Ricky Hurtado made history in 2020: He became the first Latinx leader in the NC state house, and was one of the rare Democrats anywhere to flip a state legislative seat red to blue. His story is both incredibly special and deeply common -- Ricky grew up in an immigrant household, was the first generation in his family to go to college, went to work in education, and decided to run because he felt like the students he was working with were being heard in government. His campaign made a lot of...

When India Walton was growing up working class in Buffalo, she always knew she'd serve her community in some way -- but she never would have guessed that one day she'd be in the running to be the first woman mayor of Buffalo.   From being a mother at 14 to having twins in the NICU that nudged into going into nursing to her later role as a non-profit executive, India brings her full self to her campaign against a four-term incumbent who literally hides from his constituents. Listen to her...

First, our very first voicemail!! Listen in as Amanda responds to a caller about the 1/6 commission and talks about how she gets her news. (Then leave a voicemail yourself at (833) 244-5382!)    Then, a conversation with Amanda Farías, candidate for New York City Council in the Bronx. She ran in 2017, came up short, then kept fighting as she worked her way through the NY Democratic party leadership elections. She always knew she'd run for city council again, but when the incumbent who had...

After the 2016 election, Jennifer Kitchen started getting involved -- in spite of a chronic pain disorder that made marching and canvassing hard, she kept showing up and organizing her rural community. She ran in 2019 and lost, but won more votes than any Democrat in her district had before. She almost immediately launched her 2021 campaign, then was diagnosed with cancer. Now in remission, she's running an exponentially stronger campaign than she did the first time around, and she's showing...

First, some news! The Run for Something podcast now had a voicemail box. Give us a call at (833) 244-5382 with any questions, hopes, fears, dreams, or thoughts on who you want us to talk to next.   Then, a great conversation with Chi Ossé, who's been making headlines as an activist and culture-driver, and now as a fresh 23 year old, one of the youngest candidates for NY city council. He announced his campaign on Juneteenth during the protests after the murder of George Floyd and has been on...

Missouri native Rigel Robinson started at UC Berkeley in 2014 as an eager student, ready to learn and to fall in love with the city he'd call home. Four years later, just as he was about to graduate, folks started clamoring for him to run for office. He jumped in the fight, won, and throughout his first term, has already pushed forward necessary reform on policing and housing that is broadening what is possible for municipal government. You're going to love his passion, his intellect, and the...

When Liliana Bakhtiari ran for Atlanta City Council in 2017, she made national headlines as a queer Muslim millennial seeking leadership. She came up a few hundred votes short, but kept organizing, because her campaign was never really about what happened on Election Day -- it was about engaging her community. When every problem she ran to solve the first time just got worse, she knew she couldn't stay silent. She's running again, this time in an open race, and she's going to win. We talked...

Justan Parker Fields had never really been involved in politics before -- it had run in his family, sure, but he'd never been too engaged. But when the police shot and killed Philando Castile back in 2016, he decided to try and organize a protest in his hometown of Allentown, PA. Not too many people showed up. A few years later, when George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis, Justan tried again -- and this time, hundreds came out to show their support for Black lives. From there,...

Housing activist Katie Valenzuela ran against an incumbent member of the Sacramento City Council and won, in spite of being outspent 3 to 1. A few months later, she was joined on the council by organizer Mai Vang, the first Asian American woman to join the body. The two have built a beautiful friendship and in just a few months, revolutionized politics in Sacramento. Listen in as they explain how they won, the "Squad" they've cultivated, and the kind of progress they've made. Produced by...

IL State Sen. Robert Peters was born to a mom with addiction problems and was then adopted by a social worker and a civil rights lawyer, who raised him in the politically-active Hyde Park area in Chicago. He had a tough childhood -- he was born deaf, had a speech impediment, and tended to get into trouble as a kid. In spite of deaths in his family, unemployment, and a little bit of aimlessness, Robert's grit and commitment to his community brought him home. Now, he's the state senator...

Climate activist Chloe Maxmin first ran for Maine state house in 2018 and won, becoming the first Democrat to ever represent her very rural very old community. (She was only 26 years old!) Then in 2020, she ran for Maine state senate and beat out the top-ranking leader of the Republican party. Listen in to find out how she did it, why rural America is not a lost cause for Democrats, how to talk to people you fundamentally disagree with, and what Maine politics is really like. To get regular...

Kendra Hicks is an activist, an organizer, a mom of a son on the autism spectrum, and a possibly history-making candidate for Boston City Council. She's a rising star and win or lose, you're going to see her on the national scale in a big way in the next few years. Listen now to see why we're obsessed - then head to her website to help her campaign: www.hicksfordistrictsix.com Produced by Dear Media.

