Feel-good update (6/1): Black lives matter
Hi all -
The last week has been painful for so many in our community — if you are grieving, angry, or hurting, please know: We see you and we stand with you.
We are more committed than ever to our efforts to elect anti-racist leaders into positions of power so they can make meaningful progress on combating structural racism, rooting out white supremacy from our institutions, and especially important right now, ending police brutality against Black people.
Municipal offices like mayors and city councils can control police budgets and create structures for police oversight. School boards can cancel contracts with police departments. State legislatures can do things like introduce legislation around community-based alternatives to policing, or repeal “police bill of rights” where still relevant, or change public records laws around police misconduct. District attorneys and sheriffs can change the way police departments function and how officers are held accountable. Even coroners play a role here, as they determine what is listed on death certificates.
(For more details, this is a really good thread with examples of legislation that’s already passed in cities & states; Campaign Zero’s legislation tracker is worth the deep dive.)
Electing new local leadership is not the cure-all to this massive centuries old problem — but it absolutely has to be part of the solution.
I know it is hard to find any good news right now. But I hope that by highlighting some of the incredible folks we’re working with and the efforts they’re making, you’ll feel at least a little bit more hopeful about who’s in charge (or who we can put in charge if we put in the work.)
Last week we endorsed our biggest class of candidates yet — 141 amazing young folks running for local office. A few to call out for you:
Chaundra Bishop, candidate for Champaign County Coroner in Illinois — a public health expert (and dog lover!) who’s ready to lead with compassion
Amanda Septimo, candidate for NY State Assembly, district 84 — a lifelong Bronx resident & public servant who we worked with on her first run in 2019 as well
Brandon Thomas, candidate for Tennessee State House, district 49 — if he wins, he’d be the first out gay member of the TN general assembly and the first Black representative for his county
Cedrick Frazier, candidate for Minnesota State House, district 45A - a former public defender in Hennepin County who wants to take on access to affordable housing and health care, and dismantle mass incarceration
Nada Elmikashfi, candidate for Wisconsin State Senate, district 26 - a Sudanese immigrant and queer Muslim woman running against an incumbent who’s been serving since 1962 — the longest serving state legislator in the country.
Gabriella Cázares-Kelly, candidate for Pima County Recorder (AZ) - a long-time organizer for rural & Indigenous folks — she grew up in Pisin’ Mo’o, Arizona, a town of 300 people — who wants to make voter registration & early voting easier for her communities.
In 2020 so far, we have 353 candidates running in 43 states. This cycle is 52% women, 45% people of color, and 23% LGBTQ+. 69% of these folks are running for state legislature, 21% are running for municipal office, 7% are running for education positions, and 3% are running for law enforcement roles.
In case you’re curious about specific numbers for some of the key states this fall: Arizona (16), Colorado (11), Florida (18), Georgia (21), Montana (6), North Carolina (22), Ohio (9), Pennsylvania (22), Texas (26), and Wisconsin (7). Remember: Local candidates are like super-charged field organizers who have the scope, time, and trust to building authentic relationships with voters. One might call this a pretty badass voter outreach program…
A few ways in which our candidates & alumni are responding to the protests & violence this week:
Minneapolis School Board director Josh Pauly is leading on severing the school system’s ties with the city’s police. He explained: “We cannot partner with organizations that do not see the humanity in our students. We cannot be neutral in situations of injustice.”
Denver School Board member Tay Anderson is leading on similar action to get police officers out of schools — Tay was at protests this week, leading and aching as he watched the students he fights for running from tear gas and pepper spray.
SC Rep. JA Moore’s sister was killed in the shootings at Mother Emanuel AME in Charleston five years ago; his response to the continued white supremacist violence is powerful & worth reading: “For me these killings have reignited my sense of purpose and vigor. Now is the time to fight in the courtrooms and the legislatures. This is the time when the people need to be fully engaged in all aspects of civil society. We cannot change the hearts of our police officers until we change the make-up of our country’s police departments. Public policy will continue to underrepresent and disregard the injustices facing black people until we change the makeup of our legislatures.”
NY State Senator Zellnor Myrie came out to Brooklyn protests. These images say it all.
If you’re on Twitter, follow Run for Something’s 2020 candidates & our elected officials for on-the-ground updates & news. Fill your timeline with leaders actually leading.
Two other small bites that also popped up over the last week…
You might have read stories last week about a Republican in the Pennsylvania state legislature who tested positive for COVID-19 & told his party leadership — who then kept it a secret from Democrats for a week, putting them at risk. Brittney Rodas is running against that Republican.
In RFS alumni news: VA Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy announced her campaign for governor of Virginia in 2021. If she wins, she’ll be the first Black woman governor in the country. Watch her powerful launch video.
A final personal note: As I personally examine my own complicitness in white supremacy, I’m committing to doing more with my time, money, & attention. Most immediately, I’m adding more anti-racist books to my reading list, donating what I can to bail funds and critical infrastructure groups like the Movement for Black Lives, & this weekend I attended a beautiful and peaceful BLM protest here in Brooklyn, something I hope to do again. Non-Black folks reading this — if you’ve done something, read something, or learned something over the last few days that was new to you, tell me about it. I really do want to hear.
I’m also even more energized about our work. As I’ve said repeatedly time & time again: Local leadership matters. Local leadership can save lives. If you’re getting this email, you get that already. Thanks for being on our team.
Thanks. Stay safe,
Amanda
P.S. If you’re looking for levity, RSVP for this week’s event with best-selling author David Litt & comedian/actor Keegan Michael Key. (Consider pre-ordering David’s great book from a Black-owned bookstore.)