Authenticity in politics isn’t about being unfiltered or saying whatever pops into your head. It’s about something harder and far more dangerous: defining yourself in your own terms and refusing to let anyone else decide whether your presence is justified.
As someone who is running in the Dem primary in Oregon, I hear this constantly. People say they want more Native, LGBTQ+, working class, women...etc etc etc. But when we show up fully and authentically, we are constantly told we aren't "professional" enough, to sit down and wait our turn, that we have quite the audacity to think we can run for office. I could quote this whole entire piece. Thank you for saying it. I am not here to ask for a seat at the table, I am here to flip it.
As someone who is running in the Dem primary in Oregon, I hear this constantly. People say they want more Native, LGBTQ+, working class, women...etc etc etc. But when we show up fully and authentically, we are constantly told we aren't "professional" enough, to sit down and wait our turn, that we have quite the audacity to think we can run for office. I could quote this whole entire piece. Thank you for saying it. I am not here to ask for a seat at the table, I am here to flip it.