My name is Dr. Deshawnda “Dr. Dee” Williams, and I am running to represent the 200th Legislative District because I believe our communities deserve leadership rooted in service, compassion, and real-life experience. For more than 23 years, I have served Philadelphia as a pastor, clinical social worker, educator, and advocate. I have prayed with grieving families, mentored young people, and helped residents navigate some of life’s hardest moments. I am also the founder of On The Right Track With Dr. Dee and former first vice president of the NAACP Philadelphia Branch. I’m running because our neighborhoods deserve to be seen, heard, and invested in.

1. What can be done in the state legislature about the housing shortage/affordability?

Housing should remain affordable and attainable for working families, seniors, and longtime residents. Families who have worked their whole lives in neighborhoods like West Oak Lane, Mt. Airy, and Cedarbrook should not be pushed out because they can no longer afford to stay in their homes.

In Harrisburg, I would support expanding affordable housing programs and creating more pathways for working families, seniors, and first-time homeowners to stay rooted in their communities. We need stronger protections for renters facing unfair evictions and rising rents, and we must do more to support longtime homeowners dealing with increasing property taxes.

I also believe the state should help communities build more mixed-income housing near transit and commercial corridors so people can live closer to jobs, schools, and services.

The housing crisis is about more than buildings — it is about stability, dignity, and making sure people are not forced to leave the communities they helped build.

2. Currently, SEPTA is using capital funds for operations. What are the next steps in funding for transit?

SEPTA is essential to daily life in the 200th District. Residents depend on buses and regional rail to get to work, school, doctor’s appointments, and grocery stores. When SEPTA struggles, working families feel it immediately.

Using capital funds for day-to-day operations is not a long-term solution. Pennsylvania must commit to stable, reliable funding for public transportation so SEPTA can maintain service, improve infrastructure, and plan for the future without constantly facing financial emergencies.

Public transit is not just about transportation — it is about economic opportunity, accessibility, and quality of life. We also need to make sure the state aggressively pursues available federal funding and works regionally to support the transit systems our communities rely on every day.

Investing in SEPTA is investing in the people who keep this city moving.

3. Are you satisfied with the state’s school funding formula? If not, how would you change it?

No. Every child deserves access to a quality education no matter their ZIP code, and for too long Pennsylvania’s school funding system has failed students in communities like ours.

As an educator and someone who has worked closely with families and young people for decades, I have seen the impact of underfunded schools firsthand. Students are trying to learn in aging buildings while teachers are stretched thin and families struggle to access mental health and special education support.

The state must fully fund public education in a way that reflects actual student need, especially in districts that have historically been underserved. We also need to invest in safe and healthy school buildings, more counselors and support staff, and stronger resources for students with disabilities.

Education is not just about academics. It is about giving every child the chance to thrive and believe in their future.

4. How best can the state spend money for crime prevention and abatement?

Public safety cannot depend on enforcement alone. As a clinical social worker who has worked with survivors of gun violence and trauma, I know that the most effective crime prevention strategies address the conditions that lead to violence in the first place — poverty, untreated trauma, housing instability, lack of opportunity, and community disinvestment.

I support increased funding for Community Violence Intervention programs that use credible messengers, street outreach, and mentorship to interrupt violence before it escalates. We also need greater investment in mental health services so families and young people can access support before crises become tragedies.

The state should invest in youth programs, workforce development, and neighborhood economic revitalization so communities have pathways to stability and hope. We must also strengthen reentry programs that help returning citizens rebuild their lives through housing, employment, and support services.

Safer communities are built through prevention, opportunity, and trust.

5. What other issues would you target during your first term in the state legislature?

My priorities will always center on the wellbeing of working families and the communities that too often feel overlooked.

I support raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage because people who work full time should not still struggle to afford basic necessities. I will also fight to protect access to healthcare, including reproductive healthcare, and support policies that strengthen protections against discrimination in housing, employment, and public spaces.

Another issue that is deeply important to me is maternal health equity. Black women continue to face alarming disparities in maternal healthcare outcomes, and we need stronger investment in prenatal care, postpartum support, and accessible healthcare services.

I also believe we must expand access to affordable mental health care, especially in communities where people are suffering in silence because support is too hard to find.

Too many families feel like they have been left behind. I’m running to make sure they finally have someone in Harrisburg fighting for them every day.