Get Into These Black Women Running For Office In The 2018 Midterm Elections
This is it. You have the ball with 10 seconds to shoot. You are at the final stretch of a marathon. You have the chance to be a part of a history-making moment.
The final countdown to the 2018 Midterm Elections have officially begun.
There is so much at stake during the upcoming midterm elections cycle – immigration, gun control, affirmative action, reproductive health, police accountability, environmental protection, and more. If you don't vote, particularly in elections impacting your local communities, you are leaving your future and the future of those around you in the hands of those who may not have your best interest at heart. Take your power back. VOTE!
Related: Why It's Important To Use Our Voices To Vote
Amplified by initiatives like Michelle Obama's When We All Vote and Yara Shahidi's EighteenX18, Black women are coming together to encourage midterm voting and supporting a number of candidates, specifically the unprecedented number of Black women running for local and statewide positions across the country.
There are 57 Black women running for office in the 2018 midterm elections but to make sure you know any and every one that is running for office during the midterm elections, do your research by clicking here. Out of those 57 women, we've compiled a list of some influential names to look out for in the 2018 midterm elections. From Stacey Abrams (Georgia) to Maxine Waters (California), Black women – our mothers, sisters, aunties, and neighbors – are depending on us to be more than party supporters and organizers, but to take #BlackGirlMagic all the way to the polls.
These are the candidates to watch and rock your vote for:
Dr. Stephany Rose Spaulding
via Pantsuit Politics
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Congress In Colorado's 5th District
Why She's Running:
Dr. Stephany Rose Spaulding is both a pastor and a professor, but perhaps her biggest title will be the one she rocks as the first Black person to rep for the state of Colorado in Congress. According to Harper's Bazaar, her interest in running for elected office first sparked at the Women's March and as a result she's running because "Congress is overwhelmingly white and male, as an institution, it can't possibly grasp the challenges and aspirations of a nation that is significantly more female, and ethnically and culturally diverse. Our people deserve leaders in Washington who truly represent them because they come from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences."
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Stacey Abrams
Stacey Abrams
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Governor of Georgia
Why She's Running:
Stacey Abrams is a name that has been making waves in the headlines in the past year and has only intensified in recent months. And it's largely because she is a force to be reckoned with. The multi-hyphenate will go on to become the first Black female governor to ever hold that title in the United States, as well as the first Black woman to be nominated for governor by a major party for any state. Think about that. "We need a variety of perspectives at the decision-making table to ensure that no one is left out and left behind in our political system. I grew up in a working poor family, and my parents raised their six children with the values of faith, family, service, and responsibility. Those same beliefs guided me as I began my career in politics and guide me now as I run to become governor of Georgia," she told Harper's Bazaar, "I know that our beginnings do not dictate who we will become in the future. That is why I am running for governor of Georgia—to give those who do not see themselves represented in politics the opportunity to live up to their highest potential."
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Lauren Underwood
Lauren Underwood
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Congress in Illinois' 14th District
Why She's Running:
At 31, Lauren Underwood is the youngest Black woman that's running for Congress this year, reigning supreme in her win for nomination over six mostly white candidates. She's also the first woman in her district to ever earn a Democratic nomination. The former Obama administration appointee and registered nurse said to Refinery29, "I decided to run for Congress when our congressman Randy Hultgren voted to take healthcare away from folks like me, people with pre-existing conditions."
For her, the erasure of basic human rights was enough to light the fire of her purpose. She continued, "The opportunity this year is to elect a Congress that better represents the experiences of the American people. Real lives, real families who for so long have not had a voice in the decision-making process in Washington."
Go Black Girl Magic, go!
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Jeannine Lee Lake
Jeannine Lee Lake
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Congress in Indiana's 6th District
Why She's Running:
Jeannine Lee Lake is yet another Black woman making history as a "first" this election season. She is the first Black woman to win a nom for a major party to run for Congress. For her, the decision to run had a lot to do with her four children, all of whom she adopted. Like most parents, she wants them to live their best lives. And that's rooted in politics. "My daughter asked me one day if the President of the United States hated Black people. I did not feel comfortable telling her that the President did not hate Black people," she admitted to Harper's Bazaar. "As I looked around the heartland I realized that this country and my beloved Indiana had become divided. Under the current leadership we had not seen the change that had been promised: better healthcare, no worry if a pre-existing condition exists, higher wages, and inclusiveness for all."
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Ayanna Pressley
Ayanna Pressley
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Congress in Massachusetts' 7th District
Why She's Running:
Ayanna Pressley is no stranger to politics. In fact, back in 2009, she became the first woman of color to ever be elected to have a seat at the table in the Boston City Council. More recently, in 2016, the New York Times noted her as one of 14 democrats to watch. And in 2018, she is showing us why by running for Congress in Massachusetts' 7th District, which will make her the first Black woman to represent the state in the House of Representatives. She has often been heard arguing that "the people closest to the pain should be the closest to the power." And in a recent debate, she said, "I'm not going to pretend that representation doesn't matter. But, it doesn't matter in how inclusive and represented we are. It matters because it informs the issues that are spotlighted and emphasized, and it leads to more innovative and enduring solutions. That's why it matters. You cannot have a government for and by the people if it is not represented by all of the people."
