In Advice for You[th], we get to ask our friends to share their words of wisdom for our community, and create a space for intergenerational conversations. Last season, our Advice for You[th] episode featured Rhea Wolfram, a 101-year-old lifelong educator. For today’s, we’re joined by Alyia Gaskins—a candidate for city council in Alexandria, Virginia. She talks with Jade Walker from Gen Z Girl Gang about the road to running for leadership at the local level with the help of our friends at She Should Run.
A few episodes back, we spoke with Erin Loos Cutraro, the founder of She Should Run, about representation for women in elected leadership and she told us that, from a young age, girls are less likely to see themselves as elected leaders.
“As a mother of two school-aged daughters, something I’m highly aware of is reinforcing in their narratives as much as possible that their voices matter. The research is sad and true on this—we’re more likely to talk to boys about them being future elected leaders,” Cutraro says. “This is really why She Should Run is in the world, because still today, women are less likely than men to be encouraged and recruited to run for office at any level.
She Should Run holds space for women who are exploring the possibility of running for public office. Erin’s team works with women who are interested in improving their communities, counties, our country, our world—but might not know where to begin. One of them is Alyia Gaskins.
To Alyia, justice means that everyone has what they need to live a life that brings them joy, where everyone can be their full self without being mistreated because of their race, economic circumstances, gender identity, sexual orientation, abilities, or immigration status—and she knows that policy is central to achieving justice and equity.
Click here to listen to To The People wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosted by Alyssa Shapiro
Edited by Manna Zel
Produced by Jade Walker, Manna Zel, + Alyssa Shapiro
Theme music by YTTP co-founder Greg Gonzalez + Hannah Fernando
