I'm 18; the first vote I cast will be for Agatha Bacelar

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Hi John,

My name is Sophia, and I am an 18-year-old high school senior living in San Francisco, California. The March 3rd primary election is my first vote ever. But, even before I could vote, I volunteered as an election day poll worker, and helped register people to vote.

Democracy activism runs in my family: my father is a co-founder of the nonprofit Democracy Earth Foundation, and my sister, Agatha Bacelar ([link removed]) , is a candidate for U.S. Congress in CA-12, challenging Nancy Pelosi. I’m excited to vote for my sister and after you read this, I hope you will be too!
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** Voting For My Sister for U.S. Congress
Sophia, Age 18, San Francisco CA
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Mix a witty elderly lady, a young Italian, a Frenchman, a cancer researcher, and a high school senior in a garage. What do you get? An American polling station, San Francisco edition.

This past November 5th, I woke up at 5:00 am and made my way through dark streets to my assigned polling station. We got right to work setting up, and at 7 :00 am sharp, supervisor Brenna announced the polls were open. The rest of us scrambled to piece together the final bits and bobs. With only a few hours of training, some supplies and instruction books between us, this handful of San Franciscans — including me, not yet at voting age — was tasked with upholding democracy.
During lulls in voter activity, I flipped through the thick stack of ballots with candidate names, wondering where they were on the day their fate was being decided — with friends and family? I thought of my sister whose name is on the same ballot next to Nancy Pelosi, running to represent San Francisco in Congress. I smiled, imagining filling in the bubble next to her name — the first vote I will ever cast.
Because of my experience as a poll worker, democracy is no longer an abstract idea, but something concrete, like my polling team: a group of disparate San Franciscans finding camaraderie and joy working together for a common end.

The next election, the primaries, is now just around the corner — March 3rd — and on the ballot for district 12 sit John Dennis, Nancy Pelosi, Agatha Bacelar, Shahid Buttar, and Deanna Lorraine. I know people will think that my research on the candidates stops with my sister, but that is not the case. This is my first ever vote, and I researched the candidates the same way I am researching colleges to apply to — by talking to friends, reading online, and visiting websites and social media profiles. When I look at the names on the ballot I think of who could work with others for a common end just as I did with my polling team.

As for Nancy, the long-reigning queen of the CA-12 seat, she has done a fine job, but with more than thirty years as our Representative, it is time for new leadership . Nancy pioneered the way for women in Congress and it is admirable that she is one of the most powerful women in America. She is also having her moment ([link removed]) in her role as Speaker of the House in light of Trump’s impeachment. But when the storms of the next presidential elections clear, what San Francisco do we want to come back to? Would Nancy still be the woman for the job? I think it is time for change and time for a transition of power to Agatha.

I’ve always admired Agatha for her capability and when I was little I would talk to my friends about my sister’s accomplishments. Today is no different as I am about to cast my first vote ever as one in support of my sister. Some may call it bragging, but as my stepdad says, it’s not bragging if it’s true. I think a lot of people would vote for her, if they knew what I knew.
Read: "It's Not Bragging If It's True" on Medium ([link removed])

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I know that Agatha is the best person to represent San Francisco in Congress because, as her sister, I know her well. One can talk all day about how the incumbent has done her fair share of work in politics — because she has— but political experience is not everything that makes the best representative. If that were the case, we wouldn’t be facing many of the crises that challenge us today.

Agatha has motivation from her experience talking with immigrants at the border, registering voters across states ([link removed]) and listening to Americans ([link removed]) from all parts of the political spectrum. It is evident that Agatha is an accomplished learner. I have no doubt that she would quickly learn her way around Congress. The many aspects of her identity and passion for democracy and justice ([link removed]) are what put her best in line to represent San Francisco. Let’s elect the future by voting Agatha for Congress!

Thanks for reading!

Sophia S.
San Francisco, CA
Read more #YouthVoice Endorsements for Agatha ([link removed])
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