Welcome to our Historic Firsts series, where historic first lawmakers will tell us how their identities have informed their work in local and state politics — and why it matters to us all.
“[...] If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the menu.” —Rep. Tarra Simmons in June’s edition of Historic Firsts.
John, we’re seeing it every day — state legislatures are growing more powerful.
The landscape of critical and life-altering policies is shifting, with state legislatures emerging as powerful agents of change in areas such as abortion access, trans rights, voting rights, and fair wages and conditions for working people and families. Our often-overlooked state legislatures are now driving significant progress, surpassing the traditional epicenter of Washington, DC.
Fortunately, we defied historical trends in 2022 and built substantial power within our states. Now is the perfect time to tell resonant, meaningful stories about the power and promise of progressive state leaders.
In partnership with Teen Vogue, our Historic Firsts series uplifts inspiring, historic firsts among recently elected state lawmakers with a focus on women, people of color, young folks, LGBTQIA+ folks, and folks from nontraditional backgrounds. Together, we have the opportunity to shed light on remarkable individuals who are breaking barriers, driving change, and reshaping the course of our states' futures.
This month, Rep. Tarra Simmons—the first formerly incarcerated person to win a state election in Washington State—talked to Teen Vogue about what her accomplishments mean for formerly incarcerated people and how she hopes to change the culture of her state.
Click here to check out the June edition of Historic Firsts and read the powerful Q&A with Tarra Simmons—or continue reading below for an excerpt.
My priorities are to help everyone have a first chance at life, so…they don’t need a second chance later on. Almost everybody that’s been incarcerated… didn’t have a first chance. They were born into generational poverty, generational violence. And in prison is where we house our most vulnerable populations, people with extreme trauma histories. And then we traumatize them more through the conditions of prison. And then we kick them out with no job training, no education, and no resources, and expect them not to come back. While I focus a lot on fixing the criminal justice system, my priority and why I’m here…is to fiercely advocate for investment and prevention of incarceration by helping people have the resources they need up front.
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Check out Tarra’s Q&A with Teen Vogue now. Then join us in lifting up the voices of historic first lawmakers by forwarding this email to your friends and family.
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From tackling poverty and food and housing insecurity to addressing economic injustice and investment in mental health services, state policy has a real-life impact and can change the trajectory of people’s lives. That’s why we need more leaders like Tarra, who bring their lived experiences and powerful advocacy to state legislatures.
When we lift up our voices and stories together, we have the power to push for the future we all deserve and inspire voters and the next generation to get excited about states and state leaders.
That’s the core of our work at Sister District — and that’s why we’re highlighting the stories of bold, historic first legislators like Tarra in Washington and others across the country.
Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more next month!
Gaby Goldstein, Co-Founder
Sister District
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Before you go…
Sister District’s mission is to imagine, build, and expand progressive power in state legislatures, and we know that organizing around elections is just one piece of the puzzle.
That’s why we’re amplifying the voices of local lawmakers, educating the public about the importance of state leaders and policies, and inspiring folks to deepen their civic engagement — especially locally and down-ballot.
There is power in storytelling, and the more people we bring into this fight, the more powerful our movement will become.
Can you make a monthly contribution of $20.23 to help us continue this year-round work?
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