Mary Hayashi, a prominent figure in the California State Assembly, has consistently championed women's rights and emphasized the importance of their involvement in politics. Going beyond her legislative responsibilities, she has expanded her influential footprint by authoring a compelling book titled "Women in Politics: Breaking Down Barriers for Genuine Representation." This empowering and eye-opening book is a must-read. To learn more about her latest book read on.
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Today we are continuing our off-year elections profiles of progressive candidates! This week’s candidate is Heidi Drauschak (she/her), a millennial entrepreneur and brand new mother. During the middle of the campaign only a few weeks ago, Heidi delivered her son Atlas Wolf, 8 lb. 12 oz. on April 26, 2023. As such, most of her campaigning has been done during the late stages of her pregnancy. An alumnus of the Obama White House, Heidi is passionate about campaign finance reform, workers’ rights, gun safety, environmental issues, criminal justice reform and women’s reproductive rights.
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This is a bad time to be queer. Alaska just gutted their LGBTQ+ Protections, Florida’s Bill SB254 is threatening to kidnap trans kids and tear apart queer families, and states across the country are introducing bills that mitigate gay rights, restrict access to gender affirming care, and expose the queer community as a whole to discrimination and violence. Iowa even attempted a fresh shot at rolling back marriage equality, along with the introduction of multiple anti-queer and anti-trans bills. These are just the tip of the iceberg; the legislation in progress is the opening move of the right wing’s long game to roll back rights, restrict healthcare, and force the queer community back into the closet.
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The midterm elections have ended and elected officials are preparing to take their seats in office. So what happens next? A flight over who will be the next Speaker Of The House? That aside, we still have influence and an obligation to hold our elected officials accountable.
To stay engaged you will want to find a balance between education and action. Take the first step. Look up your candidates at the local, state, and national levels. Make good use of resources to understand the issues and make an impact. Continue reading to learn about what it looks like to stay politically active after the election, and why it is essential in the New Year.
This week we are profiling Jessica González-Rojas (she/her/hers). Jessica is a queer Latina and Democratic Socialist member of the New York State Assembly, running on the Working Families Party ticket. She is the former executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, an organization that advocates for access to affordable health and reproductive care for Latino and immigrant communities. Of Paraguayan and Puerto Rican descent, she is also a former professor of Latino and Latin American Studies at City College of the City University of New York. González-Rojas cares passionately about healthcare, racial justice, and immigration reform. She lives in Jackson Heights, Queens, with her partner and their son.
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This week we are profiling Katie Darling (she/her/hers). Katie is a millennial executive in Covington, Louisiana who works in education technology, with previous experience in the hospitality industry. When the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade this past June, Katie was seven months pregnant and suddenly inspired to run for Congress. She recently made waves when her campaign released a campaign commercial that incorporates footage from the delivery of her son Ollie on September 14, 2022. Katie is passionate about reproductive freedom, expanded and improved education, and better hurricane preparedness.
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This week we are profiling Rev. Kim Jackson (she/her/hers), an ordained Episcopal priest and the first openly LGBT+ state senator in Georgia. A Black millennial lesbian, Jackson works to protect voting rights, reform education and criminal justice, expand Medicaid, and protecting immigrants and refugees. She is the vicar of the Church of the Common Ground, a “church without walls” ministering to the needs of the unhoused in Atlanta, and is very passionate about providing affordable housing to Georgians.
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Aarika Nelson (she/her) is a millennial whose progressive views have led her to believe that everyday Americans are suffering under policies enacted by the dual-party system that allows special interests to divide and conquer. A married mother of four, Aarika is the primary income earner in her family, making minimum wage working at Dollar Tree and living paycheck to paycheck, and is enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in order to feed her family. Aarika's life experience as a low-income, working-class woman have made her identify with other marginalized people like her. She is a strong advocate for Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ rights, the legalization of marijuana, and ending the failed War on Drugs.
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This week we are profiling Heidi Campbell (she/her/hers). Heidi is a musician and former music publisher in the Nashville area. She was previously the mayor for the community of Oak Hill, and is currently a Tennessee State Senator for the 20th District. In the State Senate she has been a vocal proponent for public schools and teachers, women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, and the legalization of marijuana. She is married with two children.
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This week we are profiling Kristen Gonzalez (she/her/hers). Kristen is a tech worker, community organizer, and democratic socialist representing parts of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens next year in the New York State Senate. On August 23, she won the Democratic primary for one of two new state Senate districts, capturing 58% of the vote against a well-funded opponent. Prior to running for office, she was involved as a leader in the Democratic Socialists of America and as a local community organizer, working on campaigns for community land trusts, climate action, and public internet. She was raised by a single mother from Puerto Rico in Elmhurst, Queens, where she first got involved in activism, eventually working her way to the Obama White House before returning to community organizing in Queens.
