Political Superstars on Parade in And She Could Be Next

Working with Emily’s List has opened my eyes to the staggering number of women who are smart, capable in politics.  Gone are the days where there is only one (Barbara Jordan, Shirley Chisholm, Maxine Waters, Kamala Harris).  In 2018, an unprecedented rise in women of color running and winning elections throughout America.   “AND SHE COULD BE NEXT”  follows the historic rise and dramatic stories of six candidates  as they fight to represent and uplift disenfranchised communities.

Filmed, directed and produced by a team of women filmmakers of color (Grace Lee and Marjan Safinia), this riveting two-part series offers a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at Stacey Abrams’ game-changing campaign for Governor of Georgia; three battles for the U.S. House of Representatives (Rashida Tlaib, Lucy McBath and Veronica Escobar); Maria Elena Durazo’s race in Los Angeles for the California State Senate; and 19-year-old Bushra Amiwala’s run for the Cook County Board of Commissioners in Chicago.

Not surprising, since changes were instituted to the Voting Rights Acts leading to voter suppression tactics arising in the form of last minute polling locations, losing absentee ballots, long lines, broken machines, closing polling locations because they weren’t ADA (American and Disabilities Act) compliant are all being used to undermine and rig our democratic system to win elections by any means necessary.  A tactic that everyone knows cost  Stacey Abrams and Hillary Clinton dearly.

But, there is light at the end of the tunnel.  With the youth infused transformative organizational voices like Nse Ufot of the New Georgia Project, who seeks to mobilize not only in her state, but across the country. Not to mention, with more than one-half of the members of Congress being millionaires, it’s more important than ever to have politicians that look like us and come from an economic POV that remembers and/or knows what is feels like to lvie from paycheck to paycheck.  I loved this film as I am always down to shed the light on women who are kicking butts and taking names and giving a no-holds barred account of where we really are in America as opposed the the rhetoric that is being spinned by Washington on a daily basis.  Produced by Oscar nominated Ava Duvernay, check out “And She Could Be Next” available at pbs.org/pov/shecouldbenext AND andshecouldbenext.com.