Friday, October 13, 2017

Onward Together Endorses Emerge America

 
 
Friend --Like many of you, I've been reading a lot of news since the election. And some of the smartest, most enjoyable reading I've done has come from women who write about politics, culture, and the world around us.These women haven't let the frustrations and disappointment of the last year knock them down. They're leading new discussions about the fights ahead of us and need for passionate activism. They're starting new chapters of their lives -- getting married, raising their children. And they're finding new ways to change our world for the better.
I hope you'll take a moment to read more below about the work that another group Onward Together has endorsed, Emerge America, is doing to increase the number of women in public office. Over and over again, I've heard from young women running for office that Emerge gave them the tools they needed to get started. I'm grateful for that. Our communities -- from our families and workplaces to our neighborhoods and states -- are smarter and stronger when women have an equal seat at the table.
And to any women reading this, I hope you'll consider taking a chance on running for office. Being your champion was the honor of a lifetime -- now it's my turn to be on your team.
Onward!
Hillary

Onward Together works to build a brighter future for generations to come by supporting groups that encourage people to organize in their communities or run for office. Because you're an important part of Onward Together, we wanted you to get a chance to know these groups a little bit better. To learn more about Onward Together, click here.
The organization: Emerge America
The organizer: Andrea Dew Steele, President and Founder
The mission: To increase the number of Democratic women leaders from diverse backgrounds in public office by recruiting, training and providing a powerful network. The vision: To change the face of power, politics, and leadership in this country in order to have policies that are responsive to all Americans.
The story: Struck by the incredible lack of women holding elected office at the local level in San Francisco, Andrea co-founded Emerge California in 2002 to lead the fight to get more women elected to office in Northern California. Emerge California's top notch training program quickly became successful. So in 2005, Andrea founded Emerge America to replicate the model in all 50 states. Emerge America currently has affiliates with staff on the ground in 22 states with plans to expand across the country.
The latest: On Election Day in November 2016, 150 of the 214 Emerge America alumnae on the ballot won their races--a 70% win-rate. Since then, the number of women applying to Emerge America's training programs has increased by more than 85%, with no signs of slowing down. In 2017, Emerge America alumnae have won 88 out of 117 races - that is a 75% win rate. Emerge is not waiting until 2018 to win elections.
The next step: Already, 309 Emerge America alumnae have stepped forward to run in 2017 and 2018. Next month, 18 Emerge Virginia-trained women will be on the ballot for the Virginia House of Delegates. Visit emergeamerica.org to learn more.