"The work of Second Generation is vital for immigrant communities because it evens the playing field for candidates with that same lived experience to be viable in a race. Representation matters and Second Generation is helping change the face of politics in Pennsylvania, one candidate at a time." - Mercedes Evans
ENDORSED FOR Pennsylvania State Representative, 103RD District
Mercedes is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant, a community leader, and rising star in Pennsylvania politics.
Mercedes Evans is a dedicated public servant and community advocate. She currently serves as a Camp Hill Borough Councilwoman and is running for State Representative of Pennsylvania’s 103rd District, and if elected, Mercedes would make history as the first Latino from Central Pennsylvania to hold this position.
With nearly 15 years of experience as an administrator in the public and non-profit sectors, Mercedes is well-equipped to represent the diverse needs of House District 103. As the daughter of an immigrant, Mercedes views her position as an outsider to a town of legacy families to be an asset, and that her diverse life experience can help her be of service to typically underrepresented residents. Mercedes has both advocated and voted for initiatives that will preserve the long-term sustainability of her community. Should she be elected to the state legislature, Mercedes will continue her work uniting communities and building towards a better future for all residents.
Mercedes previously received Second Generation’s endorsement in her successful run for Camp Hill Borough Council in 2021. In this role, she has served the last two years as the Chair of Public Safety and Parks and Recreation Committees, and currently serves as the Chair of Administration and Finance, as well as a liaison between the borough and Camp Hill School District.
Mercedes received her undergraduate degree from the University of San Diego where she majored in Spanish and minored in Political Science. She believes her professional skill set in administration, fluency in Spanish, and great communication skills provides her with the right skill set and temperament to serve her community efficiently and with empathy. Her own immigrant experience will provide valuable insights when enacting legislation that could affect underrepresented residents, including immigrants and refugees.
As a State Representative, Mercedes will fight for:
Education — Mercedes will fight to deliver better resources for our kids to prepare them for a 21st Century economy. She supports fair and equitable funding of public schools and will work towards uplifting union apprenticeship programs and an acceptable alternative to college.
Housing — Mercedes will take a proactive and collaborative approach to create more statewide incentives and funding programs that encourage more affordable housing in our communities. She supports building more affordable housing and lowering the cost of living and hopes to create a coalition of responsible developers, community members, and housing nonprofits to determine solutions and a path to building mixed-income housing on a large scale.
Women’s Health — Mercedes unequivocally supports a woman’s right to access reproductive healthcare. She believes that medical decisions are private and should stay between the individual and their doctors. As such, Mercedes will support legislation aimed at keeping abortion safe, legal, and available in Pennsylvania, as well as addressing healthcare disparities that exist in communities of colors.
Workforce Development — Mercedes understands that four-year college degrees are not the only pathway to a fulfilling and lucrative career. She will work to encourage and promote other training programs like paid apprenticeships through the building and construction trades that will produce a talented and highly productive workforce which will encourage well paying jobs.
First Responders — As the Chair of Public Safety on Camp Hill Borough Council, Mercedes has seen first hand the struggle to recruit new talent in their volunteer fire department. She intends to foster relationships with volunteer and professional fire departments to determine a solution to address the firefighter shortage many communities are facing. She would also support adopting a generous statewide tax credit for volunteer firefighters, EMTs and paramedics to encourage recruitment.
Violence Prevention — Mercedes will advocate and support widely popular common-sense gun control legislation, such as:
Red Flag Laws that allow law enforcement to take guns out of the hands of those deemed to be dangerous by the courts.
Requirements to report lost and stolen weapons.
Raising the minimum age of assault weapons sales from 18 to 21.
Universal background checks for all gun sales, including private sales and at gun shows.
Visit mercedesevans.com for more info.