FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 12, 2022
CONTACT: Kaleb Harmon
Washington, DC—Emerge, the nation’s premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office, launched its Southern Regional Signature Program, holding its first training last Saturday. The cohort is made up of 27 women from Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Virginia who will join Emerge’s powerful network of over 5,000 alums nationwide upon its completion. This training is part of the organization’s ongoing efforts to get more Democratic women elected in the South.
“At a time when Democratic women are increasing their leadership across the South, Emerge is helping to expand those efforts and train the next generation of leaders,” said A’shanti F. Gholar, president of Emerge. “Communities deserve representation from people who share their experiences. But despite making significant gains in recent years, women, and especially New American Majority women, are still severely underrepresented in office. Emerge aims to fix that by recruiting and training Southern women to run for office and building a pipeline, so future generations will have the infrastructure they need to be successful on the ballot. We look forward to seeing what this cohort will accomplish and are proud to continue our work transforming the South.”
The cohort represents the growing diversity of communities across the South with 93% of the cohort being a part of the New American Majority—Black, Brown, and Indigenous women and women of color, as well as LGBTQ+, young, and unmarried women. Their unique backgrounds, experiences, and identities will lead to greater representation for communities who have been historically excluded from office.
“Emerge is excited to launch our Southern Regional Signature Program and help empower the 2022 class to run, and win,” said Melissa Watson Ward, deputy affiliate director of Emerge. “These women are changemakers, trailblazers, and glass ceiling shatterers who will go on to repower our political structures, lift other women up as they climb, and represent communities who have traditionally been denied a seat at the table. Their voices will have an outsized impact across the South and we’re excited for the work they will do as candidates on the ballot, and elected officials serving their communities.”
Emerge’s Southern Regional Signature Program offers Democratic women in the South who want to run for office a unique opportunity. The cohort will receive in-depth education and training over the course of three months that inspires them to run for office and gives them the tools to win. The program’s trainers are comprised of an elite team of campaign consultants, advisors and staffy, who have been involved in some of the most successful campaigns and initiatives seen in recent election cycles. Participants learn from these experts and develop practical knowledge in areas such as public speaking, fundraising, campaign strategy, voter contact, media and messaging and others. Candidates also meet an array of dynamic women who hold elected and appointed office and become a part of a supportive network, which includes a national association of Emerge alums serving at nearly every level of public office.
A complete list of Emerge’s 2022 Southern Signature Cohort can be found here:
Emerge has trained more than 5,000 alums since 2002 and currently has more than 1,000 alums in elected office across the country including: Arkansas state Representative Denise Garner, New Orleans Sheriff Susan Hutson, Virginia State Delegate Danica Roem, and Texas Judge Shannon Baldwin. The organization is committed to reaching 100,000 women of the New American Majority over the next 15 years, fostering a lift as you climb culture for women in politics, and repowering political structures. There are currently 27 state affiliates, and the organization has impacted a total of 45 states, Washington, D.C. and territories.
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