John, I was just looking at some old pictures of myself, and I wanted to share them with you:

The happy little girl you see was born in El Paso, Texas. My father was a lieutenant colonel in the Army who served in both WWII and the Korean War. My mother served as the first Black clerical worker in Fort Bliss.

But despite the service my parents provided for our nation, we were still treated as lesser. My mother was denied admission to the hospital while in labor with me because of the color of her skin, and I was left with a scar from an emergency forceps delivery. 

While that scar has faded now, it’s driven me to leave my mark on our country.  

When I was just 15 – after making the move from the deeply segregated South to California – I wanted to be a cheerleader at my high school. But unfortunately, I didn't look like the kind of person the selection committee would choose for the all-white girl’s cheer team. So I partnered with the NAACP and became my school's first Black girl cheerleader. 

I then went on to become the president of Mills College's Black Student Union, where I had the honor of meeting Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to serve in Congress. It was her words of wisdom and mentorship that started the journey that took took me all the way to Washington, D.C.

And when I saw the opportunity to represent California's 12th congressional district, I put my head down and worked hard – winning the Special Election for Congress and following in Shirley Chisholm's footsteps.

Now, that same motivation has inspired me to run for Senate, where there are currently no Black women serving.

John, I'm just three points away from qualifying for the General Election, and I need your help to close the gap in the polls. So please, to help me leave my mark and give a voice to the voiceless:

Can I count on you to chip in $5 or more now to help me become the third Black woman ever to serve in the Senate?

Thank you for taking this trip down memory lane with me.

Barbara Lee