Our last class of the year! Meet the December 2022 Endorsees
Run for Something is celebrating the last endorsement class of the year, featuring 20 trailblazers from across the country prepared to defend democracy and support their communities in the New Year.
Our December endorsement class spans across 7 states and includes 10 candidates receiving an RFS endorsement for a second time. Learn more about our candidates below!
CANDIDATES
COLORADO
Denver City Council, District 10
Election Date: April 4, 2022
Shannon, a resourceful advocate, educator, and former small business retail employee, is a candidate for Denver City Council, District 10. She would bring a unique perspective on housing to council, as there are no current council members who are renters, despite making up more than 50% of the city’s population.
As someone from a working-class background who has worked primarily in education and nonprofits, Shannon has seen firsthand how policies impact people directly — for better and worse. From access to affordable housing to prioritizing the planet and community co-governance, she is determined to find solutions to the biggest challenges the city faces. And, most importantly, she has the experience and tenacity to make it happen. Shannon currently works for a nonprofit developing mixed-used affordable housing and formerly served as the Project Manager for From Allies to Abolitionists, an Emancipation Theater project, where she led a research team of local individuals who filed more than 40 Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) requests. This resulted in 427 documents that provided insight into how city funds are used to conduct sweeps or forced displacements of unhoused neighbors. The advocacy of this community group resulted in the City Auditor including the cost of sweeps in his future audit plan. Shannon believes the city needs more representatives on the city council that reflect its working-class population and who will prioritize the needs of people over profit.
Denver City Council, At-Large
Election Date: April 4, 2023
Sarah is an experienced advocate for economic justice and workers’ rights. Her drive to run for Denver City Council comes from her belief that when we invest in each other, we all win. In Denver, this means making city-owned social housing a reality, moving public safety resources away from criminalizing poverty, funding housing first and harm reduction models, and transforming transit with equity, climate resilience, and accessibility in mind.
Sarah began her career at Colorado Legal Services, fighting to protect older Coloradoans, young families, and other vulnerable homeowners from foreclosure. She then cofounded a small public interest law firm focused on representing workers. She is a go-to resource for policymakers fighting for the constitutional, civil, and workplace rights of their constituents, and was a primary drafter of the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, which made Colorado a national leader in pay transparency.
Sarah’s advocacy has led to: a verdict believed to be the largest disability discrimination verdict in Colorado history, the return of hundreds of thousands of dollars of stolen wages to 200 drywall workers on a luxury condo project, a seven-figure settlement for a family injured in a mistaken police raid, and a change in nationwide policy by the Centers for Disease Control leading to coverage for mammograms for low-income trans women, among many other outcomes.
Aside from her legal work, Sarah participates in mutual aid groups, shows up on picket lines, and mentors a broad range of young people. She has two small kids.’’
ILLINOIS
Chicago Alderman, 10th Ward
Election Date: February 28, 2023
Oscar is a resident and community organizer in Chicago’s 10th Ward; it is where his family laid roots over 40 years ago. Oscar has brought people together and built power to address community needs. He has done so by being a co-founder of the Southeast Youth Alliance and Southeast Response Collective. Oscar believes in developing city-wide power and solidarity by being a part of anti-violence and environmental justice campaigns. Oscar currently works as the Community Planning Manager for the Southeast Environmental Task Force. He previously held titles of Anti-Violence Coordinator and Director of Youth and Restorative Justice Programming. Oscar was one of the leaders in the Stop General Iron Campaign, and he participated in a 30-day hunger strike, leading to its denial. Oscar is running for 10th Ward Alderman to co-govern and build safe, healthy, and thriving communities.
Chicago Alderman, 30th Ward
Election Date: February 28, 2023
Warren is a lifelong Chicagoan and community organizer running for Alderperson of the 30th Ward. He is the proud son of a union letter carrier with the United States Postal Service and a former union construction worker and ordained minister. In his twenties, Warren was diagnosed with epilepsy. This experience has informed Warren’s values, visions, and commitment to fight for affordable, accessible healthcare and public transit for the masses. He has organized on state and city issues including Illinois’ historic Pre-Trial Fairness Act and Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and founded 30th United, an independent political organization.
