Laylani Addison

Laylani Addison is an independent political candidate running for the 2950 elections. Addison is a scientist and was Professor of Integrated Science and Xenotechnology at Mentor University between 2922 and 2931, and then became Dean of Applied Science at the same university until 2947.

2950 elections
Her campaign pledges focus around redirecting credits towards improving education, funding scientific research, and loosening current restrictions on AI research. Particularly the latter point has caused a lot of attention, positive and negative. This helped catapult her into the final five candidates. She also supports Synthworld and publicly subsidized universities.

After the final voting was held between October 10 and 24, she was proclaimed Imperator elect at a ceremony in Moscow.

First act and campaign promises
Her first act after becoming Imperator would be to loosen the current restrictions on AI research to allow for the exploration of new ideas and innovations that would benefit the entire Empire.

Her campaign promises are to increase government spending on education and scientific research initiatives to launch a new era of innovation. Would authorize highly regulated AI research to support these advances.

Debating
Addison is also a good calm and composed debater as her performance received widespread acclaim. In a popular vid on Spectrum, Addison spun a vicious, condescending attack by Human First candidate Calvin Derry into a touching personal treatise about why it was important for Humans to embrace alien influences and ideas.

She recently did an interview on the Clean Shot show.

Endorsements
Addison is endorsed by the following organizations:
 * Educators United
 * Institute for Interspecies Peace
 * UEE Science Society

Personal statement
"I’ll never forget the first Xi’an ship I saw. Its form was familiar, but strange; its presence beautiful, but menacing. As a little girl standing awestruck at a spaceport on Oya III, the xeno-craft made me feel uneasy yet excited. Fascinated, I studied all I could about Xi’an ships and came to appreciate that beneath the obvious differences there were many more similarities to be found. This realization inspired my lifelong belief that studying and learning are vital steps towards empathy and understanding.

My discussions with people across the Empire have revealed a similar mixture of excitement and apprehension about our current state of affairs. I can not deny that we currently face monumental challenges, from a horrific war against a merciless enemy to vast economic inequality, yet thanks to my experience as a researcher and scientist, I refuse to let fear dictate my future and choose instead to focus on the promise before us.

I believe the ills of the Empire can be addressed through education and innovation. I will fight to reshape the UEE central government into an institution that improves the lives of its constituents by cultivating knowledge and inspiring change. A new Empire awaits us, if we’re brave enough to create it."