Hi John, it's Shannon Watts here.

Before the Sandy Hook tragedy, I was a stay-at-home mom of five, trying to make sense of the world. After the tragedy, I realized there wouldn’t be any meaningful change in our gun laws until ordinary people stood up and took action. That’s why I founded Moms Demand Action.

That experience taught me the power of ordinary people stepping into leadership. It’s also why I serve on Emerge’s national board — to help train and support women who are ready to run for office, fight for their communities, and make their voices heard.

Will you be one of them?

Applications are open for Emerge’s 2026 National Virtual Trainings. These are fully online programs that inspire Democratic women and non-binary leaders to run and give them the tools to win.

The truth is, we need more women running at all levels of government. Women only hold about 30.25% of the 520,000 elected positions in America. We need to do whatever it takes to fight back against Donald Trump and his barbaric agenda. For 20 years, Emerge has been at the forefront of recruiting, training, and supporting Democratic women up and down the ballot.

Emerge women are already proving what’s possible. They’re on the frontlines of Congress, state legislatures, and local offices — driving change, winning elections, and showing the power of a new generation of leaders. Your time to step up is now.

Gratefully,

Shannon Watts
Founder of Moms Demand Action and Author of Fired Up

P.S. Not ready to run? You can still make a difference by sharing this email with friends who may be interested. You can also chip in to support Emerge’s trainings and help the next generation of women step up, run, and win.