John, I want to share something deeply personal with you.

Take a look at this photo — that’s my grandmother Polly Noonan and my mother Polly Rutnik. They’re the reason I ever stepped into politics.

My grandmother was a secretary in Albany, but she didn’t stay in the background. At a time when most women weren’t involved in politics, she became a force — organizing “Polly’s Girls.” They hosted rallies, circulated petitions, threw fundraisers and knocked on doors — showing women they belonged in public life.

My mom was one of the only women in her law school class — and even took the Bar Exam three days before giving birth to me. She built a career in a field that often shut women out.

Because of them, I grew up believing that my voice mattered. I spent weekends as a kid stuffing envelopes and slapping bumper stickers on cars — learning that civic participation is a serious responsibility.

My Grandma Polly and my mom are the reason I’m still fighting now. Far-right extremists want to silence women and set us back decades. I won’t back down — and I hope you won’t either.

Today, far-right extremists are doing everything they can to silence women, control our bodies and drag our country backward. They want to undo decades of hard-fought progress. And I refuse to let them erase the legacies of women like Polly — not on my watch.

That’s exactly why I founded Off the Sidelines — and why I’m still in this fight today as a U.S. Senator and as Chair of the DSCC. Because democracy isn’t a spectator sport. And neither is equality.

So here’s my question for you, John: Will you help Off the Sidelines elect a new wave of leaders in the midterms and defeat the MAGA extremists who are trying to send us back to the past? I’m asking for your support before our final public fundraising deadline — the most important deadline we’ve faced this cycle:

My grandmother didn’t wait for permission to lead. My mom didn’t either. And neither should we. With gratitude and determination,

Kirsten Gillibrand
Founder, Off the Sidelines