Hi there Friend,

I’ve been the Finance Director here at the Texas Democratic Party for a few months now, so I figured it was about time to introduce myself! And -- as someone whose political philosophy found its roots in the LGBTQ+ rights movement -- what better time to share some thoughts than at the start of Pride?

I came to Texas for one reason: because in the movement for justice in America, Texas is the future. However, politics -- from the local level to the national level -- has been a part of my life from the beginning. Growing up right outside of D.C., the national political landscape was the background music to my everyday life. And from my Virginia hometown, I had a front row seat to a pretty remarkable transformation: I got to watch my home state go from red, to purple, to blue.

However, as a gay man, another transformation had an even bigger impact. In 2015, when gay marriage finally became legal across the country, everything changed overnight. Suddenly, what queer activists had been shouting from the top of their lungs -- we are equal -- was written into federal law. Suddenly, the world woke up.

When I think about Pride, I think about what it took to get us here. People rioted and resisted. They got jailed and beaten and killed. In the face of it all, they stood tall. Proud. We are where we are today because thousands upon thousands of people pushed forward in the fight for justice -- in the gay rights movement, and so many other deeply interconnected struggles. The way I see it, we have an intergenerational debt. It’s on us to keep moving the needle forward.

Friend, the best way we can pick up the torch is by turning Texas blue. This community is the best hope for a just future in Texas -- but if we want a serious shot at the 2022 elections, we’ve got to start building now. Will you chip in $7 before our critical end-of-month fundraising deadline?

Texas is the future of American politics. We are big, loud, and yes -- proud. As tough as it’s been in our state legislature this spring, it’s impossible to overlook the inroads Texas Democrats are making. I got to be part of that progress when I worked on Lizzie Fletcher’s historic win in 2018, and let me tell you, flipping a longtime Republican Congressional district feels GOOD.

If we keep building now, we’re going to see a whole lot more of that progress. The trick is to keep up the pressure -- just like those before us, who cleared the path for our movement.

I’m excited to keep pushing forward with you.

Onward,

Alex Obolensky
Finance Director, Texas Democratic Party