This summer hasn’t looked the way any of us expected. This administration’s handling of a global health crisis has been frustrating on their best day and cruel on their worst. I’m thinking of every person who has been affected by this pandemic, and I’m grateful for the continued work of those who have been keeping our hospitals, our businesses, and even our families running without much support from the White House.
I hope that, despite everything, you’ve found time to safely connect with loved ones, do some yoga, or disappear into a good book. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of my friend Louise Penny’s latest mystery novel, and while I won’t spoil anything, it was the perfect escape. I’ve also been spending much of my time talking with a number of smart, fascinating people for my new podcast, and I can’t wait to share those conversations with you.
Like many of you, I’m still mourning the death of Congressman John Lewis. John was the truest kind of patriot. He believed America could live up to its highest founding ideals of equality and liberty for all. I was honored to call him a friend, and I’m so proud of the Onward Together team members who have been relentless in making what John called “good trouble”:
- In the midst of a pandemic that is disproportionately affecting people of color, Latino Victory is doubling down on electing candidates who understand the challenges that women of color are facing right now. Last month, they launched the First Latinas program to increase representation in government by electing Latina women who are running for seats that have never had a Latina representative or who will achieve a ‘first’ milestone.
- For organizations that work directly with voters, this election looks different than any others. But our partners have quickly redirected their efforts online to ensure the safety of staff and voters alike; the Alliance for Youth Action put together a list of online steps for becoming an at-home organizer, while Run for Something collected resources for first-time candidates to navigate this new reality. And Arena launched their Academy 201, where political professionals can participate in free, advanced trainings on everything from how to deal with rapidly-changing plans to how to center racial equity in a campaign environment.
- And of course, Color of Change has continued to lead the fight to end practices -- including police brutality, voter suppression, and uneven access to health care -- that hold Black people back.
It’s up to us now to continue John’s work, and I know I can count on this team to do just that. With November drawing closer, the most important thing you can do right now is to vote and ensure others can vote, too. Visit iwillvote.com to confirm your registration or request an absentee ballot, then head to democracydocket.com to get the latest in the fight to give more voters access to mail-in voting.
Onward,
Hillary
