ONWARD
History was made this morning. Joe Biden will be the 46th president of the United States. Kamala Harris will be the first woman, first Black, and first South Asian vice president.
Let it sink in. 100 years after women secured the right to vote and 55 years after people of color solidified access to the vote, we will see a woman of color lead in the White House. We have made a significant leap towards a representative democracy.
And after a summer where we lost treasured beacons for progress in Rep. John Lewis and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, you carried on the legacy of building a democracy that lives its values. You fought voter suppression so every vote is valued and ever vote is counted.
At the center of this historic moment are New Leaders Council alumni who showed up to ensure the voices in our democracy reflect the communities they serve.
Congresswoman-elect Nikema Williams (NLC Atlanta) will lead GA-05 in Congress, the same seat held for decades by the late Rep. John Lewis.
Over 100 members of the NLC community ran for office this year, with 66 folks – and counting – winning their elections.The majority of those wins are in state legislatures. We’re proud of every brave alum who stepped up to run, regardless of the outcome.
Ricky Hurtado(NLC North Carolina) will be the first Latinx Democrat to serve in the North Carolina State House. Earlier this year, fellow NLC NC alum Nida Allam became the first Muslim woman elected to any political position in North Carolina history.
New Georgia Project, led by Nse Ufot (NLC Atlanta), continues to make historic progress. New Georgia Project registered thousands of voters, the majority of whom were people of color, young people, and women, to expand the electorate and deliver record turnout in Georgia.
In Houston, Chris Hollins (NLC Houston) served as the interim County Clerk in Harris County. Together with Isabel Longoria and other members of the NLC Houston family, Christook on efforts to stop voter suppression and expanded voting access for all Harris County residents with 24 hour voting and drive-thru polling locations.
These are just a few of the stories of NLC folks showing up for their communities and each other. NLC alum registered voters, worked on campaigns, volunteered their time as poll workers and election protectors, organized childcare for voters, and got out the vote, all of which has led to the highest turnout in over a century.
And while this was a national election, change happened because of local leadership – especially leadership from Black, Brown, and Indigenous women – in neighborhoods and communities across the country.
Today, we celebrate. But we know this – we still have so much work to do. That’s why it’s pivotal that we continue to invest in the next generation of leaders, who are dedicated to a future rooted in equity, justice, and progress.
In just a few weeks we’ll announce our 2021 NLC Fellows. They will join over 9,000 alumni who are building the country we deserve. We hope you’ll join us in showing up for our newest Fellows, our alumni, and our work – today, tomorrow, and in the days to come.
Onward,
Clare Bresnahan English
President & CEO, New Leaders Council