Warren believes local government should work for the people and every resident should have a voice in shaping their community. He believes the 30th Ward deserves leadership that prioritizes working-class people and families, fosters true transparency, and fights for a more just and equitable ward where all can thrive. Warren will work towards universal access to public transportation, environmental justice and climate action, immigration rights, preventative public safety measures, affordable housing, and strong constituency services.
District Council, Chicago’s 19th Police District
Election Date: February 28, 2023
Maurilio has been a Chicagoan for over 15 years, first attending college at Northwestern University and now residing in the Uptown neighborhood with his partner and three cats. He has worked for a small market research firm for the last decade translating people’s needs and pain points into data-backed action plans. He is passionate about listening to what people experience and believe and intends to continue this passion by listening to the needs of his community through the District Council position.
Maurilio discovered his drive for helping others by founding a pro-bono initiative through his employer that grants local non-profit organizations $50k worth of services to help better their community. This initiative is in its fifth year and has granted hundreds of thousands of dollars in assistance. Through this work, he’s helped a range of organizations carry out their mission and values, inclusive of helping underserved CPS students attain their goal of attending college. He also began an anti-racist committee at his company to actively reflect on, recognize, and dismantle processes and systems of advantage in the workplace. He believes while we may not be able to change the entire world, the least we can do is to try and change the world we live in day-to-day.
As a Mexican American and coming from a family of immigrants, he intends to fight for and proudly represent marginalized communities. Maurilio’s goal as a District Councilor is to ensure that all 19th District residents’ experiences with policing are positive and productive.
Chicago Alderman, 21st Ward
Election Date: February 28, 2023
A seasoned organizer, Ronnie has created wins on local and national levels for issues like gun violence prevention, cannabis, education reform, youth health, voting rights, and entrepreneurship. With over 15 years of professional experience ranging from community outreach to intergovernmental affairs, he has proven his abilities to navigate through challenges and build an infrastructure effectively.
In 2017, Ronnie co-founded Homegrown Strategy Group, a policy and organizing firm that believes in the power of community and in the idea that achievement comes through collective effort. It is there that he serves as a founding partner and has managed clients that ranged from the JB Pritzker for Governor Campaign to the Obama Foundation.
Ronnie was elected to the Local School Council of Simeon Career Academy and Wendell Green Elementary. He also serves on the boards of Mikva Challenge and March For Our Lives. A native of the Southside of Chicago, Ronnie completed his studies at Simeon Career Academy and Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA).
He resides with his wife and goldendoodle in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Chicago and is a proud son and brother.
Chicago Alderman, 25th Ward
Primary Date: February 8, 2023; Election Date: April 4, 2023
Aida is an educator currently serving as Assistant Principal at Darwin Elementary, a Chicago public school. She holds a BA from Georgetown University, a master’s degree in teaching from National-Louis University, and a master’s in education from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Flores has served as Principal and former Local School Council Member-Student Representative at Benito Juarez High School.
During her time as an educator, she has served as an administrator in Boston where she helped a neighborhood community school overcome their 20 year record on probation. She helped launch dual language primary schools — programs that promote accessible, enriching education environments that bring students closer together and to embrace differences.
Aida knows firsthand that the challenges her community faces can seem overwhelming. She’s running to be the next Alderwoman because she knows we can do better.
Families in Pilsen and Little Village are struggling to make ends meet in the face of inflation and stagnant wages. Seniors are fighting to stay in their homes as regressive taxes increase. Young people are forced out of the community every day by skyrocketing rent, and the public school educators and administrators need more support to provide children the attention they deserve. More equitable choices that ensure every member of the community has an opportunity to build a life beyond surviving is important. Aida will fight for a future in which everyone has a chance to thrive.
