Lucas,
After hundreds of nominations from the EMILY's List community, we've narrowed it down to seven finalists for the Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award. All of these young women serving in state or local office show the same passion, dedication, and grit as this award's namesake.
Read about each of our finalists and then cast your vote for the Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award.
Meet our finalists:
Lucy Flores: A Nevada Assemblywoman who represents the economically challenged North Las Vegas district where she grew up, Lucy is running for Lt. Governor at age 34. When her mother left their family, Lucy went from being a straight-A student to falling in with a bad crowd, eventually stealing a car and serving time in juvenile prison. With the help of a parole officer and community college professors who believed in her, Lucy changed her life, graduated from college and law school and is now working every day to make a difference in the state legislature for young people like her.
Stacey Abrams: Stacey is the 39-year-old Georgia House Minority Leader and the first woman to lead either party in the Georgia General Assembly and the first African-American to lead the Georgia House of Representatives. She's been an outspoken leader pushing back against the increasingly extreme Republican agenda and championing health care and education for working families. Stacey grew up in Mississippi with two parents who were ministers and taught her and her five siblings the importance of service early in life.
Aja Brown: Choosing to move back to the city her family fled after the violent murder of her grandmother during a home invasion, Compton's new 31-year-old Mayor Aja Brown ran against an incumbent mayor who'd been convicted for corruption and won. Now, in the short time since Aja took the reins, Compton has a budget surplus and an actual plan to attract new business. Thanks to this visionary, detailed policy wonk and urban planner, progress is being made to turn this city around.
Nily Rozic: At 28 years old, Nily Rozic came to the New York State Legislature with ample experience as an attorney and former legislative staffer. She understands how to get things done in the New York Assembly -- since her election, Nily has worked to make daily life better for the people of Queens. She's focusing on protecting senior centers from drastic cuts, increasing parkland and open space, and expanding neighborhood bus services.
Rashida Tlaib: Rashida is a 37-year-old state Representative and the first Muslim American elected to the state legislature in Michigan. Born and raised in Detroit, Rashida is the child of immigrants -- her family's struggle inspired her long-term commitment to public service and giving back to the community. Known for her strong advocacy for her constituents, Rashida stands out among Michigan legislators for providing constituent services and even taking on the Koch brothers for dumping toxins in her district.
Morgan Carroll: Morgan serves as the President of the Colorado Senate. At 42 years old, she is a courageous and creative lawmaker from Aurora and the second female Senate President in Colorado's history. After the devastating Aurora movie theatre shooting, Morgan worked to pass public safety legislation that has already made Colorado communities safer and kept guns out of the hands of criminals.
Nan Whaley: Now 42 years old, Nan has risen from being the youngest woman ever chosen for a commission seat in Dayton, Ohio to being elected as the city's current mayor. She is the founder of the Manufacturing Task Force; a regional effort committed to advocating for manufacturing jobs and promoting a strong workforce. In her first months in office, Nan is already making an indelible mark on Dayton, focusing on creating a "City of Learners" while building a diverse and vibrant economy for the city.
We're confident that no matter who receives the final award, all of these amazing women are rising stars!
Help us pick the first Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star. Vote before Monday's deadline for one of these pro-choice Democratic women who has shown true leadership in their community and has a promising trajectory of public service.
Thanks for your vote,
EMILY's List