Vote Run Lead

Calling all candidates, leaders, & community members! Sign up for one or all four webinars for tools and strategies to make change with our sister organization, Vote Run Lead Action. Join VRLA to connect and learn in community how to build a more inclusive and reflective democracy. Topics include creating a digital campaign presence, building accessible and disability-inclusive campaigns, bystander intervention, and the power of relational organizing. Register here: https://lnkd.in/e-iEYqAN #RunAsYouAre #RunForOffice #WomensRepresentation #WomenInOffice #Representation #RepresentationMatters #WomenInPolitics #WomenInGovernment #WomenLeaders #WomenWhoLead #WomenEmpowerment #DigitalCampaigns #CampaignTraining #RelationalOrganizing 

With rising costs of living, anxiety runs high and can be even higher for Black women. We're amplifying this #BlackWomensEqualPayDay message with Equal Pay Today: Fair and equal compensation is essential to achieving equitable opportunities, including in politics. An economy that supports Black women is an economy that supports us all. #RepresentationMatters #FairPayForAll

As someone who has spent the majority of her career working with policymakers at all levels of government, I can attest to the fact that the people in these positions matter. It is not just about knowledge and skills. It is also about passion, compassion, and understanding. As a woman, I strongly support other women courageous enough to take on these roles because I believe that those who have stood and continue to stand in my shoes are best able to represent my interests. If you are a woman considering running for political office, I encourage you to check out EMILYs List, She Should Run, The Center for American Women and Politics, Vote Run Lead, and Emerge America! #leadership #leadershipadvice #emotionalintelligence #womenatwork #workingmoms #leadershipskills

Can you imagine doing the same work but earning nearly a third less? This is the reality for Black women. We're amplifying this message with Equal Pay Today in support of equal pay for Black women. Fair compensation is essential to achieving equitable opportunities, including in politics. Nationally, Black women are paid just 66.5 cents for every dollar paid to white men. It's time to close the gap and demand #EqualPay for all!

We are SO proud of the women and gender-expansive people who are literally changing the face of power in Minnesota. This overview from Minnesota Women's Press shows how gender and demographic representation has shifted in at the state and local level there, and how do-able reflective democracy really is! This article includes a video highlighting a spring event with VRL Senior State Director Beth Peterson and Nevada Littlewolf, executive director of our valued partner organization Women Winning. They offer inspiration and motivation to Minnesotans about stepping up to run for office, and stepping into the power they hold — letting neither self-doubt nor critics stop them. As Beth said: “Ask your friends, your mothers, your sisters, your cousins, people you know, to run for office.... We’re out having trainings around confidence, if that’s an issue. If you’re concerned something in your past. Those men have something in their past and they still run. They have stuff in their *present* and they still run!” Read the full article and see the video here: https://lnkd.in/gxa98vsZ

This July 4th, we’re more motivated than ever to fight for reflective democracy! “Liberty Enlightening the World” aka The Statue of Liberty, symbolizes the ideal of American freedom, but we must acknowledge that this has not been reality for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities, among others, in this country. Unlike the Founders, our vision is of an inclusive government where all people (not just white landowning men) are equal under the law. These images from the civil rights era, the fight for women’s suffrage, the Land Back movement, and LGBTQ+ equality protests serve as reminders of the hard-won rights that generations before us fought for, the rights we need to protect, and the rights we must continue to expand. We hope you will have a happy and safe Fourth of July holiday weekend with loved ones. Our democracy is worth celebrating. But it is fragile! In 2024, your vote (in every election) matters more than ever! Be sure to create and update your voting plan for all your state’s primaries and general elections.

Just in time for the end of 🌈 Pride Month, our friends at LGBTQ+ Victory Institute released their 2024 "Out for America" report. It is packed with insightful stats and data visualizations. We're happy to share it while highlighting a few notable findings: • Every state (plus Washington, D.C.) has at least one out LGBTQ+ elected official serving, totaling at least 1,303 LGBTQ+ elected officials nationwide. • Along with the good news, a caveat: At least 38,193 more LGBTQ+ people must be elected to achieve equitable representation. • Of particular interest to our mission: There are currently 235 LGBTQ+ state lawmakers (and only Louisiana, West Virginia and Idaho have no out legislators). Follow LGBTQ+ Victory Institute or go to https://lnkd.in/ehJwd25S to access the full report Of course, we acknowledge we must keep fighting for justice and fairness, but we also welcome this opportunity to celebrate milestones of progress. 🌈 Happy Pride!

Would you work a demanding job for free?! Low or no pay for state legislators disproportionately impacts women, especially women of color. As just one example, earlier this year, we shared news about how our alumni in New Mexico are fighting for fair compensation as the remaining state to offer NO compensation at all (only a per diem) to lawmakers. Change is overdue. Those who step up to serve are entitled to be compensated for their time! We're proud to amplify this powerful report from RepresentWomen that shows how compensation commissions can level the playing field and create a more equitable government as part of a fairer and more representative political landscape. Read more: bit.ly/45s5dHc 📊

Congratulations to all the winners of the Colorado state primaries, including Lisa Feret, Jennifer Willford, Yara Zokaie, Dafna Michaelson Jenet, Liz Rosenbaum, and Brianna Titone. Those who run show courage and perseverance, especially when they overcome security concerns and campaign barriers. Their strength shines through, as we saw women including women of color win gains in this year’s primaries! We also applaud all the women and gender-expensive folk who ran for office, and we can’t wait to see your next move! Learn more about these and other values-aligned candidates nationwide in the voter guide created by our sister organization, Vote Run Lead Action: https://lnkd.in/eFa7RKRe

We'll be getting those results annnny time meow...