[ [link removed] ]Ayanna Pressley for Congress
Movement family,
earlier this summer, I opened my inbox to questions from
you, and this community delivered. My heart is full from reading the
messages of courage and kindness.
There were also so many questions coming from a place of real hurt and
fear about the state of our country. I just want to say: I’m with you, and
I’m fighting for you.
Now, I’d like to take a moment to respond to some of your questions:
Ryan from South Carolina asks: How do you stay grounded and professional
when working with elected officials whose views may be deeply at odds with
your values, especially on issues of justice and equality?
I’ve been a Black woman my whole life — I’m not new to the challenges that
come along with this work. My very existence is seen as a threat to some
of my extremist, MAGA colleagues. That’s all the more reason for me to
keep fighting for housing justice, reproductive justice, a fair criminal
legal system, and other policies that uplift Black and brown communities.
My mother taught me early on that to be Black is something beautiful, but
that I was being born into a struggle. And she had an expectation that I
would do my part in that struggle — in the work of liberation for Black
and all marginalized people. That’s how I stay grounded and keep moving
forward.
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Nina from Massachusetts asks: If I have five minutes a day to engage
politically, what’s the most effective way to use that time to push back
against rising authoritarianism in this country?
There is so much work to be done, but here’s my short answer: Organize —
it’s our greatest tool.
Five minutes a day may not seem like a lot, but here’s what I suggest you
can do to push back against Republican attacks on our democracy and
hard-earned civil rights:
* Call your members of Congress. Let them know you’re a constituent, and
that you’re paying attention. It really does make an impact and on
many issues, constituent calls from Democrats are far outnumbered by
Republicans.
* Check on your neighbors. Dr. King taught us that our beloved community
is an antidote to cruelty and chaos, so we must grow our movement
centered in love and righteous indignation.
* [ [link removed] ]Chip in $25 or whatever makes sense to you to this campaign. I ran
for Congress to fight for the people — and that’s what I do every
single day. Making a contribution takes less than five minutes and
helps fight back against Trump’s authoritarianism.
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Ada from Massachusetts asks: On a lighter note, your recent email
mentioned your morning routine. Would you be willing to share what that
looks like?
I wake up every morning around 5am and center myself with a reading from
The President’s Devotional by Joshua DuBois. If I have time, I like to
sneak in a workout before my day starts. I’m not a coffee drinker but I do
have a few cups of green tea most days.
Now, I don’t know about y’all, but I’m an Aquarius and we like to make
lists. Every day, I make lists of the things I want to accomplish. That
list is often exhaustive. But there have been many days in my life when
the only thing on my to-do list, the only task, was “get up.” And that’s
okay. Our fight is a marathon, not a sprint. And we must practice self
care.
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Thanks for all of your questions! I keep each and every one of you in my
thoughts. I hope you’re finding ways to center yourself and steady your
steps on days when the ground feels like it's moving beneath our feet.
In solidarity,
Ayanna
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