by Pallavi Goel
There is an unprecedented number of women of color running for state government in this year’s general election. In this article, 7 WOC who won their primaries are highlighted. These women are from all over the country and hold very progressive views and plans for many of the issues raised, including education, healthcare, and environmental policies.
Mauree Turner (D)
Running for: State House OK-88
Race/ Ethnicity: Describes herself as a “Black Muslim-American Queer Womxn”
Platform includes:
Healthcare: Funding for mental health treatment, drug treatment, fighting for reproductive healthcare, decreasing mortality rates in mothers of color, fixing opioid epidemic
Education: Higher wages for teachers and teacher aids, greater funding for public schools
Economy: Raising minimum wage in OK to a living wage
Justice Reform: end of prison-industrial complex, , criminal justice reform
Community organizing: building bridges between different communities in OK so that community solidarity can result
Other Facts: If elected, she will be the first Muslim person in OK’s state legislature
Hiral Tipirneni (D)
Running for: AZ-6
Race/ Ethnicity: Asian-American, Indian
Platform includes:
Healthcare: Expansion and protection of Medicare, strengthen and expand ACA, investment in Federally Qualified Health Centers, protect right to abortion
Education: Loan forgiveness programs, increasing of public school teacher salaries, greater Title I funding for public schools.
Environment: Investment in solar energy
Economy: Protection of taxpayer dollars from governmental misspending
Gun Safety: Mandatory background checks and gun safety training for gun purchases,
Seniors: Protection of Social Security and Medicare
Housing: Affordable housing,
Police Reform: Community policing, better police training
Other: net neutrality, protection of DACA
Other Facts: Doctor in Phoenix, Arizona
Ayanna PreSsley (D)
Running for: MA-7 (D), incumbent
Race/Ethnicity: African-American
Platform Includes:
Healthcare: Medicare for All
Education: Support for public school students, affordable higher education, dismantling of school-to-incarceration pipeline
Environment: Green New Deal
Economy: Increasing of minimum wage to $15/hr, worker protections
Women/LGBTQ+/Marginalized Groups: Title IX protections, maternal mortality during childbirth, protect right to abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, dealing with systemic causes of trauma, greater protections for immigrant communities
Housing/ Infrastructure: increasing mass transit walking and biking infrastructure, affordable housing
Other Facts: First woman of color elected to Boston City Council, has a cat named Sojourner Truth, one of the first women of color elected to Congress in New England
Sharice Davids (D)
Running for: KS-3, Incumbent
Race/ Ethnicity: Native American, Ho-Chunk Nation
Platform includes:
Healthcare: protection and expansion of ACA, lowering cost of healthcare and prescription drugs, more mental health treatment
Environment: investment in wind energy in KS
Education: decreasing cost of student loans
Economy: creation of economic opportunities for Native people living on reservations, supporting veterans in getting jobs and creating businesses, funding for female run small businesses, raising minimum wage
Veterans: addressing vet suicide and homelessness crises
Voting: protection and expansion of voter rights
Other Facts: 1 of 2 Native women elected to Congress EVER, Cornell Law Alum
Elizabeth Hernandez (D)
Running for: TX-8
Race/ Ethnicity: Latina
Platform includes:
· Healthcare: expansion and simplification of Medicare, greater insurance coverage for mental health treatment
· Environment: Green New Deal
· Education: more funding and support for public schools, expansion of FMLA
· Economy: Increasing taxes for the wealthy, tax cuts for middle and working classes
· Infrastructure: improving roads and bridges in the district
· Civil Rights: Strengthen and expand EEOC, Equal Pay Act, Fair Labor Standards Act
Other Facts: Worked in Accounting for 20 years
Pramila Jayapal (D)
Running for: WA-7, Incumbent
Race/ Ethnicity: Asian-American, Indian
Platform includes:
· Healthcare: Medicare for All, raising minimum wage, working against voter suppression and disenfranchisement, strengthening Voting Rights Act
· Environment: Supports 100 by ’50 Act, ending fracking and deep-water drilling,
· Education: College for All Act
· Economy: raising worker wages, more money for Social Security and Medicare through greater taxes on the wealthy
· Gun Safety: ban on assault weapons and tightening gun purchase regulations
· Housing/ Infrastructure: improving transportation infrastructure
· Women/ LGBTQ+: equal pay for women, strengthening Violence Against Women Act, protection of Planned Parenthood, strengthening protections for LGBTQ+ people against discrimination
· Veterans: increasing services for veterans
· Other Reform: immigration reform, education reform, campaign finance transparency and regulation
Other Facts: BA in English & Economics from Georgetown, MBA from Northwestern
Grace Meng (D)
Running for: NY-6 (Queens), Incumbent
Race/ Ethnicity: Asian-American, Taiwanese
Platform includes:
· Healthcare: Protection of reproductive and women’s health care, Medicare for All
· Environment: Green New Deal, protection of EPA and its policies, decreasing hate crimes against Jewish people, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants and POC
· Education: Greater federal student aid, accessibility of FAFSA applications to non-English speaking families
· Economy: Increase worker protections and unions, increase minimum wage to $15/hour
· Gun Safety: Increase government oversight and background checks for gun sales
· Housing/ Infrastructure: New Deal for New Americans Act, affordable & safe housing, ending homelessness and housing insecurity
· Veterans: Veteran housing and education benefits, addressing vet opioid crisis
· Seniors: Fighting against phone scams that target senior citizens, Medicare and Social Security protection
Other Facts: Did undergrad at UMichigan, JD from Cardozo School of Law