When his mom told him he was never going to be the next LeBron James, Ohio native Justin Bibb was crushed -- until a chance encounter with a presidential campaign in a hotel lobby redirected his passion to politics. Now he's running for mayor of Cleveland, because his city can't wait for someone else to bring about change. We talk about his path to the campaign, the moments that inspired him to run now, what's surprised him most as a first-time candidate, and how you can help him win. Learn...

First, Amanda talks through some new Run for Something research that shows local candidates really do have "reverse coattails." Then: A conversation with Tay Anderson, Denver School Board Director and the youngest elected official in Colorado, who ran and lost in 2017, but didn't let that stop him -- he ran again in 2019 and handily won, and has now been leading the work to make Denver schools safer, more equitable, and more welcoming. Listen in, then find him at @TayAndersonCo on any social...

We don't often hear from Democrats running in Alabama - let's fix that! Meet Marche' Johnson, a veteran and single mom running for Montgomery City Council, ran for the first time in 2019 and lost by just six votes. Then the incumbent who beat her died in office -- often the only way space is made for new leaders, unfortunately -- and now she's fighting again in a wide open race. This time, she's not going to lose. Learn more at marcheonthemove.com   Produced by Dear Media.

NY state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi talks about her path to elected office, what Democrats got done over the last few years, and why she's so (righteously and appropriately) furious with NY Governor Andrew Cuomo. Tune in for some outrage, and follow her on Twitter at @Biaggi4NY Produced by Dear Media.

A conversation with Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam on her journey into elected office, which began when an anti-Muslim shooter killed her best friend and two others. We talk about her role on the Durham County Commission and how she built her campaign, and Nida speaks candidly about the great joy she took in campaigning as a Muslim woman, as well as the threats she endured. She promises: She may be the first, but she's not the last. Learn more at https://www.nidaallam.com/. Produced...

Gabriella Cázares-Kelly got her start as an organizer and educator, struggling to get Indigenous communities registered to vote. Learn more about how that experience shaped her journey to becoming the Pima County Recorder, who manages (among other things), the voter registration process, how far her family has come in just three generations, and the burden and privilege of being the first to represent her community in elected office. Produced by Dear Media.

First, an explanation on impeachment, and why most Republican elected officials are morally bankrupt. Then: A conversation with Joél-Léhi Organista, a member of the Salt Lake City school board. Joél-Léhi is an activist, an educator, an immigrant, and so much more -- we talk about his path to elected office and how to be his most authentic self in leadership. Learn more at http://jloschoolboard.com/ Producer by Dear Media. 

First, a little rant about the gerontocracy. (Sorry if it makes you mad!) Then: A conversation with Kerri-Ann Nesbeth, candidate for Miramar City Council down in South Florida. She explains why she ran, what a day in the life looks like for her right now balancing her full-time job and her full-time campaign, the racism and sexism she's encountered, and why it's all worth it. You can volunteer for Kerri-Ann at http://www.mobilize.us/miramar and donate to her campaign...

First, a quick rant on why Democrats have to govern like winners. Then, and more importantly: A conversation with Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit on what district attorneys do, how he won his Michigan community over, whether or not his job is anything like what we see on The Good Wife, and the direct impact his work is already having as he's radically transformed his county's criminal justice system in just a few weeks.   Learn more at eli2020.com   Produced by Dear Media.

NY State Sen. Zellnor Myrie from Brooklyn explains his path to the state senate to take on an incumbent who outspent him 3 to 1 and what he and the Democratic majority in NY have actually done to make lives better for people. We also discuss his experience being pepper sprayed at the Black Lives Matter protests over the summer, what it's been like to balance the priorities of the last year as he represents one of the districts that's been most ravaged by COVID, and the healthy tension between...

Today, January 19th, 2021, is National Run for Office Day! Amanda and Run for Something co-founder Ross Morales Rocketto talk through what that means and why you should run for office. Plus: What they're hopeful for out of a Biden administration, what accountability for the Republican party looks like, and more. To learn more about the holiday, go to runforofficeday.com.   Produced by Dear Media. 

A quick rundown of the last week in politics: The victories in Georgia, the coup on D.C., and how it all relates to our focus on local politics. Then, an interview with Alex Lee, the first openly bisexual, first gen-Z and youngest member of the CA state assembly. We talk about his experience running for office as a 24 year old living at home and working in the gig economy, why housing and public transit are such big priorities for him, and how he balances governing with watching Spongebob...

Meet Senator Megan Hunt, a progressive member of the single-body non-partisan Nebraska state legislature. (Yes, there really are progressives in Nebraska!) She's a single mom, a small business owner, the first openly LGBTQ state legislator in the chamber, and unapologetic about doing what she can to fight for her values, even when it's an uphill climb. We need more people like Megan in office. Follow her on social media at @NebraskaMegan.   Produced by Dear Media.