District Council, Chicago’s 19th Police District
Election Date: February 28, 2023
Sam is running for the brand-new office of District Council in Chicago’s 19th Police District to put the community’s voice at the center of public safety and decision-making. He wants to make policing more accountable, fair, and effective. As a student at NYU Law, amid nationwide calls for police reform, Sam came to understand that policing is among the government institutions most shielded from genuine community input. After moving to Chicago, Sam joined the grassroots effort to create a new elected office focused specifically on bringing the community’s voice to public safety and policing: District Councils. Now that this new position exists, Sam and the two candidates he’s running alongside — including fellow Run For Something endorsee, Maurilio Garcia — are committed to making sure it gets off to a strong start. They seek to modernize our public safety approach to include expanded emergency services with mental health and substance abuse crisis teams. They also aim to ensure needed policing reforms are implemented and that officers have the resources to do their jobs responsibly and effectively.
Sam got involved in advocacy after high school as an organizer on Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. He later graduated from Yale University, and then worked for non-profit organizations dedicated to removing corporate money from politics and expanding access to health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. In Chicago, Sam works as an attorney and is involved in local social justice efforts. He lives with his husband, Nigel, in Northalsted (formerly Boystown), a mainstay of Chicago’s LGBTQ community.
Chicago Alderperson, 5th Ward
Election Date: February 28, 2023
A proud native of Chicago’s South Side, Adrienne has been a champion of social causes for over 18 years. Adrienne currently serves as AVP for External Affairs at Illinois Tech. Before joining Illinois Tech, Adrienne served on the legislative staff for the Cook County Board President. Adrienne was appointed a Commissioner for Special Service Area #42, where she voted on how special tax revenue is used to help drive economic and community development. Adrienne also served on the Advisory Committee of the We Will Chicago citywide planning initiative.
Adrienne is running because she wants to leverage her diverse work and lived experience to best serve the 5th Ward. There is a lot of growth happening and the future of the Ward requires an experienced candidate to do the work starting on day one. At her core, Adrienne does this work to leave this world in better shape for her children and ALL children.
Adrienne earned her bachelor’s in biology from MIT (2004) and earned her MPA in 2014. Adrienne is a 2023 Fellow with Leadership Greater Chicago, and previous Fellow with Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, the Truman National Security Project, the Chicago Urban League IMPACT Leadership Development Program, New Leaders Council, Chicago.
Adrienne grew up in Hyde Park and has lived in South Shore for 19 years where she and her husband are proud to raise their two sons.
INDIANA
Evansville City Council, Ward 4
Primary Date: May 2, 2023; Election Date: November 7, 2023
Alex was born and raised in Evansville, IN. He graduated from Indiana State University with a degree in communications. He also obtained his master’s in public administration from Western Kentucky. He also interned for two members of Congress: Jim Cooper (TN-05) and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09).
Alex returned back to Evansville to serve his community. He currently serves as Vice President of the city council and has sought to make positive traction in the areas of workforce development, housing, food insecurity, and public education.
Hammond City Council, District 3
Primary Date: May 2, 2023; Election Date: November 7, 2023
Barry is running for re-election for 3rd District City Council in Hammond, Indiana. He attended Wabash College, where he double majored in speech and political science. Barry’s career has focused on education, youth development, and nonprofit management. He is also an active board member with several organizations, a former member of the USW, and has served as a high school football coach for the past 17 years.
As a councilman, Barry has focused on increasing employment opportunities, economic development, and improving the overall safety and infrastructure of neighborhoods. In his first term, he has successfully helped the city balance their budget, provided residents with resources to improve their short and long term quality of life, and has helped recruit several new businesses and services to the 3rd District while helping current businesses grow.
Indianapolis City County Council, District 10
Primary Date: May 2, 2023; Election Date: November 7, 2023
Ali is a nonprofit executive and City-County Councillor for Indianapolis’ Fifth District. From her activist work with organizations like Freedom Indiana to her efforts connecting people with new careers as a workforce development nonprofit executive, Ali has dedicated her life to empowering people and lifting up her community.
In her professional life, Ali has first-hand workforce development experience as the executive director of a large construction workforce development nonprofit, helping to connect people to apprenticeship programs in the building trades. Ali has helped hundreds of Indianapolis residents find jobs by leading the planning and execution of career fairs in the Circle City. As the previous Executive Director of the Indiana Transportation Association, the leading nonprofit representing mass transit in our state, Ali believes that an interconnected community benefits everyone and leads to a better Indianapolis. She is currently the executive director of a nonprofit that helps repair homes and revitalize neighborhoods in Indianapolis.
