You Should Run

You Should Run Danielle Kempe

Danielle Kempe has been working on issues of accessibility for over a decade. Now she is running for City Council in Quincy, Massachusetts to highlight some of the challenges that people with disabilities face and to make sure that people of all ages and abilities can fully participate in the local community. In this podcast, Danielle talks about the issues that are unique to the disability community, why she decided that now was the time to run for office, and why YOU should try to run for office where you live as well.

Listen, share, subscribe and consider running today! 

You Should Run Marita Garrett

In 2013, Marita Garrett ran a successful campaign for Council in Wilkinsburg, PA. After seeing how she could make a direct positive impact on her community, she decided to challenge the status quo again and run for mayor in 2017. In this podcast, Marita talks about winning her elections, the challenges of running, the importance of representation as a young woman of color, and why YOU should run for office too in your area. 

Listen to how Marita first got interested in politics with the help of her mother and how she is extending her positivity and vision in everything she does. 

You Should Run Matt Mascara

Matt Mascara may have politics in his blood, but he's busy forging his own path with a run for County Treasurer in Westmoreland County, PA. As a recent graduate from St. Vincent College, Matt is bringing youthful energy and new perspectives to a race that often gets overlooked by voters. In this podcast, Matt talks about how he wants to bring a different outlook to the office of Treasurer, how someone can take an office like County Treasurer and make it more accessible to all people, improving resources for senior citizens, the challenges of running for county office, and why YOU should run. He also talks about changing the political perceptions of Western PA, focusing on local issues, and getting more young people to run for office.

Subscribe, share, listen, and consider running for office today! 

You Should Run - Ismail Smith Wade El

Even at his relatively young age, Ismail Smith-Wade-El had years of experience working on poverty issues and community development in and around Lancaster, PA before running for city council in 2017. Since running, and winning, that election, Ismail has seen how local government can make a direct difference in people's lives, why representation matters on all levels, and how local issues can have a bigger impact than anyone may first realize.

In this podcast, Ismail Smith-Wade-El breaks down preconceived notions of Lancaster, talks about changes in local government, how young people can change communities and, of course, why YOU should consider running for office.

Listen, subscribe, and share today! 

You Should Run Nicki Vander Meulen

“I knew the law at a very young age because I had to,” she said. “I knew that (the law) had a voice, that it had power, and that it could protect me.”

That's a quote from Nicki Vander Meulen, school board member in Madison, Wisconsin. Her knowledge of the law, and her experiences in public schools and as a person with a disability, makes her's the most incredible story yet on the You Should Run Podcast. 

Nicki has been an advocate for people with disabilities since she was just 7 years old. As a person with Asperger's syndrome and cerebral palsy, Nicki faced many challenges as a student in Wisconsin. Many years later, she faced challenges as a candidate. 

 

In this podcast, Nicki talks about why we need more people with disabilities to run for office, the many difficulties with special education and opportunities for people with disabilities in schools and law and life, and what motivated her to run herself. She talks about bad experiences in school but also how positive interactions with a teacher as a kid served as motivation throughout her life.

 

Listen, subscribe, and share Nicki's story now on the You Should Run Podcast.