Emerge Blog

Unity: What Political Candidacy Means to Me

liza — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:42:42 -0500

I have been coming to this place of political candidacy for a very long time. I grew up in a family where public service, political participation and contribution to the political process were paramount and almost mandatory. I grew up in Latin America/Caribbean where participation in the political process could for a segment of our society be the difference between life and death, between eating and starvation. We believed in the process. We believed in participating in order to effect change and make a difference in the lives of ourselves, our families and our communities. As children we were well versed in the politics of nations outside our borders. Names such as John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Shirley Chisholm, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, Anwar Sadat were regularly uttered in our home, so even as children we were aware of if not well versed in the politics of the United States and other nations. As such, my parents were very clear that if they were Americans they would indeed be members of the Democratic Party. I have inherited this legacy.

Both of my parents were public servants who were staunch progressives and took part at various levels in our national politics. When my family immigrated to the United States, to New York City, my mother joined the Democratic Party and immediately began participating in the politics of the time. Growing up in such a politically active family, there was no doubt that one day I would come to the place of serving my community and my new country in this manner. To this end I began preparing myself for this eventuality. I became engrossed in the politics of my community by volunteering for political campaigns at various levels. I walked precincts with my mother to get out the vote and to encourage our community members to register to vote and to explain to them the importance of being involved. We worked the polls on election days for many years in New York City with a passion that reflected the commitment that we had to our various candidates.

When I relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area my commitment did not wane. I dedicated myself to learning the Bay Area Democratic political landscape and got out to meet the various players. The landscape is as diverse as its people so in the beginning it was somewhat complicated. I wanted to be sure that I understood the needs of the communities of which I was a member. From Berkeley to Albany and finally to Richmond, California where commitments to causes and candidates differ from one city to the next regardless of the very close distance between these cities, I learned the needs of the various constituencies. It is a study in multiculturalism and the challenge of balancing the needs of all these groups.

What I have come to learn in my many years of participating in and learning the political processes of both east and west coasts is that regardless of the differences in culture, social class, race, religion or sexual orientation, just about every individual seeks the same outcomes: safe communities for their families, good schools, safe drinking water, clean parks and a feeling that they are heard by those who represent them. The varied constituents may go about asking for these needs to be fulfilled in different ways, but when all is said and done and my analysis is complete, I come to the same conclusion: it is most important to work toward a common good and seek unity within our communities. I have made this the theme of much of what I seek to accomplish in my work toward achieving my goal of holding political office. It is far better to unify than to divide. Therefore in working to address the needs of a community, it is the message that I would like to impart and it is the message that I seek from those within the political arena that I support.

Observing the international political landscape, I can only conclude that given the multitude of wars raging on various fronts around the globe, disunity is a central theme and it is one that I seek to address as I go forth in my political career and hope that it is one that can be achieved in my lifetime.

Sharron SK Williams
Emerge California
Class of 2012

I Carried a Box

liza — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:26:00 -0500

It seems like such a strange statement to use to describe a defining moment in your life, and yet for me, that's exactly what it is.

My initial reaction to the honor of carrying a box of recall petitions into the Government Accountability Board on January 17th was pure excitement. I couldn't wait to turn in the signatures we had all worked so hard to collect.

That feeling of exhilaration continued throughout that evening as we celebrated the victory of over 1 million signatures collected. We laughed as we hugged and congratulated each other on a job well done.

But now that the parties are over, I find myself quite reflective as my thoughts keep wandering to the experience of carrying that box.

I think about walking down that corridor of people who were holding hands with each other so our path to the GAB was clear of obstacles. As I walked down that path, I caught glimpses of the faces of people I had met in the last 11 months of my life. I had never met them before February 11th, but I was now connected to them for the rest of my life. They yelled "Thank YOU" as I passed by, but all I kept thinking was "Thank YOU for helping me find my way."

I think about the people whose signatures I carried into the GAB. Even though I don't know their names, or their stories, I feel connected to them forever. I carried their hopes, their dreams, their struggles, and their fears. What will happen to them after these boxes are opened, and their signatures are counted? What will it take to get their lives back on track and what else can I do to help make that happen?

