Dear MoveOn member,
This is Ava DuVernay. I'm a director, and you may have seen my films "Selma," "A Wrinkle in Time," or "13th."
I'm a storyteller, and I do it because I believe stories can connect us to our common humanity, encourage us to be our better selves, and inspire a new generation to rise up and lead.
Today I want to tell you the stories of four incredible Black women, all of whom make me want to be better—and all of whom are running for office to help build a country that works for everyone.
These four women—Stacey Abrams, Lauren Underwood, Lucy McBath, and Linda Coleman—are all running inspiring, community-driven campaigns, and they need our help to win in November. We need them in office—and they need us to help them get there.
Will you join me by chipping in $3 right now, split between these four women's campaigns? With only 18 days left until the election, every single dollar matters.
I'm with you, Ava. I'll chip in right now.
Throughout the history of our nation, the stories of Black women have been left out of books, films, television, and the halls of power.
And yet, Black women are the bedrock of so many progressive social justice movements. Black women were on the front lines fighting for civil rights, women's rights, LGBTQ equality, and have been consistently organizing and voting for progressive candidates for decades.
Imagine how different our country would be if more Black women like Stacey, Lauren, Lucy, and Linda were fully included. If their stories, and the stories of our communities, were being told.
I think it's about time, don't you?
Here is just a bit of Stacey, Lauren, Lucy, and Linda's stories:
- Stacey Abrams, candidate for governor of Georgia, fights for justice because she knows personally the struggles that people are facing, and she'll fight for all of us. Stacey grew up in a family with very little and pulled herself up to become a Yale Law School graduate and the first-ever Black woman to lead a party in Georgia's legislature. She owns a small business that helps employ thousands of people in Georgia and has registered hundreds of thousands of people in the state—significantly, people of color, the very same people that her opponent, the Republican secretary of state, is trying to block from voting.1 Oh, and you know what? Stacey is the first Black woman to win the nomination for governor for a major party anywhere in America. And when she wins, Stacey will be the very first Black woman elected governor in the history of the United States!
- Lucy McBath, candidate for the U.S. House in Georgia, is the mother of Jordan Davis, a Black teenager who was shot and killed at a gas station by a white man who didn't like his music. Following Jordan's murder, Lucy became a national leader in Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense. President Barack Obama invited her to the White House for an address on gun violence, she spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, and she has testified before Congress on the dangers of "stand your ground" laws. A two-time breast cancer survivor and daughter of two medical professionals, Lucy understands the importance of quality, affordable health care. She's also focused on bringing high-paying jobs to the Atlanta metro area, protecting a woman's right to chose, and safeguarding the environment.2
- Lauren Underwood, candidate for the U.S. House in Illinois, knows firsthand the real-life importance of quality, affordable health care for working families and their children, both from her career in health care and as a person living with a pre-existing condition. She is a nurse who served in President Obama's administration.3 When the incumbent, Republican Representative Randy Hultgren, voted to take away health care from millions of Americans, Lauren stepped up to run. Over the past several months, her incredible campaign has turned a race that wasn't supposed to be in play to what now looks to be a very close race.4
- Linda Coleman, candidate for the U.S. House in North Carolina, has served as a teacher, county commissioner, state legislator, and the state director of human resources. She has always worked to solve problems and promote the well-being of working families.5 Her opponent, George Holding, is heir to a banking fortune and was one of the key architects of the Trump tax giveaways to billionaires like himself. Despite his major fundraising advantage, the campaign is now a statistical dead heat.6
I cannot imagine four more qualified, powerful, compassionate, and inspiring women to help lead our nation.
Thanks for all you do.
–Ava DuVernay
P.S. If MoveOn members chip in $180,000 to this email, we will have collectively raised $1 million for Stacey Abrams and $100,000 each for the three Black women congressional candidates! Will you chip in $3 right now to help MoveOn achieve this incredible milestone—and help power these four women to victory? Click here now.
Sources:
1. "Meet Stacey," Stacey Abrams for Governor, accessed October 18, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/38531?t=18&akid=218840%2E10220574%2Ej1rsSm
2. "About Lucy," Lucy McBeth for Congress, accessed October 18, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/52792?t=20&akid=218840%2E10220574%2Ej1rsSm
3. "Meet Lauren," Lauren Underwood for Congress, accessed October 18, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/52793?t=22&akid=218840%2E10220574%2Ej1rsSm
4. "We polled voters in Illinois's 14th Congressional District," The New York Times, accessed October 9, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/52794?t=24&akid=218840%2E10220574%2Ej1rsSm
5. "About Linda," Linda Coleman for Congress, accessed October 18, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/52795?t=26&akid=218840%2E10220574%2Ej1rsSm
6. "GOP Super PAC Airs First North Carolina Ad for House Race," Roll Call, September 26, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/52796?t=28&akid=218840%2E10220574%2Ej1rsSm
Here is what Michael Moore has to say about MoveOn: "MoveOn is working around the clock to help organize and turn out volunteers to get out the vote in November. I know that MoveOn members like you are moving heaven and earth to win this election. We're the majority. But we need to rise up. That's the only way out of this mess." Will you chip in $3 a week to help win this election? (MoveOn will contact you shortly after Election Day to see if you want to modify or cancel your donation.)
No, I'm sorry, I can't make a weekly donation.
PAID FOR BY MOVEON
This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on October 20, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.
No comments:
Post a Comment