Feel Good Update: “First day of session and my mother calls me “Jimmy” to the Texas Tribune…”
We’re still in the middle of swearing-in season, so we’ve got a ton of alumni news to share with you this cold Monday morning…
We’re still in the middle of swearing-in season, so I’ve got a ton of alumni news to share with you this cold Monday morning…
First, three little stories out of NY: (1) Alessandra Biaggi is bringing ethics back to Albany! (2) Jessica Ramos’s swearing-in is so lovely. and (3), this:
MinnPost highlights one of my favorite examples of why working on local elections is the absolute best: Immediate action that makes peoples’ lives better:
“Shots were fired, decades-old laws discussed and new ways to make transgender inmates feel more comfortable in jail were contemplated — all within the first few hours of Dave “Hutch” Hutchinson’s tenure as Hennepin County Sheriff this week.”
Megan Hunt sponsored a bill that would ban “conversion therapy” for minors — she also brought up bills to ban revenge porn, the tampon tax, and allowing vote-by-mail elections in all Nebraska counties, among other things. As an aside: Megan is Nebraska’s first openly bisexual lawmaker.
Barbara Bessette was spotlit as one of the newly elected urban Native state legislators in Montana. Listen to her tell her story.
Check out new SC state legislator J.A. Moore’s priorities for his first session in office — getting mental health curriculum in middle schools, providing tax credits to teachers, extend the waiting period for gun sales to five days, and more.
Emily Randall won her WA state senate seat by 108 votes — with the recount over and session about to begin, she’s got big plans.
Hadiya Afzal, our 2018 candidate in Dupage County, IL, wrote for Teen Vogue about why she’s got so much hope for the future.
The Texas Tribune profiled James Talarico, the youngest member of the TX state legislature. He joked on Twitter — first day on the job and his mom is calling him “Jimmy” to the papers!!
Also in Texas: Erin Zwiener wrote a powerful op-ed on why the TX state House has to take sexual misconduct seriously, citing her own lived experience as one of many reasons why she’s taking up this fight.
And finally, one more story out of the Lonestar State: Lina Hidalgo is about to take over as Harris County Judge, one of the most powerful people in Texas. Barely one week into the job and she’s already impressing folks.
Circle it on your calendar: We are heading to London on January 24th for a reception & dinner. Then, on January 31st — February 2nd, we’ll be in Los Angeles for an event that Friday evening — details to come, promise.
Thank you for making all this possible. Coming up in the next few weeks: We’ll kick off our next round of endorsements & share our 2019–2020 ambitious plans as we celebrate our 2-year anniversary. (Two!! Years!!)
Stay warm!!