I think about the sacrifices that were made to collect the signatures I carried. How many broken friendships and severed family ties are inside? And what did the volunteers have to give up in order to successfully circulate each of these petitions?

When I was first selected for this task, I thought I was just carrying a box. Now I know I was carrying the future of a state currently entrenched in its own cold war. I was told the box would be heavy. Little did I know how heavy it would really be.

I carried a box.

Tanya Lohr
Emerge Wisconsin
Class of 2012

Tanya Lohr is a teacher and union member. She is also a member of the Emerge Wisconsin Class of 2012. She was first introduced to Emerge while she was in the midst of organizing the efforts to recall Republican Senator Glenn Grothman.

Brimming with Excitement

liza — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:04:44 -0500

For so many reasons, 2012 looks to be a year filled with excitement, possibilities, and great potential for myself and for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Having just completed my Emerge Massachusetts new member orientation, I am looking forward to our classes, to getting to know my classmates better, and to using what I learn to hopefully better my community. During our orientation, we each learned so much about each other already and I am honored to have been selected to learn and work alongside such inspiring women.

Some of my classmates have already run for local office and have lost and are ready to do it again. Some women have won an election and are ready to seek re-election or higher office. Some women have worked on numerous campaigns and are ready to enter themselves. Despite our diversity, our common denominator is that we are passionate about changing the leadership and ready to add our voice.

From just the orientation, I am further encouraged by their motivation and determination to run for higher office. During the weeks ahead, we will be covering such topics as the nuts and bolts of campaigning, fundraising, and public speaking. I cannot wait to use what I learn and am brimming with excitement to know that twenty-one other women will do the same. Come June 2012, twenty-two women will emerge with the skill set, confidence, poise, and conviction to run for office. As Laurel Ulrich wrote, "well-behaved women seldom make history." From Emerge MA we will fill the vacuum in our political leadership, make our voices heard, and make history.

Chris Chanyasulkit
Emerge Massachusetts
Class of 2012

The Women are Here

liza — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:15:33 -0500

As 2011 drew to a close, newspapers, magazines, and blogs scrambled to compile the traditional "year-end" lists, ranking the events and milestones of the previous year. Reading some of these lists and thinking over how I would remember 2011, I looked back on major world events that had transpired as well as my own professional and personal milestones. While it was the year that I finished graduate school and was accepted into the Emerge California class of 2012, 2011 will stand out for me as the "year of the protest." From the Occupy Wall Street movement here in the US, to protests abroad in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, it was the year that I watched as citizens took to the streets to speak out against inequality, injustice and repression.

Moreover, it was a year in which women stepped to the forefront as key agents for change. In February, women helped launch the anti-Gaddafi protests in Libya. In November, following Tunisia's first free elections, women took to the streets to call for a guarantee of women's rights under the new Islamist regime. In December, the world watched as thousands of women marched through Cairo to demand an end to military rule and to protest the beating of a young woman at the hands of the military there, chanting "the girls of Egypt are here". It was the biggest demonstration by women in modern Egyptian history.

In 2011, women were no longer just participants in these movements, they were leaders. With the rise of a new, well-educated generation of young women, we move into the new year better positioned than ever to make our mark. Look out 2012 - the women are here.

Sarah Swanbeck
Emerge California
Class of 2012

Women Run for Office to do Something

liza — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:53:21 -0500

My holiday season has filled with the usual series of long family dinners, and the long family conversations that accompany them. Various topics would wind their way through every meal, but by the time wine glasses had been emptied and dessert has been served, the conversation inevitably circled back to that most irresistable subject - the state of world affairs.

There was a lot to reflect upon this year - the Arab Spring, the Occupy movement, the rise of the 99 percent. There was a powerful theme of passionate people coming together to confront the injustices of their societies, and the result has been a broader national awareness of the inequality that pervades American life.

In some of our Emerge trainings, especially those where we have had to stand up in front of each other and make our campaign "pitch" about the problems and solutions that are most important to us, we have had our occasional share of tears. This is because the women in my class are talking about issues that are deeply personal to them, the social and economic realities that affect the lives of their neighbors and loved ones.

