I have 15 minutes of free time this morning, John. It may not sound like much – but between long hours spent in Congress pushing progressive legislation through and long hours on the campaign trail, a gap in my schedule like this is rare.

I've been sitting with a cup of coffee, reflecting on this incredible campaign that we've built together and the things in my life that led to my decision to run for Senate. And if you have a moment, I'd like to share my story with you too.

I was brought into this world via an emergency forceps delivery when my mother was nearly denied admission to the hospital for the color of her skin.

Things did not get better from there. Because despite my father retiring as a lieutenant colonel who had served in both WWII and the Korean War and my mother serving as the first Black clerical worker at Fort Bliss, we still faced discrimination every single day.

But despite all the things that my parents could not control about how the world treated me, they could control how I was taught to treat the world. They instilled in me a fierce understanding that, no matter what people said, I was not and never would be lesser than my peers – and that I must work hard every day to prove that.

And that's a lesson that I've carried throughout my entire life.

At the age of 15, when I wanted to be a cheerleader, I worked with the NAACP to integrate my high school girls' cheerleading squad. When I was struggling to make ends meet after escaping an abusive marriage, I still enrolled in college – and even took my boys with me to classes when money was spread too thin to get child care – to give myself the chance to reach my dreams. When I decided that it was time to bring the voices of Black women like myself to Congress, I ran in a special election and made it happen.

And here we are now – just 8 days away from the primary election and on the brink of making history. John, I'm truly so touched by all that you have given me so far, but I need to ask for your support once again:

People are already voting. Will you please donate $5 or more to my Senate campaign now to help power us across the finish line? I'm meeting voters where they are in these final days.

Thank you for everything.

– Barbara