Three years ago, we made history together.
Three years ago — on September 5th, 2018 — I sat in a back room at the IBEW 103 union hall in Dorchester, my husband Conan and our daughter Cora by my side. Our team had convinced me to make my way over to the Election Night celebration, but I wanted to stay on the phones or find a way to knock a few more doors.
I knew that we had left it all on the field. We had worked to earn the faith and trust of the community and offered a vision of what was possible. The other side had money and incumbency, but we had heart and sweat equity. We had folks knocking hundreds of doors in 90 degree heat, folks without their own stable housing chipping in $3 because they believed so fiercely in what this campaign was about. I couldn’t let them down.
Daily, I would lock hands with someone, and in their eyes I would see a plea: to fight for their family, to elevate their voice, to restore their hope and faith in government. I believed so fiercely in our movement, but what if it wasn’t enough to get us over the finish line? What if I wasn’t enough?
I thought of my incredible mother, Sandy Pressley, may she rest in power. She gave me my roots and my wings. She loved Election Day, she was a super voter who never missed a primary, and she had been such a constant presence in my early City Council campaigns. I missed her fiercely.
My Campaign Manager walked into the room and the mood changed; my family sat by my side and staff filed in.
“What’s going on, Groh? What’s wrong?”
“We just wanted to say hello…to our Congresswoman.”
“We won?”
“We won.”
And just like that, the earth shifted beneath my feet. Beneath our feet. Our movement, grounded in community and clear in our conviction, had delivered a mandate for change.
Because of you, over these past three years we have advanced bold policies, fundamentally shifted the dialogue, and met the moment as our communities have faced a series of interconnected crises.
Together, we have fought back against draconian policies targeting our immigrant neighbors, our elders trying to cast their ballot, and our LGBTQ folks seeking basic health care.
Together, we have crafted bold, visionary policies and advanced key tenants of our legislation to stop the predatory financial industry, dismantle unjust housing policy, and save the lives of Black pregnant folks. We have fought for dignified jobs for working people, organized to protect the rights of the disability community, and led mutual aid efforts to provide a lifeline to our neighbors in moments of crisis.
Together, we introduced a bold, transformative resolution calling for a Federal Job Guarantee to invest in good paying, union jobs for all. We introduced and passed out of the House the PAID Leave Act to establish emergency paid leave protections for workers.
We have fought to keep our most vulnerable neighbors housed, twice successfully extending the federal eviction moratorium and securing millions of dollars in federal funds to keep families housed. We introduced the Down Payment Toward Equity Act to invest $100 billion toward down payment assistance for first-generation, first-time homebuyers and help address the racial wealth and homeownership gaps. And we’ve secured billions in federal funding to support families experiencing homelessness.
We introduced the Freedom to Move Act, legislation to support state and local efforts to establish public transportation as a public good through fare-free services. And we continue to fight for transit justice as a key priority as we rebuild.
Together, we wrote the People’s Justice Guarantee, a first of its kind bill to transform our criminal legal system and center the dignity and humanity of all people. And we’ve advanced legislation to end the criminalization of our immigrant neighbors, abolish the federal death penalty, and end qualified immunity. We have proven both that we can partner with this White House to advance life saving policies and we will hold the line and pressure them to act.
It is the honor and privilege of my life to be your Congresswoman. Not because of the title, but because of how you have redefined what it means to lead. Together, we have shown up for community and we have reimagined what is possible. We have centered those most impacted, and advanced bold, necessary policies. Can a Congresswoman rock a bold red lip, a hoop, and a bald head? Absolutely.
What difference does it make that we won three years ago today? A fundamental one.
With love and gratitude,
Ayanna
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Paid for by the Committee to Elect Ayanna Pressley
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