Salute: Embracing 100 Years at the Ballot Box
Eagerly sitting in front of my computer anticipating the start of my first blog, I cannot help but marvel at the realization that I AM a participant of Emerge California Class of 2012, and recognizing the 100 Year Anniversary of California women securing the right to vote. Thanks to the suffragettes and California voters of 1911, a passion for equality and justice drive me to join the proud lineage of women in elected offices. Every year a significant number of courageous women join the sisterhood of Emerge and live up to its mission to increase the number of women in elected offices. Read More
My Candidacy Has Begun!
Your candidacy begins today . . . with these words on a sheet of paper from Emerge I started my Emerge fellowship! I must admit that I was nervous to begin my Emerge experience I remember while in law school looking at fellow classmates who every one "knew" would one day go into politics and thinking: "What "dirt bags!" . . . and now I am one of them . . .well at least in theory I am. My journey to the Emerge program has been anything but linear. I have always known that I wanted to be an agent of change but I always assumed that would occur as an attorney and/or a community activist. Read More
A seat at the table is only good if you use it
It was 2 am and as the last guest was leaving, he asked "are you sure that you don't want me to stay with you guys?" They said "No, but thanks and we'll let you know when we hear." It had been a long night of listening to election returns and Roxanne Lara was barely ahead with the absentee and early votes still out. Roxanne and her husband headed to bed not knowing if she was going to be the next Eddy County Commissioner in District 5. Four hours later, Roxanne learned that she won by exactly 250 votes. Read More
Endorsements and Other "Opportunities" for Women Seeking Office
One of the issues facing women running for office is being labeled 'the outsider' or the 'risky choice' among candidates on a ballot. In a Denver city council election, Susan Shepherd had a mail piece dropped against her that claims most of her support is 'from outside of the district.' Read More
Keeping Up With the News of the Day
I have been unable to get my head around the endless series of attacks on women, women's rights, reproductive rights, choice, and now the rights of working families. I daydream about the blogs I would write if I chose not to sleep, but I am too busy to effectively process the depth and breadth of the attacks we are seeing across the states. Each day we hear a new story, a new headline and a new outrage. Read More