| I was born and raised in Akron, Ohio, and grew up on the city's west side. Both of my parents served as elected leaders in Ohio, and I saw exactly what it was like to be an elected official. My mother was the first Black woman to serve on Akron City Council at-large. It's because of them that I felt responsible for my community and decided to run for state representative. For eight years, I served as State Representative for Ohio House District 34. But one of my biggest challenges in office was being constantly told that I did not look like a legislator. And that's because there had never been a Black woman under the age of 30 to be elected to the state legislature before me.
That's why CO State Rep. Leslie Herod and I founded the Emerge Seated Together program—because so many Black women share the same experience of being told they don't belong in elected office and challenged for wanting to serve their communities. The Emerge Seated Together program brings together Black women from across the country to give them not just the confidence but the tools they need to win. It is an advanced leadership program designed for Black women elected and formerly elected officials who are ready to take the next step in advancing within their political journey – and it works. Black women deserve a seat at the table in order to address their communities' most urgent issues, including access to reproductive care. In Ohio, our communities voted overwhelmingly to pass Issue 1 in 2023, which enshrined abortion rights in our constitution. I need more Black Democratic women by my side to keep up the fight to protect and expand access to our most basic freedoms nationwide. Emerge just announced Seated Together's third cohort of trailblazing Black women preparing to run for higher office. But it takes significant resources, and that's why we are turning to you for help.
With your support, together, we can recruit and train more Black women who seek to deepen their impact, run for office, and serve their communities.
Will you contribute $10 or more today to ensure Emerge has the resources to train our new Seated Together cohort and support trailblazing Black women?
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