In December 2020, Ali founded the Indy Autism Project. Supported by partners such as the IMPD, Mayor Joe Hogsett, Visit Indy, Indy Chamber, IndyGo, Easterseals Crossroads and others, the project’s mission is to make Indianapolis the best city in the country for someone on the spectrum to live, work, or visit. It focuses on five pillars — public safety, parks & recreation, workforce development, mass transit, and travel & tourism — to improve safety and quality of life in Indianapolis.
Ali has been married to her husband, Zach, for more than six years and in January their son, Dylan, will celebrate his sixth birthday in Januart. Time and time again, she has proven her ability to lead our community to a better future.
Indianapolis City Council, District 11
Primary Date: May 2, 2023; Election Date: November 7, 2023
Crista is a graduate of Ben Davis High School and the University of Indianapolis. She earned her master’s in teaching from Marian University in 2012, and her building level administrator credentials from UINDY’s iLEAD program in 2013. Crista served as a public educator from 2009–2021, and currently serves as the Director of Development & Communications for RecycleForce and Keys2Work. She is the current District 6 City-County Councilwoman. Crista is a former member of the Indianapolis Public Library Board of Trustees, and resides in the Sunningdale Commons neighborhood on Indy’s Westside with her husband, Charlie and their daughter, Alexis.
MISSOURI
Kansas City Council, 5th District At-Large
Primary Date: April 4, 2023; Election Date: June 6, 2023
Michael is the policy director for BikeWalkKC, a local nonprofit which works to expand mobility choice and freedom throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. He’s running for the KCMO City Council in the 5th District At-Large for two important reasons: his daughters. Michael was raised to leave this world in a better place. When he looked at all of the challenges the community faces, he increasingly found himself saying he couldn’t sit on the sidelines. So he’s running to create a better Kansas City for his daughters and for everyone who calls Kansas City home.
How does Michael plan to accomplish this? By focusing on four key areas: 1. Public Health: Helping Kansas City recover from the pandemic and to take steps to address long-standing issues, like mental illness and gun violence. 2. Neighborhoods: Addressing issues related to quality of life, affordable housing, and homelessness. 3. Infrastructure: Taking steps to repair roads and sidewalks. 4. Sustainability: Climate Change is real, it’s man-made, and it is accelerating. Doing everything possible to lower emissions while increasing preparedness for extreme weather events is important.
NEW YORK
New York City Council, District 39
Primary Date: June 20, 2023; Election Date: November 7, 2023
Shahana made history as the first South Asian and Muslim woman ever elected to the New York City Council and the first woman Council Member for the 39th District. She is running for re-election in District 39 to continue the powerful work she’s led during her first term to advance reproductive rights, protections for immigrants, and climate justice.
In her first year, she successfully advocated to expand the NYC Abortion Access Fund from $250K to $1 million to ensure NYC continues to provide safe abortions to all. As the Chair of the Immigration Committee, she has been on the frontlines organizing to deliver language justice, expand funding for immigration legal service providers, and stand with domestic, delivery, and taxi workers in their fights for workplace protections and better wages. Thanks to her leadership, the city council invested $10M to fund childcare for undocumented families. She’s introduced 17 pieces of legislation, including universal residential composting, and she works in deep collaboration with her colleagues, advocates, and her constituents to tackle local issues with transformative legislation.
She secured millions of dollars for her district’s community-based organizations, playgrounds, libraries, and schools, including Brooklyn’s only forest, Prospect Park. Shahana has kept the spirit of participatory democracy alive by leading participatory budgeting to empower neighbors to determine how city dollars should be spent in the district.
Shahana is a foodie and often shares reviews about her local eats.
New York City Council, District 37
Primary Date: June 27, 2023; Election Date: November 7, 2023
Sandy has been a community organizer and activist for over 15 years. She is fighting for a New York that provides safe and stable housing, comprehensive public safety, access to care, and dignity for all.
