RFS feel-good update (8/10): The big history-making wins you might have missed last week
Hi all -
Last week lasted a million years. It also included two big Election Days for RFS candidates — 22 of our folks won their elections and will be moving on to November’s general. A few highlights:
Gabriella Cazaraes-Kelly will be the first Native person elected in Pima County, AZ
Mai Xiong will be the first Hmong American elected in Michigan
If she wins in November, Emily Weber will be the first Asian American woman in the Missouri state legislature.
Eli Savitt, the far and away most progressive candidate, won his race for DA in Ann Arbor, MI.
Gabby Salinas, a scientist and breast cancer survivor, absolutely crushed her competitive primary by 50 points and will go on to try and flip a seat in the TN state house this fall.
Progressive candidate Julie Gunnigle crushed her primary for DA in Maricopa County, AZ, and will be moving on to November.
Also last week: Our Armchair Chat on online fundraising drew more than 100k views on Facebook. This Wednesday’s Armchair Chat: An in-depth conversation about online advertising with expert Tim Lim. RSVP now to get your spot for free.
And finally, Mayor Pete Buttigieg sent an email to supporters about how Win the Era and Run for Something are working together.
Busy week! Can’t stop, won’t stop.
In RFS candidate & alumni updates…
Michele Rayner & Jasmen Rogers-Shaw could be the first queer Black women elected to the FL state legislature.
“The little girl ran up to her, wide-eyed and giddy.
“Are you Charisse Davis?” the fourth grader asked.
Davis was stunned. A former kindergarten teacher and librarian, she was more accustomed to shuttling her two sons to basketball practice than being seen as a local celebrity. But she had been elected the only Black woman on the Cobb County School Board, gaining office in a once conservative suburban community where people who look like her rarely held positions of power.
Something had changed in this place, and something had changed in her.
“I love your hair — your hair looks like my hair,” the girl squealed, calling friends over.”
Read more about how Black women like RFS candidate Charisse Davids are changing politics in Washington.Taylor Small talks about what it’s like to be a trans woman running for Vermont state legislature.
Running for office is hard. Parenting is hard. A global pandemic is hard. Running for office while parenting during a global pandemic is unimaginable. Read this great story in The 19th how parents like Elizabeth Beck, candidate for TX state house, are making it work.
Waterloo City Councilmember Jonathan Grieder has introduced a new ordinance to require mens’ bathrooms to have baby changing stations in them.
Marie Claire tells the story of Tami Sawyer, an RFS alum who started the Take ‘Em Down movement in New Orleans, the original effort to get racist statues removed.
PA Rep. Sara Innamorato is leading on legislation to keep dangerous chemicals caused by fracking out of PA’s water supply.
When police wouldn’t do it, Bloomington (IL) County Council member Jenn Carrillo used her car to block traffic for protesters who were standing up for inmates under dangerous conditions.
Boston City Councilmember Lydia Edwards wrote a powerful column in Commonwealth Magazine about the upcoming housing crisis and especially the ways it’s hurting Black women and undocumented immigrants.
ICYMI: President Barack Obama endorsed a new wave of folks — and fun fact, a third of the state legislative candidates he endorsed are RFS candidates.
State Rep. Beth Moore in Georgia is helping give a voice to students, teachers, and admins who feel unsafe in schools.
I've set up a whistleblower email - reportmyschool@gmail.com - for #Georgia students, teachers & admins to share photos, videos & testimonials of unsafe conditions at school. I'll give you the anonymous cover you need if you've been threatened w/ "consequences." #gapol #pauldingI was just sent audio of the Principal of North Paulding High School announcing that there will be "consequences" for anyone who posts video or audio of the school which depicts the school in a negative light. #NorthPauldingHighSchool https://t.co/lKbuXJhCQd🇯🇲Black🇭🇹Aziz🇳🇬aNANsi🇹🇹 @Freeyourmindkid
A prolific YouTuber/radio producer who once said “Hitler is right” won the GOP primary and is now officially up against RFS candidate Maggie Nurrenbern.
There are more elections this week in Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, and Wisconsin (and some runoffs in Georgia) with 25 RFS candidates on the ballot. Stay tuned. We’re not letting our foot off the gas for a single minute.
Thank you for making all this possible. We’re grateful for you.
- Amanda