John,

With the election so close, I want to remind you of who I am and what I stand for.

I will always identify with and advocate for the lower and middle class. I was born in High Point, NC, to a hardworking, caring mother. From a young age, I was taught values like determination, hard work, and resilience.

Watching my mother care about her community as much as she did pushed me into a career of giving back: education.

I will always advocate for public education and for all students. After serving as an educator at Bennett College for 4 decades, I became the first Black woman elected to the Greensboro City School Board where I served for 2 years.

But by then, I knew even more needed to be done.

So I went on to serve on the Greensboro City Council for 9 years, and then the State House for a total of 10 terms. Now this brings us to how I ended up in your inbox today—I was then elected to represent the Charlotte area in Congress in 2014 because my work wasn’t finished yet!

And while I worked hard to get here, I know that times have changed. Working hard is not enough when you’re not earning enough.

That’s why I am focused on addressing the 4 Hs—housing, hunger, healthcare, and higher education—because I know firsthand how difficult it is to struggle without basic necessities.

I hope you’ll stand with me in my fight to give all North Carolinians a quality education, affordable healthcare, and a good quality of life. Will you make a contribution of any amount right now so I have the resources to fight to elect those who value the same as you and I?

We’re not letting up until every last ballot is counted,

Alma