Strengthening Communities through Public Service
Young Women Run, Win, Lead
IGNITE is on a mission to build ambition, train, and stand by young women who are ready to become our next generation of political leaders. Our flagship Run Now program, along with our conferences and other trainings, make running and holding political seats accessible for those seeking to serve in public office. Others who are eager to participate on the campaign trail by supporting candidates rather than running themselves, benefited from IGNITE trainings on becoming a campaign staffer.
Eighteen members of our IGNITE community ran for office in the last year, including Munira Abdullahi, the youngest Somali American to serve in the Ohio State House; Mary Black, the youngest City Council Member to serve in Raleigh, NC; and Kristen Gonzalez who won a state senate seat in the newly created New York District 59:
Munira Abdullahi
OH - State Rep District 9
WON
Mary Black
NC - Raleigh City Council
WON
Aurin Chowdhury
MN - Minneapolis City Council Ward 12
WON
Rianna Czech
PA - State Senate
District 50
Karla Garcia
TX - Dallas Independent School District
Kristen Gonzalez
NY - State Senate
District 59
WON
Christine Hernandez
CA - Huntington Beach Union High School
Chiquita Jackson
MD - House of Delegates
District 22
Allison K. James-Frison
NJ - Newark Board of Education
Samantha Perlman
MA - Marlborough Mayor
Nikki Perez
CA - Burbank City Council
WON
Caitlin Quinn
CA - Petaluma Board of Education
WON
Nayma Silver-Matos
NY - State Assembly
District 72
Amy Vele
Peekskill Board of Education
WON
Jessica Weaver
CT - Newington School Board
WON
Leah Wolfthal
TX - Houston City Council
Crystal Williams
NJ - Newark Board of Education
WON
Jocelyn Yow
CA - Eastvale City Council
WON
Political Candidate Spotlight: Aurin Chowdhury
“Organized People Beat Organized Money, Every Time.”
Aurin Chowdhury won her 2023 race for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 12. As a first-generation Bengali-and-Muslim-American, Aurin’s background, coupled with her years of experience organizing in the city of Minneapolis on climate action, workers’ rights, and housing justice persuaded the majority of the electorate to vote for her. Aurin focused her campaign’s efforts on ensuring people across the gender spectrum participated in the political process, and on turning out an incredible vote. She secured 6,500 first-choice votes in a ranked choice voting election—more than the other two candidates, combined. “The things we do now don’t always bring about immediate change, but grow into a different experience for people in our community 20 years down the line,” she said. “IGNITE set me up to run, to immediately improve conditions for working families, and also to set up future generations for success so that we’re not continuously cycling through the same systems of oppression.” Aurin’s campaign had “the best field program in the state of Minnesota this year,” she said. “We did the most attempts on doors and phones. We drove people to the polls. We were outraised by our competition, but we found that organized people beat organized money every time.” Politics is about helping people, Aurin said. That should be the goal of a political campaign. “You don’t have to be perfect,” she said. “You also need to have a community around you to help and give you advice. They need to protect you, because running for office is hard. As our political landscape feels more divided, communities like IGNITE become more important for young women like me.”
Campaign Staffer Spotlight: Shania Bennett
“Candidates Can Run as Their Authentic Selves, and Win.”
Shania Bennett became the
youngest elected committee person in Philadelphia's history. The first time she voted at 18, she was also on the ballot. Shania participated in IGNITE’s Run Now training which introduced her not only to the idea of running for office but also taught her what she needed to know to work on campaigns, including door-knocking, field plans, and ethical finance. In 2023, Shania worked as a field staffer for Cherelle Parker’s mayoral campaign. Ms. Parker is now Philadelphia’s 100th mayor and the first woman to lead the city. Before the primary election, she was polling behind. “I learned a ton from working on the campaign of a successful underdog candidate,” Shania said. “Political candidates can run as their authentic selves and win. Cherelle had a great story about growing up on government assistance. Every time I heard her tell that story on the campaign trail I saw people light up and identify with her. It’s not something that many candidates would have had the confidence to put out there in the public eye but IGNITE and Cherelle showed me a different way to run as a woman. Mayor Parker’s boldness to share her journey from humble beginnings showed voters her authenticity. It ultimately displayed her ability to turn pain into power.” Now, Shania continues to work with the Mayor and will go to law school. She has her own plans to run for office again as a judge. “I have always been passionate about serving my community. As a teen, I lost too many of my loved ones to gun violence. My brother was shot and killed in 2021. I am committed to making Philadelphia safe for everyone.”
Community Board Member Spotlight: Nashra Mohammed
“It’s Important for Boards to Allow Younger Members In.”
Nashra Mohammed serves as the youngest board member on the Environmental Commission in Lincolnwood, Illinois. She grew up in Chicago’s public school system and has brought a fresh perspective to decision-making on issues such as contracting, community clean-ups, solar power, and the value of social media communication to engage the public. Since serving on the board, Nashra has developed a concept suggested by a local high school student to use composting to build a community garden. “It’s so important for boards to allow younger members in, especially people that are interested in making a change,” she said. “I’m happy to have a seat at the table and voice my opinion.” Nashra feels her IGNITE experience gives her the energy and willpower she needs to continue building a career in public service and make clear decisions. “IGNITE helped me refocus my ambition after I ran for school board twice, and lost my second race by just 36 votes,” she said. Despite those early losses, Nashra believes that her first experience of running for office at just 18, with IGNITE’s support, set her up to be more successful as a leader now. “All political experiences are priceless,” she said. “And I will totally run again.” Meanwhile she is bolstering her leadership on the environmental board. “Everything we do as IGNITE alumni, we do with our full power,” she said. Nashra’s advice to anyone thinking about running for office is: “If you’re feeling fear about it, just do it anyway. Because America needs more diverse voices stepping into political leadership. That’s what I’ve learned. If running for office scares you, then you should for-sure be doing it!”
From IGNITE Fellow To The White House: Staffer Anna Del Castillo
“We Need More Equitable Representation in This Country, And We Need it Now.”
Anna Del Castillo served as IGNITE’s Boston fellow in 2020. She studied Racial Justice and Healing at Harvard Divinity School and is now working on DEI initiatives at the White House. She first attended the National Young Women Run conference in D.C., and felt inspired by seeing other women own their political power. She initially wanted to join a collective of women running for office or who were interested in leadership. For Anna, becoming a Fellow was about amplifying the voices of historically and intentionally excluded people in politics. “People who have traditionally been left out of the political process, largely women of color and low-income folks should be given the tools and resources they need to successfully run for office. We need more equitable representation in this country, and we need it now,” Anna says. As the Boston Fellow, she hosted several events around Boston that sparked a similar interest in other young women, helping them realize their own potential. “Being a Fellow feels like being a connector. There’s this really important role of connecting other people with important resources, with other young women and with mentors who can provide guidance.” And from there, Anna stepped into her role as a community organizer, facilitator and now Deputy Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) at the White House. IGNITE has prepared her to lead with authenticity, recognize the power of collective organizing, and center equity in all that she does.