Midterm elections came to a close November 7th, and glass ceilings shattered round the country the night prior.
However, having a representative Congress in no way means that our work is done. We must demand -- from all our Congresspeople, that the work continue, and the issues that matter to us be brought to the floor. With a freshly elected Congress, will you demand that the #VAWArenewal be Number 1 on their list?
122 women were elected to Congress. 101 women were elected to the House of Representatives, 12 women were elected to the Senate, and 9 women were elected to governor seats.
And it didn't stop there.
45 women of color were elected. 43 women of color were elected to the House, 1 to the Senate, and 1 to a governor's seat.
Sharice Davids (D) will be one of the first two Native American woman elected to Congress.
Rashida Talib (D) will be one of the first two Muslim American women elected to Congress.
Aryanna Pressley (D) will be the first black woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts.
Ilhan Omar (D) will be one of the first two Muslim American women elected to Congress.
Debra Haaland (D) will be one of the first two Native American woman elected to Congress.
Sylvia Garcia (D) will be one of the first two Latinas elected to Congress from Texas.
Veronica Escobar (D) will be one of the first two Latinas elected to Congress from Texas.
Marsha Blackburn (R) first woman elected Senator from Tennessee.
Janet Mills (D) first woman elected governor of Maine.
Kristi Noem (R) first woman elected governor of South Dakota
Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) first Democratic Latina elected governor in the U.S.
We are getting closer and closer to having a Congress that looks like us -- the American people. An issue as complex and intimate as sexual violence requires that those elected to higher office can relate on a level extending beyond the surface. The stories that the majority of Americans carry on their backs every day need to make their way into the conversations in the halls of Washington. This will be accomplished as our public officials become more representative of the populus. Yet with all of this said, that's still only 50% of the problem solved.
However, having a representative Congress in no way means that our work is done. We must demand -- from all our Congresspeople, that the work continue, and the issues that matter to us be brought to the floor. With a freshly elected Congress, will you demand that the #VAWArenewal be Number 1 on their list?
1. Get this hashtag trending #whyineedthevawa
2. Tag your senator
3. Ask where they stand on the Violence Against Women Act, and let them know why you are expecting a full renewal of the Violence Against Women Act Dec. 7
Or, if you're not a social media person, send your congressperson a letter or call them on the phone to let them know your feelings on the VAWA.