So how does an average 41 year old wife, mom of 3 daughters, and part time employee at a local elementary school, run for Virginia Delegate? The answer is easy, community. My path to politics is nothing like Virginia has seen and I plan to prove that not only can everyday folks run for office, but they can WIN and make real change in government.
When I posted my first political video on January 7th 2021, I had no idea the people I would impact and meet or how those relationships, experiences and the education I gained, would lead me here, and yet, here I am! As I continued to make video after video, over the next 2 years, I managed to grow from 20k to 622k followers on social media, but it was never about the numbers, it was about the community of love and support, that valued my information and voice. That’s what mattered most.
Last year, after briefly contemplating a Congressional run, I realized it wasn’t the right time for my family and that I wasn’t ready to serve in Congress. The needs of Virginians I was passionate about; from reproductive rights to protecting and strengthening public education, needed to be addressed at the local and state level. So instead I spent the last year applying the knowledge I gained from my online community, to my community right here in Williamsburg/James City County. From organizing a local FB group, to ensure the voices of educators and families were being met, and with the help of other educators, motivating the attendance and speakers at the local school board meetings to grow. As well as attending rallies and marches from here to DC and taking part in Calls to Action, speaking up to our legislators and Congressional leaders about the needs and rights Virginians deserve. So when September 2022 arrived, I threw my name in the hat for the Delegate seat in the new 71st District of Virginia.
As many know, when campaigning for a government position you need money, it’s a sad reality of American politics, but one that usually creates barriers for people like myself to run. Yet with my incredible community, something that could have been a mountain to overcome, was nothing more than a speed bump. Over the last 6 months I asked and the people answered. And the best part was no one had to drain a bank account or bankroll my campaign, all they had to do was give up their coffee for the day, or send me that dollar of change they dug out of the couch, because with over 2000 unique donors to date, those little donations add up. So here I am, with a fully functioning website, 2 endorsements (with many on the way), digital ad space, software, an actual campaign manager and most recently walk cards, which allowed me to start building my local community even more. The past 2 days I spent 5 hours, knocking on 104 doors, making more than 46 personal connections and even had a voter cut me a $50 check at her front door, simply because I took the time to have a conversation with her and she believed in my vision for Virginia. Community is ALL any good candidate needs and I am beyond grateful for mine. Now let’s go WIN District 71, flip the House this November and keep growing this community!
Help me do just that by visiting my ActBlue:
