahoma by leading public-private partnerships that invest in programs like Breakfast After the Bell, which aims to feed all students a nutritious breakfast at the start of every school day. 

And addressing the state’s high infant and maternal mortality rates will be among Joy’s top priorities. Oklahoma is the top ten worst places in the country to have a baby. To change that, Joy will work to expand a mother’s postpartum Medicaid coverage, as many other states have done — giving families more resources and support when it is needed most.  Sadly, Kevin Stitt is out of touch with the biggest issues affecting Oklahoma families. While Stitt is focused on self-dealing and political games, costs are rising and families continue to face challenges like access to strong neighborhood schools and finding good-paying jobs.