Texas Democrat Joi Chevalier Would Be A Great Comptroller

I doubt that most Texas voters have ever heard of the Democratic Party's candidate for State Comptroller -- Joi Chevalier. We need to fix that, because she would make great Comptroller. Here is an e-mail she sent to Democrats. I think it should be read by all Texas voters.

I grew up in Houston. My family was tight-knit and stressed the value of education and that we could do anything we imagined. My mom faced obstacles every single day to raise me and my sisters, and she taught us the values of equality, hard work, and being the best we could be. By achieving excellence, we honored those who strived so hard to give us the opportunity to become more. Hard work and being brilliant would help us achieve our goals, no matter what challenges we faced. 

I believed her. And that belief sustained me as I applied for scholarships and universities across the United States. It led me to The University of Texas, where I was the second in my family to graduate from college. It led me to study at Oxford, and it led me through my graduate studies and to technology companies, which are all about imagining what could be.

But what I eventually realized was that running global, diverse programs meant being part of a team and a community - and bridging the community of business owners, creators, and customers together was key to success for everyone involved. I left internet technology to combine my love for food, business entrepreneurship, and community to create The Cook's Nook, a Food+Tech culinary incubator that helps grow and launch new food companies into the marketplace.

Now, I'm proud to be, not only the first woman, but the first African American woman to be your Texas Democratic Comptroller nominee. Because of my nearly 20 years' experience developing and leading multimillion dollar programs and businesses, I bring strategic budgeting, proactive forecasting, and innovative solutions to the table to benefit everyone. This means I am able to highlight real costs, hidden costs, and their potential outcomes to all Texans. Because it's not "it can't or shouldn't be done", but "how do we make this happen and how do we get there?"

I know the power of entrepreneurs to drive change is understated and undervalued across our state. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our country. Local small businesses sustain local economies, provide local jobs, and are a part of their communities. They are the very representation of our shared belief in opportunity and fairness. I am proud to have worked with them, to help lift our community up, for so many years.

I am hopeful that I can bring some common-sense ideas to the Comptroller's office, where the responsibility of taxation, revenue, budgeting, and opportunity lies. That's the choice in this election. It's a choice between a Texas where everybody has a fair shot to get ahead -- or a Texas where the system is rigged against people like us.

Together we can make Texas a priority again, 

Joi Chevalier
Your next Texas Comptroller