Hi all -
We’re inching ever closer to Election Day — so kicking off this week’s email with a bunch of candidates you can volunteer for before it’s too late. Log off the internet and pick up the phone or knock some doors. You’ll feel better.
Claire Carmelia is running for Westminster City Council, At-Large, CO. Claire needs volunteers to canvass in person. Sign up here to door-knock on Saturdays 10:00am–12:30pm MDT.
Mario Castillo is running for Houston City Council, District H, TX. Mario needs volunteers to phonebank virtually. Sign up here to call voters on Saturdays 3:00pm–5:00pm CDT, Sundays 3:00pm–6:00pm CDT, or Wednesdays 5:00pm–7:00pm CDT.
Leah Wolfthal is running for Houston City Council, At-Large, Position 1, TX. Leah needs volunteers to phonebank virtually. Sign up here to call voters on Fridays and Saturdays 3 – 5pm CDT.
Chris Hollins is running for Houston City Controller, TX. Chris needs volunteers to phonebank virtually. Sign up here to call voters everyday, Monday through Sunday, with multiple times available.
Cheniqua Johnson is running for Saint Paul City Council, Ward 7, MN. Cheniqua needs volunteers to canvass voters in person. Sign up here to doorknock on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with multiple times available.
Mai Xiong is running for Warren City Clerk, MI. Mai needs volunteers to canvass voters in person. Sign up here to door-knock, with canvassing events happening every day through election day.
Spencer Calhoun is running for Mount Clemens City Commission, MI. Spencer needs volunteers to canvass voters in person. Sign up here to door-knock on Saturdays 10:00am–4:00pm EDT or 4:30pm–7:00pm EDT.
Amelia Parker is running for Knoxville City Council, At-Large, TN. Amelia needs volunteers to canvass voters in person. Sign up here to door-knock Saturdays 1 – 4pm EDT.
A few other RFS community updates:
NY Sen. Kristen Gonzalez has been pushing for universal broadband across New York, including in all shelters — the market simply can’t solve this!
Harris County Justice of the Peace Dolores Lozano is suing Baylor University in a Title IX lawsuit after the university fundamentally mishandled sexual assault by a football player.
Also in TX: Rep. James Talarico is introducing legislation to invest in students and teachers. As a former middle school teacher, this is personal for him.
PA Sen. Lindsay WIlliams spoke up at a hearing about a potential book banning bill in the state legislature, calling out the damage it’d do to kids’ mental health.
Alum U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX) continues to be one of the most forceful new members of Congress, speaking out perfectly on how Democrats are expected be the adults in the room when the GOP can’t get their shit together.
I love this story about Miranda Pacheco in Duluth, MN:
Miranda Pacheco plans to vote for the first time ever this summer—and she will be voting for herself.
Pacheco … is an at-large Duluth City Council candidate. She’s also an alcohol and drug counselor at Mash-ka-wisen Treatment Center, where she began her own addiction recovery journey. And she’s a convicted felon from a drug possession charge in 2013—which meant that until she completed her probation sentence in April, she did not have the right to vote.
Now, she’s hoping to bring her experiences with homelessness and addiction to the nine-member Duluth City Council to advocate for housing and mental health care.
“I found my voice in that time, and now I’m able to use it in a good way,” she said. “Before, I didn’t really think what I had to say mattered, especially in the political realm.”When Pacheco received the letter from the state notifying her that her voting rights had been restored, she noticed it also mentioned another right she had gained: the right to run for office.
“I just bawled,” she said.
In related reading (and why our 50 State School Board Strategy matters):
Get a load of the 450 books banned in Iowa this year - all stemming from a bill in the state legislature.
30+ books have been pulled from libraries in Menomonee Falls schools in Wisconsin.
It’s worth reading this quick interview in the Dallas News with Leigh Wambsganss, the chief communications officer of Patriot Mobile, a conservative Christian cell phone company that supports school board candidates in Texas.
Two upcoming events to put on your radar:
On October 24th, we’re hosting UP in Michigan in Detroit with guest speakers Rep. Ranjeev Puri, East Lansing city council candidate Rebecca Kasen, and Detroit City Clerk candidate Denzel McCampbell. Don’t miss this free event.
On Thursday, we’ll be in Madison, Wisconsin with State Rep. Francesca Hong, Madison Alder Juliana Bennett, and Emerge WI ED Arvina Martin for another 100% free convo on running for office.
Thanks for staying with us. Things are horrible right now but this work and this team keeps us motivated.
- Amanda