Friend: This is a longer, but especially important, email about why I'm running for Senate. It's important for me to share my story with you and why this campaign means so much to me. I hope you'll give it a read.

I was raised in Jacksonville, FL – and I've got to say, when you grow up in the South poor, Black and female, you've got to have faith. It's something I learned from my parents. Mom was a maid, Dad was a janitor and my goodness they worked hard. And although we didn't have a lot of money – although life was tough sometimes – we had each other. We had love. We had faith. I've carried that spirit with me my entire career.

That faith that things can get better, that we can do some good in the world, inspired me to get into public service. In fact, my mom used to say to me: "Never grow tired of doing good, Val – never tire." And so for me, growing tired was never an option. It's what pushed me to become the first in my family to graduate college. It's also what pushed me to serve 27 years in the Orlando Police Department, where eventually I became the first woman to lead the department. And it pushed me to run for Congress and represent my community. 

I will never tire of the opportunities to do good or the challenges to tackle before me, and I'm asking you to do the same. Pitch in a contribution of $5 or more now split between my campaign and Gary Peters' to help me defeat Marco Rubio, win in Florida and defend our Senate majority.

Never tire. These are the words that resonate in my mind each and every day that I serve the people of Florida's 10th District in Congress. They've stuck with me as I've fought to put an end to gun violence, as the horror of that violence struck our district at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. We mourned, deeply. But we resolved to fight for change, to never tire – and I won't stop until long overdue action on gun violence is finally realized. 

Never tire, I said to myself, as I took on a habitual offender who occupied the most powerful office in the world: President Donald Trump. Unlike some in Washington, I never tire of standing up for what I believe is right, and I carried that with me as I fought to impeach him, because no one is above the law.

This is my story, friend: Only in America can a little Black girl, the daughter of a maid and a janitor growing up in the South in the '60s, have a story so filled with opportunities like these. Now, I'm ready to meet a new moment, to do more good for Floridians. I am ready to be the next U.S. senator for Florida – and together, with you never tiring alongside me, I know we can win.

So I need your support, friend. This campaign is a battle of many things, and an unfortunate reality among them is resources. The Republican Party is already proving they will spend whatever it takes to protect Marco Rubio, so if you're with me, if you want to elect Florida's first Black senator and first Black woman senator and defend our majority in the Senate, please split $5 or whatever you can right now between my campaign and Gary Peters'.

Thank you for being in this with me. Never tire.

Val Demings