The saying comes to mind that "women run for office to do something, and men run for office to be somebody." I won't speculate about all men's political ambitions, but at least among the Emerge Maine class of 2012, this statement absolutely holds true - the amazing women who surround me all want to do something.

As I sat at the table with aunts, uncles, and grandparents throughout the holidays, I was reminded that the vital themes that defined this year can help inspire us at the community level. While I'm not running right now, it has been wonderful to watch each woman in my class decide whether she is ready to run, and thrilling to see many of them rise to the challenge. I am excited to see them occupy the Maine legislature, and school boards and town councils all over the state.

Isobel Moiles
Emerge Maine Class of 2012

Taking It Into Our Own Hands

liza — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:37:52 -0500

America saw its first female vice presidential nominee the year I was born. I knew Geraldine Ferraro as the name on a campaign button in my dad's collection of political memorabilia. She was, to me, a relic of the past. Now, I know how truly recent this transformation of our democracy has been. Only in the past four decades have a substantial number of women started to run and be elected to public office in the United States.

In California, the election of women to the State Legislature began in earnest in the mid-1970s, and prompted its institutions to adapt. All members of the State Assembly were referred to as Assemblymen until Leona Egeland Siadek, elected in 1974, insisted on a new title. The term Assemblymember was born, and thereafter used to refer to all of the body's members. Similarly, Rose Ann Vuich, the State Senate's first female member, elected in 1976, famously rang a bell each time her male colleagues addressed the members of the body as "gentlemen" reminding them that the Senate was no longer only composed of men.

In spite of the successes of these pioneering women, it is astonishing how little things have changed for women in public office. If you were to line up six members of Congress, five would be men. This sad state of affairs puts the United States at 84^th in the world when ranked by the proportion of women in the national legislature. Meanwhile, something as critical as women's reproductive rights continues to be a hot button issue.

Emerge is working hard to elect more women to public office. This is why I am honored to be a part of Emerge California's 10^th class. We are taking it into our own hands, and we will change our communities.

Kiyomi Burchill
Emerge California
Class of 2012

Salute: Embracing 100 Years at the Ballot Box

liza — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:33:32 -0500

Eagerly sitting in front of my computer anticipating the start of my first blog, I cannot help but marvel at the realization that I AM a participant of Emerge California Class of 2012, and recognizing the 100 Year Anniversary of California women securing the right to vote. Thanks to the suffragettes and California voters of 1911, a passion for equality and justice drive me to join the proud lineage of women in elected offices. Every year a significant number of courageous women join the sisterhood of Emerge and live up to its mission to increase the number of women in elected offices.

We salute those women. But we know having such opportunities, rights, and freedoms came with a price- they were won through the sacrifices of millions of women who fought in for women's suffrage in California. This battle was part of a national movement which set new standards for new ideas and bold actions, dramatically affected the electoral power and political support, and eventually lead to the passage of the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, granting American women the right to vote in 1920.Emerge America strives to build upon this legacy by empowering, engaging, and embracing women in politics.

Salute!

Dr. Annette Hoffman-Walker
Emerge California
Class 2012

My Candidacy Has Begun!

liza — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:17:18 -0500

Your candidacy begins today . . . with these words on a sheet of paper from Emerge I started my Emerge fellowship! I must admit that I was nervous to begin my Emerge experience I remember while in law school looking at fellow classmates who every one "knew" would one day go into politics and thinking: "What "dirt bags!" . . . and now I am one of them . . .well at least in theory I am. My journey to the Emerge program has been anything but linear. I have always known that I wanted to be an agent of change but I always assumed that would occur as an attorney and/or a community activist. What made me change my mind? Quite simply and succinctly, I realized that I could not do any worse a job than a great deal of the people that currently hold office and I also knew that I could and wanted to do much better! So, I have decided to take the plunge into the world of pubic service!

I truly have no idea what to expect. I have heard that politics can be cut-throat and ruthless . . .that I can lose my soul and my mind on the campaign trail, but yet while I am nervous, I am not afraid. Some might say that my lack of fear comes from naivety and those individuals would be partially right, because other than volunteering on individual politicians campaigns - phone banking and stuffing envelopes and the like - I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO EXPERIENCE of what it is like to be an actual candidate unless you count high school class elections and that was over a decade ago for me.

