Representation is power.

I finished the Candidate and Campaign Training by LGBTQ Victory Institute today.

When I was approached a few months ago by a campaign board member of the LGBTQ Victory Fund about the seminar, I was immediately interested. It was not unknown to me; I have heard of the training years ago, but I was intimidated by it. I have never really thought of myself as someone who would not only run for public office, but who would win one. Public speaking is not my forte; master planning and working behind the curtains, maybe. I am passionate about issues, about politics, but not politicking. Back then, I didn’t know any gay politicians that looked like me. Public service, though, in the misty colored movie reel of my life, is a direction I have always intuited it would flow towards.

The training was long and exhausting; but it was an incredible experience. Mimicking the intensive demands of political campaigns, we were given the tools to learn how to manage and plan winning ones either for ourselves or for others as campaign staff. It is especially critical for LGBTQ candidates that often face uphill battles. But they are not insurmountable.

We have all heard of the rainbow wave in 2018. According to Victory Institute’s Out for America, there are now 669 out officials serving their communities. It is overwhelmingly Democratic (535), of course, including the governors of Oregon and Colorado and all 10 members of Congress (2 Senators; 8 Representatives), but there are Republicans (17), Independents (13), and the non-affiliated (76) as well. Relevant to me as an executive board member for the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance, there are 14 Asian-Pacific Islanders in that mix.

Lastly, I met and worked with an amazing group of instructors and trainees from around the country. The weird ones – as it was mentioned – who would spend their weekend cooped up in a hotel talking about canvassing, fundraising and voter files. A few are currently running; some are thinking of running; some, like me, are looking to learn the mechanics, for now. It’s a diverse demo that represents our rainbow tent, and I think that makes us incredibly strong.(Yes, that includes closet Republicans across the table).

(P.S., Our team’s campaign plan won the campaign simulation! My über-critical self thinks it could have used a bit more oomph. But eh, a win is a win).