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Melanie Levesque
Melanie Levesque
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Senate in New Hampshire
Why She's Running:
Women are running the world for New Hampshire, as they sent their historical first-ever all-female delegation to Congress. On par with that theme, Melanie Levesque is in the running to be the state's first-ever Black senator. And she believes she's more than qualified to be the woman for the job, boiling it down to the intersectionality of her identity, as well as empathy. She told Harper's Bazaar, "I wear many hats. I am a wife, mother, small business owner, and volunteer in my community. I am a woman of color who understands what it is like to be a minority. I bring many different perspectives to the table, but mostly the ability to listen, empathize and find common ground with the people I meet."
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Erika Stotts Pearson
Erika Stotts Pearson
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Congress in Tennessee's 8th District
Why She's Running:
Erika Stotts Pearson will be the first Black woman to hold a seat in Congress from Tennessee if she wins this election day. She draws inspiration and gains drive from influential trailblazers like Shirley Chisholm, who was notably the first Black woman to ever run for President. She told Harper's Bazaar, "'You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines. You make progress by getting in the race and implementing ideas.' That quote sums up why I am running for Congress. I want to inspire people—especially women—to work hard and work together, because our goal is to bring opportunities back to our communities. There has never been a time better than now. Women want our voices at the table."
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Maxine Waters
Jason Bell/Glamour
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Congress in California's 43rd District
Why She's Running:
I'm sure by now we are all privy to Auntie Maxine's "reclaiming my time" mantra, as well as the icon she's developed into for Liberals everywhere. Aside from her public disdain for Number 45 and never mincing her words, what the politician is using her influence for the most is as her status as Congresswoman for California's 43rd District. This year, Maxine was named one of TIME Magazine's Most Influential People and in a bio written by Yara Shahidi, this was said: "You would think that 41 years of public service would make Congresswoman Waters tired, but her laser focus is unmatched. When other policymakers criminalize protests, she is there, verbalizing our pain. She fights for funding to support neglected communities. And she takes to Twitter to raise her voice on our behalf, regardless if Congress is in session. In this time of sociopolitical unrest, Congresswoman Waters has been the brilliant, tenacious representative of the people that we all need."
In the 2018 Midterm election, Maxine Waters is once again running for Congress and we the people who identify with her unapologetic nature and her devotion to advocating for marginalized communities, definitely say she has our vote.
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
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Lydia is a recent Ivy League graduate and lifestyle writer based out of NYC. Storytelling her way through her 20-somethings, her lens is all things career, self-care, and #BlackGirlMagic. Meet Lydia on Instagram @hello_lydia.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Rihanna Talks Shedding Expectations And Finding Balance As A Mother
Since becoming a mother in 2022, Rihanna has defined parenthood by her terms and hopes to pass that sense of autonomy on to her children.
For Vogue China’s April cover story, Rihanna shared her perspective on raising her two sons with A$AP Rocky, and how she hopes to preserve her children’s uniqueness, devoid of societal expectations.
"The most beautiful thing...is that [children] come into the world with their own individuality and sincerity, without any logic or conformity,” she told the publication. “Which usually makes you feel that you must fit into a certain group."
The “Work” artist, known for her trendsetting style and captivating persona, expressed her desire to support children in fully embracing their individuality and encouraging them to be whoever they want to be. "It's really beautiful to see and I want to continue to help them navigate that and make sure that they know they can be whoever they want to be,” she says.
She continues, “They should embrace it completely, because it's beautiful, and it's unique. I love them just that way."
From shattering music charts to shaking up the beauty industry, Rihanna has forged a path that has since created the “dream” life we see today. One that she says has made her parents proud of.
“I’m living my dream,” she continued. “My parents were very proud of that because they just wanted me to be happy and successful. So, I think the key thing is to find some kind of balance. Yes, balance is important. Do this and you get the best of both worlds. You can write your own life the way you want, and it will be beautiful. Sometimes, you just need to let go of everyone’s expectations and start living your own story.”
Rihanna, who shares sons, RZA, 23 months, and Riot, 8 months, with rapper A$AP Rocky, recently shared her vision for expanding her family in the future in Interview Magazine.
When stylist Mel Ottenberg asked about the number of additional children she hoped to have, Rihanna replied, "As many as God wants me to have.”
"I don't know what God wants, but I would go for more than two. I would try for my girl,” she adds. “But of course, if it's another boy, it's another boy."
Featured image by Neil MockfordWireImage