TEXAS
San Antonio City Council, District 2
Election Date: May 6, 2023
Jalen is a former high school math teacher and was elected to serve District 2 of San Antonio in 2021. He serves as a fierce advocate for equitable investment in his city’s infrastructure. He increased focus on the social determinants of health, advocated for accountability and transparency in city operations, and re-imagined public safety to prevent crime. When elected, Jalen will became the first openly-gay man elected to the San Antonio City Council and the first openly-gay Black man elected to any seat in Texas.
Jalen has brought a fiery (and colorful) brand of advocacy to the council, where he has successfully advocated for a street lighting index paired with record funding, a change to the city’s Equity Funding Formula, hired a Civil Rights Coordinator, added additional resources for Animal Care Services, and provided funding for home repair and housing assistance programs. His work on these issues has garnered the attention of public figures like Taraji P. Henson and Nicki Minaj.
In 2021, Jalen was ranked #71 on The Root’s annual list of 100 influential African-Americans. In 2022, he was voted San Antonio Magazine’s Best Politician in the publication’s annual “Best of SA” compilation and Best Community Activist in SA Current’s annual “Best of San Antonio” list.
Jalen and his husband Nathan have two cats and a dog: Cairo, Rome, and London. Jalen is a certified math teacher (grades 4–8 and 7–12), licensed bartender, and Zumba®️ instructor.
VIRGINIA
Virginia House, District 94
Election Date: November 7, 2023
Phil was born and raised in Hampton Roads, attended local public schools, and received a Gates Millennium Scholarship, which made it possible for him to attend William & Mary and become the first in his family to graduate from college. He later served in President Obama’s White House, worked as a civil rights attorney, and became a trusted policy leader in Virginia. Phil is running in District 94 to represent the city of Norfolk in the House of Delegates. In his campaign, Phil is focused on creating a family-friendly economy, making smart investments in our future — from raising teacher pay to leading on clean energy — and protecting our fundamental freedoms.
Virginia House, District 5
Primary Date: June 20, 2023; Election Date: November 7, 2023
Elizabeth is the Delegate for Virginia’s 45th House District. She is running for re-election to continue to strengthen public education, protect abortion rights, combat climate change, enact commonsense gun safety legislation, and build an economy that works for all of our residents.
After her first session, Elizabeth was named a legislative champion by the Virginia Education Association, received a 100% score from the Virginia Sierra Club and League of Conservation Voters, and earned an A+ from ReproRising (formerly NARAL Virginia).
Elizabeth previously served as the Vice Mayor of Alexandria, the Chair of the Operations Board of the Virginia Railway Express, and as a member of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, among other boards.
She is a substitute teacher for Alexandria City Public Schools and a former co-leader of Together We Bake, a nonprofit that provides job training and personal development programs for underserved women. She is the founder of Fruitcycle, a social enterprise fighting food waste and hunger.
Elizabeth and her husband, Stephen, live with their rescue cat, Julep and rescue dog, Nori.
Virginia House, District 84
Primary Date: June 20, 2023; Election Date: November 7, 2023
Nadarius is a progressive community activist, organizer, and Delegate representing the 79th district, which covers parts of Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Chesapeake. He comes from a military family with a background in business entrepreneurship. He grew up in a strong faith community and attends Zion Community Church in Northern Suffolk.
Born in Norfolk, he attended I.C. Norcom High School in downtown Portsmouth. He worked his first job at the age of 14 at his local 7-Eleven. He went on to college and graduated from Virginia Union University, an HBCU in Richmond.
In 2016 Delegate Clark co-founded the charter chapter of Generation Now Network, an organization committed to faith-based activism, advocacy, and education. As a student leader at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference in 2017, Nadarius rallied with leaders of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike, and he went on to lobby in Washington D.C. for comprehensive expansion to Medicare and Medicaid.
Nadarius went on to organize with the non-profit Virginia For Our Future, Portsmouth Mayor Shannon Glover, and the Virginia Democratic Party to help elect Congressman Bobby Scott, Senator Tim Kaine, and President Joe Biden.
In 2021, Nadarius won a historic primary against a long-time incumbent to become the first African American Delegate to represent the 79th district, and the youngest Democrat ever elected to the general assembly in its 400 year history. He was recognized by The Nation magazine as one of 2021’s most significant victories for progressive leaders in America.