One thing that I have is determination and will! I plan to use this experience that has been granted to me to learn all I can and to mold myself into they type of person who can go out and win elections, but yet retains the essential essence of who and what I am. Watch out world! My candidacy has begun . . .

Kia-Jacquelyn Omotalade
Emerge California 2012

A seat at the table is only good if you use it

alisha — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:24:27 -0400

It was 2 am and as the last guest was leaving, he asked "are you sure that you don't want me to stay with you guys?" They said "No, but thanks and we'll let you know when we hear." It had been a long night of listening to election returns and Roxanne Lara was barely ahead with the absentee and early votes still out. Roxanne and her husband headed to bed not knowing if she was going to be the next Eddy County Commissioner in District 5. Four hours later, Roxanne learned that she won by exactly 250 votes.

"I was thrilled to take my first steps as an elected public official in my community," said Roxanne. "I had served on boards and commissions, in leadership roles, even as Chairman of the board for the Chamber of Commerce, but I had no idea what doors would open once I had won an election." Roxanne knew the power of committees and quickly volunteered to be the commission representative on the finance committee and committees dealing with energy and economic development issues.

Sitting in a meeting, Roxanne looked around the room and realized she was one of two Latinos, one of three women and the youngest by far. "That did not deter me from participating in discussions," said Roxanne, "I knew I was there representing the citizens of our county and if I didn't speak for them, no one else would. But at the same time, I knew I had to take the economic development concerns of the community back to the county commission. It was a give and take situation and I was the conduit between the two. After all, a seat at the table is only good if you use it."

Using the seat at the table was something instilled in Roxanne throughout her life. When she was young, both of her parents worked hard in their blue collar jobs, her father in the oilfields and her mother in a grocery store. Roxanne remembers how hard her parents worked to give her and her siblings an education. "Getting an education was more important and more valuable than anything my parents could give me," said Roxanne. "Every grade we earned was scrutinized, not to be the best in the class but to be the best that we could do. It wasn't until I was older that I realized how important it was to my mom and dad that we always did our very best and used every opportunity available. They firmly believed our success was directly linked to us reaching our full educational potential," said Roxanne. "They just didn't want us to have to work as physically hard as they did."

Roxanne and her family were so proud when her father was appointed to the local school board. The night of his swearing in, Roxanne remembers gazing upon the portraits on the wall of the chambers and asking her dad if his picture would be on that wall. He said "No, mija, those are presidents." The portraits were of past presidents of the school board. Roxanne's father often commented that he was the only school board member without a college degree but that he had "street smarts" and had to bring that perspective to the table because no one else would. His street smarts served him well and today his portrait hangs on that wall.

Even though Roxanne was a teenager, her father took her with him to every political event and taught her how to network with people, not to advance herself but to learn who had strengths to help others in the community. Roxanne's dad was known for his common sense approach to helping people resolve their issues. Through his networking, he was able to put the right people in touch to effect change. He taught Roxanne that every political issue affected people in a very real way at a local level and that an elected official was in a unique position to help people. "I remember people coming to our house on Saturday mornings to talk to my dad about their issues. They came to him because he was caring and accessible and they knew if anyone could help, he could," Roxanne said. "I learned from my dad that serving the community as a true public servant was an important calling not to be taken lightly. I also learned that it was a temporary calling and that when given the opportunity to serve, you must use that service to do all the good you can, because one day it may be gone."

Roxanne followed through with her education and completed her undergraduate work and law school. Upon graduation, she returned to her home community and went to work in the legal field and in serving the community. In 2005, Roxanne founded Lara Law Firm and was shortly thereafter awarded the Chamber of Commerce's prestigious New Business of the Year award. She served on several boards and committees, including the Southeast NM Community Action Corporation, a five-county organization overseeing HeadStart and other community-minded programs. She also served on the hospital's Board of Trustees and in leadership roles with AAUW, working for women's equity in her community.

