Thread by @LeahMillis

Remember the State of the Union speech that happened earlier this week?

I have a couple things to share about it. (Is this where I say THREAD?)

If you know me, you know that I hate talking about or drawing attention to myself.

But I felt the need to share this publicly because of how much it surprised me.

For those of you outside of the DC bubble:
There is a pool floor position at SOTU every year. One news photographer gets it and their photos are distributed to the rest of the news agencies.

There are a handful of other photographers on the floor, but they all work for the gov.

The pool position was created 25 years ago by Reuters, AP and AFP. Every year a diff agency had their turn to send one of their photogs. A few years ago, the pool was opened up to more news outlets, extending the wait time by yrs for the rotation to come back to any org in line.

This year it was our turn and I was the lucky staffer to get the honor. It’s really a once in a lifetime experience and I am so grateful I was given that opportunity.

Today I confirmed with the U.S. Senate Press Photographers Gallery (thanks @tricia_munro) that I was the first woman in that 25 year history to have the SOTU floor pool position. (Photo by @erinschaff)

The only reason I was down on that floor this week is because of the trailblazing women who have had to fight to create space. BC of them, younger generations of women like me are being given a chance. (Photo of me and WH photog @shealahDCphoto by Yuri Gripas)

Susan Walsh, @CKaster, Jacquelyn Martin, @melinamara and all of the others I don’t know personally, you were there on the floor with me on Tuesday. I thank you for your talent, your bravery and your relentless perseverance.
You have helped pave the way.

Time to make more space.

Let’s not let another 25 years go by before we see a woman of color.