A Snapshot of Destiny's Life

Destiny Drake West is a working mom, policy leader, and community advocate running for Maryland State Senate to represent District 39.

She was raised by a young mother and a supportive stepfather who worked hard to provide for their family. At times, her family relied on public supports like SNAP (food assistance), WIC, Medicaid, public housing, and free and reduced-price school meals to get by. Growing up with these supports taught Destiny that when public programs are strong and accessible, they help families weather hardship and move forward.

From an early age, Destiny saw how hard families work—and how challenging it can be to navigate systems that are often confusing, underfunded, or disconnected from real life. These experiences shaped her view of government as something deeply personal, with real consequences for whether families can meet basic needs, care for their children, and build stable lives.

Destiny began her career in public service, including working in Annapolis during the Maryland General Assembly, first for then-County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and later as the Legislative Director in the Senate. There, she learned how state laws are written, debated, and implemented, and how decisions made in the State House affect households across Maryland. She has also served as the National Committeewoman for the Maryland Young Democrats and on the Board of Directors for the Women's Democratic Club of Montgomery County. That experience gave her a practical understanding of how policy can either support families or make life harder.

She later served in senior roles in the federal government, where she helped oversee more than $1 billion in public investments. Her work focused on strengthening the healthcare workforce, expanding access to essential services, and addressing housing instability nationwide. Destiny is known for making sure public dollars are used responsibly and programs deliver real results.

Destiny is also the founder of the Drake Institute of Women’s Policy, a nonpartisan organization focused on economic security for women and families. The Institute works on practical solutions related to food access, childcare, health, housing, and jobs—grounded in lived experience and informed by policy expertise.

Becoming a parent deepened Destiny’s commitment to policies that support families and caregivers. Like many parents in District 39, she balances work, family life, and rising costs—and understands how much families depend on strong schools, affordable healthcare, and reliable public supports.

Now, Destiny is running for State Senate to bring her experience home. She believes District 39 deserves leadership that understands what it means to rely on public supports, values families and caregivers, and is ready to deliver results that help people thrive.