You Should Run

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. 

You Should Run - Ken Lawrence

Ken Lawrence was appointed to be a County Commissioner in Montgomery County, PA in 2017 after then Commissioner Josh Shapiro became Pennsylvania Attorney General. However, Ken has been involved in politics for over two decades. In this episode of the You Should Run podcast, Ken talks about his early involvement in campaigns and government, looking out for the interests of working people, how his perspective changed once he got into office, helping to recruit and support candidates up and down the ballot, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, and subscribe today to learn more. 

You Should Run Barbara Bessette

Montana. Big Sky Country. It is a state that voted for Donald Trump by a large margin and voted for a Democratic Governor in the same year.

Barbara Bessette ran for State Representative in Montana in 2018 for the first time, but it wasn't her first foray into politics. She got interested in politics in 2006 when Jon Tester ran for Senate and was recruited to run for her work in the community. In this episode of the You Should Run Podcast, Barbara talks about what motivated her to run for state representative in this purple state, some of the things that make Montana a great state and how candidates of any party can win there, the challenges of running her first campaign for herself, organizations that supported her and others, and, of course, why YOU should run for office too.

 

Listen, share, subscribe and get motivated to run for office wherever you live. 

You Should Run Emily Siegrist

Emily Siegrist is a nurse, a mom, and a candidate for State Representative in Wisconsin. In 2018, Emily ran for State Representative for the first time. She knew that it would be a challenge, but she was up for it after being disappointed in her local representation. In this podcast, Emily talks about why she ran, the challenges of running, how being a candidate matters for other elections, what motivates her today, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, subscribe, and share today! 

You Should Run James Cooper

James Cooper is an Oklahoma public school teacher but he is also now managing billion dollar plans as a member of Oklahoma City Council. In this You Should Run Podcast, James Cooper talks about running and winning his campaign to become the first gay council member in Oklahoma City, the strong youth movement in Oklahoma City and the state generally, his positive approach to doorknocking that flips politics upside down in a good way, and why YOU should run for office. If you've never thought about visiting Oklahoma City, you'll want to listen to James express his enthusiasm for his city and maybe make your own plans to visit. Hopefully you'll also make your plans to run for office wherever you live.

 

Listen, share, and subscribe now and encourage others to run for office to change their communities, their states, their country, and the planet! 

You Should Run Michelle Ostrelich

Following the 2017 Women's March, Michelle Ostrelich felt that she could not sit back and let others shape the world. She started to become more involved in local politics and hoped to change the landscape in her area. After working on promoting change on important issues in her community, Michelle took up the mantle to run for State Senate in upstate New York against a long time incumbent. While she didn't win, Michelle found the experience motivating and she is now running for Schenectady County Legislature.

Listen and share this episode of the You Should Run Podcast to hear Michelle's perspective of running for office, why more moms should run, the challenges of being a candidate, and why everyone should get involved in the political process. 

Follow Michelle on Twitter at @michelle4nys 

You Should Run PA State Rep Danielle Friel Otten

Danielle Friel Otten was not expected to win her election to the Pennsylvania State House in 2018. She ran the race in her own way, knocking on more doors than any candidate ever had previously. She was very motivated by local environmental issues and she's using her new position to address local impacts of energy and environmental rules and to advance issues of healthcare and the economy. 

Listen and share Representative Danielle Friel Otten's interview on the You Should Run Podcast as she talks about how she became politically active in Chester County, the challenges of being a first time candidate and a mother of young children at the same time, and, of course, why YOU should run for office too.

You Should Run - Jess King

Jess King was a working mom from the Lancaster, PA area who woke up after the 2016 election determined to do something, anything, to stand up to injustice in American government and politics. Two years later, during an impossible race, she would be the focus of national donations and media attention, something she never imagined would happen.

In this episode of the You Should Run Podcast, Jess King shares her motivation for running for Congress in Pennsylvania, what happened when her district was suddenly changed and made even more difficult politically, how she stuck to her progressive values despite being up against a conservative region, the challenges of being a first time candidate, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. In fact, Jess talks not only about why more people should run, but about how many veterans of her campaign are running for office now.

Listen, share, and subscribe to the You Should Run Podcast today.