The November election is the most consequential in our lifetimes.
Today, I'm proud to make additional endorsements of colleagues & candidates who will bring a diversity of lived experience to the halls of Congress & carry with them the voices of the people they represent.
Since she was sworn-in to the U.S. Senate, @TinaSmithMN has been a strong advocate for the people of Minnesota. She's been a leading voice in critical fights to expand housing, empower students, protect workers, support our elders, & more.
.@MikeEspyMS is no stranger to history-making campaigns. I look forward to watching him do it again to become the first Black Senator from his state in more than a century, and bring to Washington the voices of everyone in Mississippi.
.@Bradshaw2020 has dedicated her life to advocating for safe environmental & public health policies. Now, she’s fighting to bring that commitment to safe and healthy communities to the halls of Congress. I couldn’t be more proud to endorse her for the United States Senate.
.@Deb4CongressNM is a dear friend & colleague. Her leadership in Congress has given new voice to communities that have been left out & left behind for too long. I can't wait to continue working alongside her in pursuit of healthcare, economic, & environmental justice for all.
Time & again, @katieporteroc has held accountable those who threaten the health & safety of our communities. She has been a consistent voice in support of progressive policies, & led with an unshakable commitment to truth & justice. I'm so proud to endorse her re-election.
.@tedlieu has been a champion for the LGBTQ+ community — authoring the first legislation to ban conversion therapy — veterans, & immigrants, among so many others. He has consistently legislated his values & stood up for bold, progressive policies.
.@RobinLynneKelly is a strong advocate for the health & safety of our communities, and a champion for policies that make meaningful change. I’m so glad to have worked alongside her for an equitable public health response to the COVID crisis, & our work together continues.
In 2014, @CoriBush took to the streets in Ferguson as a medic & soon emerged as a leader in the movement for Black lives. She personifies activism & principled leadership, & her voice is deeply needed in Congress. I'm so proud to endorse her & can't wait to call her a colleague.
As an advocate, a mother, a social worker, & a small business owner, @karaforcongress will bring critical perspective & determination to the policy fights happening in Congress, from education & housing to public health & reproductive justice. I’m so proud to endorse her.
I have such respect for @TimsDesiree's energy, her commitment to service, & her belief in the power of policy & advocacy. She’ll be a bold advocate for public education, workers, clean water & air, comprehensive gun safety, & more. I look forward to working alongside her.
In the face of continued Republican attacks on healthcare & other basic human rights, we need leaders like @JulieOliverTX in Congress, who will uplift the voices of residents in her district & be a champion for policies that help people, not corporations & special interests.
Since entering politics, @PamKeithFL has been an outspoken advocate for students, workers, seniors, & veterans, & hers will be an important voice in the next Congress. The residents of FL-18 deserve a representative like Pam, & I’m proud to be in this fight alongside her.
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I am 48yo & only recently started calling my father, Dad. It was a conscious choice as he has finally earned my trust after decades of absence & disappointments. Our relationship is finally genuine, not contrived, it is meaningful & safe. I feel loved & sacred in his presence.
My Dad, Martin is a retired college professor & published author. For decades the world was robbed of his brilliance due to the disease of addiction & I was robbed of his presence due to a legal system which criminalized his disease.
While incarcerated, Martin never stopped writing me. However, due to my own hurt, I stopped reading them but still saved them. However, I always read the books he sent & my love for poetry & the Harlem Renaissance is owed to his parenting from behind the wall.
Today is #Juneteenth. A holiday my family and I have celebrated for decades—but that has only been observed as an official federal holiday as of 2021.
Some may wonder, why does this day matter? Why is national recognition so significant, and so long overdue? 🧵
It matters because, as we celebrate Juneteenth—the day that marks the emancipation of my enslaved ancestors—it is a truth-telling reminder of our nation’s history and founding.
But it is also a reminder of what's possible.
When enslaved Black people and allies began the work of abolition, many considered the goal of freedom an impossible one.
May every child know the safety of a love like this. #HappyFathersDay to the best #GirlDad my husband, Conan. Cora has been nurtured by your love, covered by your prayers & inspired by your example. She is kind, smart, strong, confident, & knows her worth.
What a gift it has been to see your love deepen & your bond strengthen with each year.
I remember the care & pride you took w/doing her hair, carrying her on your shoulders, being the only one that could quiet her cries as a baby, your patience when teaching her to ride a bike or to solve a math problem. She will contd to grow & change but one constant remains.
She is the founder and CEO of Ramp Your Voice and has played a critical role in advancing nationwide conversations about the lived experiences of Black disabled women in America.
.@SeeMiaRoll is an activist, an elite athlete, and the Director of the Disability Justice Initiative at CAP.
She is incredibly skilled at calling the question that changes the conversation and pushing for data that drives action.
Willie O’Ree is a hockey legend, trailblazer, ice breaker, hero & activist whose powerful story is unknown to far too many.
We changed that today when the House passed our Willie O’Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act—the highest honor Congress can give a civilian. 🧵
Willie O’Ree is a descendent of enslaved people who made history with the @NHLBruins 64 years ago when he became the first Black player to play in the @NHL.
He played 45 games in the NHL & spent over 20 years in pro hockey—all while hiding the fact that he was blind in one eye.
Willie was a speedy left winger—but even he couldn't out-skate racism as the sole Black player in the NHL.
He faced fierce discrimination & even violence from fans & players alike.
Despite it all, Willie embodied resilience, grace, dignity & never gave up on his dream.