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Natali Fani-Gonzalez: Why You Should Vote For Me

By WTOP Staff

Natali Fani-Gonzalez courtesy photoWe asked local candidates in contested primary elections to write a sub-750 word essay describing why residents should vote for them on June 24.

First up is Natali Fani-Gonzalez, running for one of three District 18 House of Delegates seats. Below is Fani-Gonzalez’s unedited response:

District 18 deserves leadership that will improve the quality of life of all our residents. I am committed to fight for Montgomery County — and for you — in Annapolis to make this happen.

It’s time for common sense solutions protecting both our workers and our environment. Environmental issues and workers’ rights must be part of our social and economic justice agenda. As delegate, I will lead this fight.

As a mother of two children, education is one of my priorities. Having access to quality Pre-K is essential for the success of every child in our state. We also have the responsibility to support students with disabilities and their families. We must ensure that every child gets the resources he or she needs to successfully move forward. As delegate, you have my commitment to lead this fight.

We need leaders fighting for Montgomery County in the General Assembly. It’s outrageous that even though we live in the largest and most populated county in the state, we don’t get the financial support we should be getting.

As your Delegate, I will work tirelessly to secure the funds that our County deserves.

We need leaders who will fight for the rights of our school retirees. Last session, the General Assembly — with the votes of our incumbents — approved shifting a significant portion of teachers’ pensions from the State to the local level. Our children’s education and our teachers’ pensions are not for sale.

We need strong and effective Delegates who will protect County taxpayers in Annapolis with smart decision-making, effective, results-driven leadership, and —most importantly — who will listen to your voices and engage all residents in the legislative process.

As a small business owner, we need to strive to have vibrant businesses, bringing jobs and economic security for all residents.

We must promote investments to foster start-up businesses that will spearhead Maryland’s edge in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. At the same time, we need to protect small businesses in our community — home improvement contractors, antique dealers, coffee shops, and other entities that add to our quality of life.

I will promote responsible economic growth by investing in renewable energy, as well as in transportation and communication infrastructure to enhance the quality of life of all our residents.

I have the life experience and the proven record to fight for you.

From an early age, I learned to embrace challenges. I arrived in the United States when I was 16 years old from Venezuela without speaking a word of English.

My mom didn’t earn enough money to support us, so she worked three jobs. One of her jobs was cleaning houses on weekends in Chevy Chase and Potomac, and since these houses were enormous, she needed help cleaning them. Naturally, I was there to help her.

I knew that the only way to get out of poverty was to work hard and study.

Since I was very good at math, I took all the math-related classes available to demonstrate my potential. That was my strategy and it worked. I became the only English as a Second Language (ESOL) student to graduate with honors from my high school class, and the only one admitted to a four-year college — Goucher College — with a full scholarship.

I am a true Maryland success story. I took a challenge in my life, embraced it, and found success. I want to do the same for our district.

After I graduated from Goucher College, I won a two-year fellowship from the Ford Foundation and the Academy for Educational Development that allowed me to work as the lobbyist for CASA de Maryland, the largest Latino and immigrant nonprofit in the state. One of my main duties was working on the passage of the MD DREAM Act as well as protecting working families throughout the State.

Nowadays, I am a small business owner who directs a public relations firm. I have managed local and national campaigns for groups such as Amnesty International, MomsRising, Virginia Consumer Voices for Healthcare, the Iron Workers Union, and the Montgomery County Latino Health Initiative.

My extensive experience as lobbyist, community organizer, and business owner makes me an expert on how to make the legislative process work for us.

My proven record of producing effective results has led me to earn the endorsements of the AFL-CIO, the Montgomery County Public Schools Retirees Association, CASA in Action, the Building Trades Council, the Hispanic Democratic Club, and Progressive Neighborhoods.

Please allow me the privilege of representing you. This June, please vote for Natali Fani- Gonzalez. Let’s move forward!

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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