Inspired by the late Marielle Franco, more women, especially black women, are feeling encouraged to participate in politics.

Often considered the “swing vote” on the Supreme Court, Justice Kennedy spent his 30-year career making arguably the most bipartisan decisions in the courtroom. Democrats and progressives had come to rely on him as a key figure in the fight to protect existing abortion rights at the federal level. 

Lupe Valdez is a proud, lesbian Latina. Valdez’s represents other underrepresented Texan identities, too: She is the daughter of migrant workers. She is a veteran, a federal agent, and a former Dallas county sheriff. She is a gay women of color who wants to fight for LGBTQ+ rights and women’s rights.

22-year-old Tyler Bryant, a senior at Alabama State University and president of the Alabama College Democrats, explains the efforts many students made on the ground to mobilize young voters and black voters to help Jones win.

Despite the accusations of sexual assault and molestation made against Alabama Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Roy Moore, as well as the racist and anti-semitic comments he made — like his claim that America was great during slavery — nearly two-thirds of white women voted for him.

This year in Virginia, we had a slate of really compelling, diverse, young candidates who were more representative of Virginians than I think the usual slates of candidates are. We were excited about helping get them elected.