Friends, 

USA Fencing Board voting starts Monday. 

A couple of days ago, I sent you a link explaining the organization’s Ranked/Preferential Voting System.

(READ: How It Works).

Ranked voting means: when we vote we need to make sure to not only put the BEST candidates at the top of the list, but also that we put the WORST candidates at the bottom of the list. 

There are three open spots and eleven people on the ballot. We aren’t here to elect politicians, instigators of controversy or gimmick-peddlers. We want people who will fight for our kids. Period. Full stop. Because young people are the future of the sport. 

I told you that ANN MARSH-SENIC OLY was my No. 1 Candidate.
And I told you why: Why I Support Ann. 

Now I’m telling you my No. 2: IGOR CHIRASHNYA. 

Like Ann, Igor was instrumental in our efforts to Save Youth National Events. In fact, many of you are reading this because of Igor’s outreach work. Igor is also a parent of four Fencers and a fencing activist with an impressive record and a large outreach network. 

You can read more about IGOR and ANN here. (Click Each Name Links for BIOs). 

Igor and Ann also both recently received the official endorsement of member organization FairFencing.org. 

I didn’t pick Igor and Ann because they are the “nicest” or the “friendliest.” I picked them because I know where they stand and I know what they’ll do when the time requires it. They will be strong voices - not just for my kids, but for every kid out there who’s ever dreamed of stepping on the piste. 

Now that you know my Top 2, I’m going to tell you (unapologetically) who will be at the BOTTOM of my list:  

1. Any current or former Board Member who made any motion or voted to support any motion designed (or made with the intention) to limit Youth Fencing Events. We need more young people to join our sport, not less. 
   
2. Any candidate who intends to exclude certain states or regions from hosting USA Fencing events (at least one candidate made this his position during the first candidate forum). We need more geographic diversity, not less. You don’t grow a sport by building an echo chamber. You grow it by building bridges. 
   
3. Any candidate who suggests that a person’s gender should be a deciding factor when considering disciplinary action against another fencer. Misconduct is misconduct, regardless of the gender of the accuser/accused. We need objective enforcement of established rules, not organizationally-sanctioned gender-bias.
   
   
4. Any candidate who puts politics du jour as a higher priority than the USA Fencing Mission Statement & Vision. One of the absolute BEST things about being an American is that we welcome and encourage diversity. This means diversity of culture, economic diversity, diversity of style and diversity of thought. Our country’s politics right now are toxic. Most of us exist somewhere in the middle, but you cannot tell because of all the noise coming from the fringes. Let’s try an experiment in this election: let’s vote for folks who care more about fencing than they do about politics. Let’s see how that works this go round. We might just surprise ourselves….

Much Love & Respect to All,

Christina