Better than a cup of coffee or a 4 a.m. taco
More stories from the nearly 8000 folks who’ve signed up to run for office.
When the news gets tough, we like to crack open a very special Excel spreadsheet filled with stories from the nearly 8000 folks all over this country who have told us they want to run for office.
It’s more fortifying than a cup of coffee in the morning or a taco at four A.M. These stories are what’s keeping us going.
The Pennsylvania counselor who will fight for public education:
I am a high school counselor with a passion for quality public education, a birthright of every child in the United States, and the responsibility of every adult across our nation. As a licensed professional counselor, I understand that universal access to mental health services is vital to healthy child development in an increasingly partisan world, where disharmony trickles down from our government into our communities, into our schools, into our neighborhoods, into our families, and into our relationships. My unique experience as a helping professional and as an educator gives me valuable insight into the issues facing our kids and our education system, a system in need of reform and support.
The young man in California who wants to pay it forward:
I am a first-generation college educated, bi-racial, gay man, and the son of immigrants. My life has been dedicated to working on behalf of those at the margins; recognizing that I am only where I am at now because people spoke up for me when I could not. I am a firm believe that equal access to education and the development of an informed citizenry will allow us to create a socially just and more perfect union.
The deeply empathetic Missourian who wants to help folks like him:
My life is representative of so many. Poor, but politically aware, and a genuine desire to help others. I want to help make change at a local and national level, and make sure no American has to suffer just for being alive.
The filmmaker from Brooklyn who wants to solve problems, not just document them:
As a documentary filmmaker, I’ve spent years telling human stories about the most pressing issues of our time. I’ve grappled with these issues from behind the camera, studied their complexity and helped give voice to those who are often marginalized from the halls of power. For too long I’ve focused on documenting the failures of domestic and international policy; I’m ready to join a new generation of leaders working to solve them.
The engineer who has the gumption to give Paul Ryan a run for it:
A twenty-something Wisconsin transplant, take on Paul Ryan in 2018? Sounds pretty crazy at first.
Providing high quality, affordable health care has been a passion of mine since high school. It is why I moved here after graduation to start working at GE Healthcare as an engineer. I didn’t expect to fall in love with the state, but I did. I have seen, while wearing my own steel toed boots and safety glasses at my own job on GE’s factory floor, Wisconsinites concerned about globalization and automation. But even though I’m not a Badger fan (yet), I’ve gotten the manufacturing guys on the floor to like me, because I am genuinely and empathetically curious about their stories.
I’m sure I am far from the most traditionally or empirically qualified person to run against Paul Ryan. But I believe with every fiber of my being that Trump, Ryan, fear and lies are not the answers to Wisconsinite’s concerns. Facts, a growth mindset, honesty, creativity and compassion are, and I’m ready to fight like hell to help the people of Wisconsin see that.
The Minnesotan bar-goer and future candidate:
I have always thought about running for office, and the honest truth is a conversation I had at a bar last weekend convinced me to go for it. I have always been passionate about helping others and I like to think I am pretty well-informed and keen. I am especially interested in community development and services for women, children, and immigrants.
A North Carolinian who’s almost there:
Like many others, I am increasingly motivated to “lean in.” If you want your neighborhood to develop differently, organize it. If you want unions to be governed differently, join one. I’ve been an organizer in sectoral fights for years. Now I’m thinking, if I want the society led differently, well…I’m thinking about thinking about thinking about running.
And finally, a badass Wisconsinite with the will to lead:
I want to do something that matters. We need more strong women in politics. All I need is a little direction, I have the will.
Have the will and just need a little direction? That’s what we’re here for. If you’ve got passion, a little bit of hustle, and you’re willing to work for it, we’ll help you. Given the folks running our country these days, we’re betting you could do a hell of a lot better.
Just add your name if you’re considering running for office:
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Run for Something helps recruit and support millennials running for down-ballot office. We are committed to building a…www.runforsomething.net