Hi there,

I’m the Indiana State Director on Pete’s campaign. I’m bracing you for a long email about my favorite Rule of the Road: belonging. I hope you’ll read my email to the very end and think about your own path to where you are today and where you feel the strongest sense of belonging. This is important to me because I care about the people who care about this campaign.

Before I continue, I want to personally ask: Will you make a $5 donation to Pete’s campaign for presidency right now? [[link removed]]

My name is Arielle Brandy. I was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana.

I am a proud African American and Latina woman who grew up on the predominantly black, Northwest side of South Bend. When I was growing up, I saw the cyclical nature of poverty take its toll on my community over and over again

Things started to change for me when I went to college. For the first time in my life, I was able to see the world outside of Indiana and given a chance to succeed in a world I never thought I could compete in as a woman of color -- let alone thrive in.

Not unlike Pete, the more I learned about politics and social justice in my college and post-grad years, the more I wanted to return home and work to create more opportunities in my community.

So I packed up my life and moved back to South Bend. A place that once yearned for change, innovation, and new leadership, turned out to be the one place where I felt like I belonged in this country.

I returned to the Bend right as Pete had been elected Mayor -- first to work at a local non-profit, then for the Indiana Democratic Party, and then as the department head of voter registration for the entire county, where I worked closely with Pete and his administration on issues impacting communities of color. By that point in my career, I was used to being the only woman in the room. I was used to being the only one talking about the issues faced by people of color. And I was used to being overlooked.

But Pete and his office were different. Pete welcomed me into places I never thought I’d have the opportunity to work, and to leadership roles I never thought a person of color would be in. I felt like I belonged. I felt important, useful, and valued.

Pete empowered me to establish myself in Indiana politics, advocate for people who looked like me -- for black and brown girls of all ages --, and engage directly with my community.

I felt a true sense of belonging in South Bend -- finally. And now, years later, I am thrilled to be helping build a campaign that is based on that same sense of belonging. [[link removed]]

I realize I have an invaluable opportunity to uplift the stories of my community on a national stage, surrounded by people who value not just Pete and his experience, but also my perspective and the experience that I bring to the table.

Today, I live in South Bend with my two daughters, working on Pete's campaign as the state director of the very state that raised me. I am immensely proud to be working for Pete -- the person who welcomed me and my voice with open arms; who listened and valued my opinions. I know that if we work together to elect Pete, we will be proud to tell our kids what we did to build them a better future. If you’re just as committed as I am in this fight for the presidency and for a brighter future the day after the Trump presidency, will you please make a $5 donation today?


Thank you,

Arielle

Arielle Brandy
Indiana State Director
Pete for America

Pete for America
PO Box 1226
South Bend, IN 46624
United States

Paid for by Pete for America.

We send you emails because you're an important part of this team. But please let us know if you'd like to receive fewer emails: [link removed]

Additionally, if you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe: [link removed] .