John, 55 years ago, my mentor, Shirley Chisholm, made history as the first Black woman elected to Congress. And, in honor of her life and legacy, I wanted to tell you about how Congresswoman Chisholm set me on my own path – where I'm now on the cusp of becoming our nation's fourth Black woman senator. 

I had the privilege of meeting Shirley Chisholm when I was in college. At the time, I was president of the Black Student Union, and I had the honor of inviting her to address our group. After listening to her speak that day, I knew that she was the kind of person I wanted to follow.

Yes, Shirley Chisholm was our nation's first Black congresswoman – but she was so much more than that. She was an educator. She was pro-choice all the way. She was anti-war. She talked about coalition building. She was an unbelievable candidate – and I never knew a congressperson could fight so passionately for the things that mattered to me.

Hearing her speak that day changed the trajectory of my life. She told me that I could get more done by working from inside the system. So I followed her advice – I registered to vote, signed up to work on Congresswoman Chisholm's historic presidential campaign and had the honor of being mentored by her over the years. 

John, I would not be Congresswoman Barbara Lee without Congresswoman Shirley Anita Chisholm. Few people have opened more doors for women, African Americans and other people of color than her. 

Shirley Chisholm's vision was clear: She wanted everyone to have a seat at the table and a voice in the decisions that shape our nation. In her lifetime, she took this dream further than any other Black woman had before. Now, I'm committed to making the rest of this vision a reality. 

John, I'm running as the most progressive and experienced candidate in this competitive Senate primary, and I'm statistically tied with my opponents. So I have to ask, to help me pull ahead and increase representation in our Senate:

Can you donate $5 or more to my campaign now so I can honor Shirley Chisholm by shattering the glass ceiling and becoming California's next senator?

Thank you for listening to my story.

– Barbara