Friend,

When people ask me why I'm running for Congress, I like to share my story.

Before my family and I fled Iran, we lived in fear of the violence of the Revolutionary Guard. For a time, my father was jailed for speaking out against the regime.

Women's rights were practically non-existent; we were not even allowed to be in the streets with men or boys who were not our family. I had to cut my hair short and pretend to be a boy so I could play soccer with my friends from the neighborhood. As a queer woman, had I stayed in Iran I might not be alive today.

I've felt the effects of authoritarianism and fundamentalism firsthand, friend, and the extremism happening in our country disturbs me.

Here in our own country, civil rights are under siege. Red states across the country have passed bills targeting trans youth, gutting reproductive rights, and twisting the history and science curricula that are taught in schools.

We're seeing new levels of violence and hatred against Black, Indigenous and other people of color, LGBTQ+ Americans, and immigrants — a rising tide that echoes the worst of the discrimination and prejudice I faced when I first immigrated to the United States.

I've dedicated over two decades of my life to defending our civil rights. To fight back against the rise in hate born from extremism, I feel called to fight for us in Congress.

We deserve a future where every single person can thrive, free from discrimination, violence, and crushing inequality. I'm running for Congress to build that future. I hope you'll join me.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your secure donation will go through immediately:

Contribute $10

Contribute $15

Contribute $25

Contribute $50

With gratitude,

Mayor Sepi Shyne 
#WomanLifeFreedom