Get In Good Trouble, Necessary Trouble

When John Lewis called on Americans to “get in good trouble, necessary trouble,” he was speaking about moral courage. He lauded the willingness to challenge systems that have grown comfortable, complacent, or unaccountable. He understood that progress does not come from preserving the status quo. It comes from confronting it.

During Black History Month, I think about what that legacy of “good trouble” means at every level of our society- not just in Washington, but on the streets fighting for what’s right, speaking out when your community does something wrong, or even fighting against a City Hall that isn’t working for the people.

John Lewis’ legacy of “Good Trouble” was a key motivator for me in running for Las Vegas City Council in Ward 6.

My campaign is good trouble because it challenges complacency. It challenges the idea that an incumbent, who has offered no real tangible positive change is entitled to reelection simply because they hold the seat. It challenges a city government that shelled out hundreds of millions for a debacle they caused, a government that continues to spend taxpayer dollars without clear, measurable results for the people footing the bill. And it challenges the silence that too often surrounds local politics.

Good trouble is lawful. It is democratic. It is putting your name on the ballot and inviting scrutiny. It is asking hard questions in public meetings. It is demanding transparency in how millions of dollars are allocated. It is insisting that public office is a trust, not a title to be held indefinitely without accountability.

Laura Perkins, a Regent here in Las Vegas and Co-Chair of U.S. Term Limits, is leading a cross-country effort to put a check on term limits for members of Congress at the federal level. Through her work recruiting and mentoring grassroots leaders, building coalitions with elected officials and civic organizations, and advocating in public forums across the country, she is advancing the same principle at the national level that “good trouble” demands locally: accountability. The movement for term limits challenges the assumption that public office is a lifetime entitlement rather than a temporary trust. Just as this campaign seeks to disrupt complacency at City Hall, her work underscores a broader truth, that healthy democracy depends on fresh leadership, transparent governance, and citizens willing to insist that power remains with the people, not permanently with those who hold office.

Running against a system that would rather perpetuate complacency than ignite change is disruptive by nature. It forces those in power to reckon with their failures and defend their inaction on the public stage. It forces voters to pay attention, to demand more of those in power, or to seek agents of change who will actually work on their behalf.

“Good Trouble” shines light in the darkness and shows us that times do not have to be as dark as this. There is light at the end of the tunnel. There are real agents of change out there who are willing to get into some “good trouble” on behalf of those who are disenfranchised, agents of change who are willing to make their government work for the people again!

Disruptions in the status quo, like my running for city council, give voters a real choice between complacency or change, between a City Hall that works for itself or a government that works for you. That disruption, that “good trouble” is not reckless, as John Lewis said it is the responsibility of all of us who love this country and want to see it thrive.

Black History Month reminds us that meaningful change has always required people willing to step forward, even when doing so makes others uncomfortable. “Good trouble” is rooted in love of community and belief in something better.

I am running because I believe Ward 6 deserves leadership that shows up, asks tough questions, and respects every taxpayer dollar. If that means challenging entrenched habits and stirring debate, then so be it.

That is “Good Trouble!” And Ward 6 is worth it.