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This week we are profiling Erin Maye Quade (she/her/hers), a former Minnesota State Representative currently running for Minnesota State Senate. A biracial LGBTQ millennial, she and her wife Alyse are active in Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) politics. Erin focuses on a variety of important policy issues such as reproductive rights, health, and justice; gun safety (leading a 24-hour sit-in protest at the Minnesota House after the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting); and economic justice for all. At nine months pregnant, she went into labor while delivering a speech at the DFL party convention in April 2022; she later gave birth to daughter Harriet.
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This week we are profiling Mauree Turner (they/them/theirs). Mauree is the first openly non-binary U.S. State lawmaker and first Muslim member of the Oklahoma legislature, serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. As a Black, millennial, non-binary Muslim, Turner has described the Oklahoma legislature as unwelcoming to them, but continues to work every day for criminal justice reimaginement and rebuilding, affordable and accessible healthcare, fully-funded public education, and living wages for Oklahomans.
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Today we are continuing our profiles of our favorite Progressive candidates who are running to represent their communities at the state and federal levels, and move the country forward, to continue to ensure that all Americans are equally represented in government.
This week we are profiling Georgette Gomez (she/her/hers). Georgette, a self-described “Queer brown woman from Barrio Logan”, is the former San Diego City Council president, currently running for California State Assembly. With a working-class background, Gomez graduated from San Diego State with a degree in environmental and natural resource geography. Gomez led the Toxic Free Neighborhoods Campaign to protect children from corporate polluters in residential communities. The environment, climate, affordable housing, and fighting corporate greed are all important issues for her.
Dan Pallotta is going back to where it all began! Pallotta has dabbled in a variety of fields, such as creating charity events and running for politics, but his music career is making a comeback and we are all ready! With new albums and singles, such as "John F. Kennedy," already released and new plans for music in the future, Pallotta is about to dominate the music world! Continue reading to learn more about his return to music, his single, "John F. Kennedy," his philanthropic events, and exciting new music on the way! You don't want to miss it!
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Today we are continuing our profiles of our favorite Progressive candidates who are running to represent their communities at the state and federal levels, and move the country forward, to continue to ensure that all Americans are equally represented in government.
This week we are profiling Nikki Merritt (she/her/hers). Nikki is a Georgia State Senator representing Gwinnett County. She is a Black progressive Democrat and CWA Local 3204 labor union member. In the Georgia State Senate, she prioritizes healthcare, worker protections, voting rights, and education. She is married with two children.
This week we are profiling Heather Mizeur (she/her/hers). Heather is a health policy expert, nonprofit leader, and former state legislator currently running for the US House of Representatives in Maryland's First District. She and her wife Deborah live on a 34-acre organic farm in Chestertown, Maryland. During her time in the Maryland House of Delegates, and as a candidate for governor in 2014, Mizeur focused on environmental protection, government transparency, healthcare, jobs creation, marriage equality, and the legalization of marijuana as signature issues.
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This week we are profiling Taylor Small (she/her/hers). Taylor is a millennial member of the Vermont House of Representatives and is the first openly transgender legislator in Vermont, running on the Vermont Progressive Party ticket. She is also the Education Manager at Pride Center of Vermont and has worked in mental health with homeless and runaway youth at Spectrum Youth and Family Services. She promotes youth literacy and local libraries, among other education issues.
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In celebration of Women’s History Month, Jejune is honoring ten women of our generation that are making a difference both inside and outside of their respective industries. The list includes musicians, athletes, activists, politicians, humanitarians, and designers that are going above and beyond their field of work. Although we have come a long way for female equality here in the U.S., women across the world are still struggling to achieve the same equality. As the month of March comes to a close, our hope is that the strong women of this generation and that of the next follow in the footsteps of the strong women listed below in order to promote a better world.
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While I live in New York City, the digital explosion due to COVID has given me the gift to train pole dancing with incredible talent from all over the world, but mostly Ukraine and Russia. I feel so blessed to be able to work under and call these insanely passionate hardworking talented people friends. The Ukrainians and Russians however have a huge difference – their government. Ukrainian’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is very western leaning. He wants to continue with the separation of Ukraine from Russia. He wants Ukraine to join NATO and the EU, clearly for a good reason, and for his country to have a democracy. And then there is Putin, the Stalin of our day. His own people can’t even like a Facebook post opposing Russia’s government without the threat of going to prison.
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