Hi John,

When folks ask me what guides me in the halls of Congress, my answer is always the same: perseverance.

The only college I applied to was the University of North Carolina. Even with the help of scholarships and grants, tuition became too much to bear, and I had no choice but to leave after I attended for 2 years to find work. I went back a few years later for one semester, but even then, I couldn’t manage working and studying full time.

I got married, and had my incredible children, but I always felt like something was missing. I felt like I had let down my friends who had graduated college, and wanted to be an example for my children on how to accomplish goals – but mostly, I had this fire within me to succeed.

So, over 25 years later, I went back to UNC and earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Afro and African-American studies. For those 4 semesters, I was a dean’s list student while working as County Commissioner.

John, what I’m trying to say is: I’m not a quitter, and you can count on the fact that I’ll never stop fighting to give you the representation you deserve in Congress.

But to do that, I need to know that you’re with me. Our mid-month fundraising deadline is tonight at midnight, and we’re just short of our $5,000 goal.

Trust me, I know that when we set our minds to something, we have what it takes to succeed. And I know that, together, we can pick up the pace and close this fundraising gap. Please consider pitching in $5 or anything you can right now: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/vf-em-fr-dec24

Thank you,

Valerie