Women of Color in the Political Arena

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Published:
August 12, 2020


As the country faces a civil rights crisis, women of color are actively involved in shaping our American democracy, whether by running or serving in elected office or leading political campaigns. Why is it so important for women of color to have representation in elected office? And what actions can be taken to recruit and support women of color on their political journey? On Aug. 12, we hosted a conversation with A'shanti Gholar, founder of the podcast "The Brown Girls Guide to Politics" and president of Emerge America; and Janelle King, co-founder of Speak Georgia and panelist on the TV show "The Georgia Gang," moderated by Dr. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto.

This discussion is co-sponsored by the LBJ Women's Campaign School, which trains women to run for office or manage campaigns regardless of political party affiliation.

 

Deeper Dive

Harris is the pick, but women of color remain underrepresented in government
Washington Post, Aug. 11, 2020
A woman of color will be on a major-party presidential ticket for the first time: Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden announced Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) as his vice-presidential pick. The selection is historic, but it also draws attention to the persistent underrepresentation of women in the highest positions of American government, especially women of color who must overcome both racism and sexism to succeed.

Women Of Color Are Viable Candidates No Matter What Their Communities Look Like
HuffPost, Sept. 4, 2018
A'Shanti Golar on the 2018 election: "This year's elections are quickly becoming one for the history books. Thousands of women across the country have stepped up to run for office and increase Democratic power and women’s representation federally, statewide and at the local level. This charge is being led largely by women of color, who are grinding out impressive campaigns that resonate with voters excited for the unique perspectives that they will bring to elected office."

The Brown Girls Guide to Politics
A'Shanti Golar's blog — and podcast — for women of color interested in politics to get advice on how to get involved in politics, receive news about how politics impacts women of color or find out about women of color running for elected office.

Speak Georgia
Janelle King's initiative to provide an environment where the community can obtain detailed information surrounding hot button issues while getting their questions answered and concerns heard. Speak Georgia is a series of town-hall styled, kitchen-table talks that will be conducted throughout the State of Georgia and will present dialog about political topics.