Roxanne graduated from Emerge NM in 2007 and announced her run for county commissioner a few short months later. Roxanne won both a contested primary and general races against popular, experienced men. The training that Emerge NM gave Roxanne helped her organize and strategize for her campaign, but she found the network to be most valuable. "The support of the Emerge network was critical to my success. The base camp for Emerge NM was located almost 300 miles away but Emerge was there for every step of my campaign," said Roxanne. "Emerge assisted me in obtaining voter history and information. But more importantly, when I encountered issues in my campaign, Emerge was there with a Campaign Advisory Team teleconference to brainstorm how to overcome those issues. The Emerge network also put their money where their mouth was. In fact, when I announced my run, my first campaign contribution came from an Emerge board member." After her win, Roxanne was awarded Emerging Woman Leader from Emerge NM.

Never taking her entire focus from her legal work, Roxanne served the state of NM as a guardian ad litem representing abused and neglected children for six years and volunteering as a mediator for the court system. In 2010, Roxanne was awarded the Best Lawyer in Carlsbad award.

In 2010, Roxanne was selected as one of two NM delegates to Vision 2020, a national endeavor aimed at reaching true women's equality by 2020. "It is such an incredible honor to represent the women in my state in continuing the work of the suffragists," said Roxanne. "I have focused my Vision 2020 work on getting more women in public office. Women just bring a different perspective to the table."

Daily, Roxanne works on issues affecting women, energy and economic development. Serving as a Commission representative on the Eddy County-Lea County Energy Alliance and the national Energy Communities Alliance boards, Roxanne works on current and future issues in nuclear energy to find ways to reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil and solve the country's nuclear waste problem. Roxanne maintains a good relationship with the city fathers and serves the mayor as the Co-Chair for the City of Carlsbad's Long-Term Planning Committee. This two-year task force will present to the city a long-term plan developed by the citizens of the community. Like her father, Roxanne keeps an open door to helping people solve their problems and lives each day with the intention to use the opportunity she has been given to serve the public good.

Roxanne Lara
Edy County Commissioner, District 5
Emerge New Mexico Class of 2007

First in the World, Here We Come

liza — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:11:32 -0400

Several weeks ago, while listening to a lecture by one of my favorite contemporary intellectuals, journalist Christopher Hitchens, I was struck by a comment he made regarding the most compelling and effective cure for poverty, simply put, "the empowerment of women."

The comment was made mainly in reference to countries, which we might refer to as 'developing nations'. Often, in these countries, women's access to education, birth control, and political rights and stature are severely limited and poverty rampant. But after hearing Hitchens' argument, it occurred to me - given the state of the economic affairs in our own 'developed' nation - could there be a correlation? How does the U.S. compare to countries with greater gender equality and women in positions of power? This line of thinking was made even more relevant at our September Emerge training when USM Professor Susan Feiner outlined in detail the current state of representation (or lack there of) on both national and local levels.

Did you know that the U.S. currently ranks 69TH in the world in terms of women's representation in government? Behind Kazakhstan, Sudan, Iraq, and even Afghanistan. Comprising only about 17% of elected seats in Congress, although about 51% of the population. Is it coincidence that the ten countries that outscore the U.S. in a recent Newsweek survey rating education, health, quality of life, economic dynamism, and the political environment also outrank the U.S. in regards to female representation in government? Are the adjustments other countries have made to decrease the disparity (including legally required minimums) also working to increase the gap in competitiveness between the United States and the rest of the developed world? Is it just a coincidence that the recent economic decline also coincides with the first decline in women's participation in government in nearly 3 decades?

How ironic that in a room full of strong, powerful, educated, successful, women in a program designed to empower politically active democratic leaders, we'd learn that the U.S. has fallen so drastically far behind the rest of the world in establishing gender equality (a factor proven to aid the economic development and prosperity of a nation).

And how timely that as we learn that the U.S. has fallen so drastically far behind the rest of the world in establishing gender equality, we sat in a room full of strong, powerful, educated, successful women ready to become empowered, politically active democratic leaders.

First in the world, here we come.

Amanda Pike
Emerge Maine
Class of 2012