Collection
On The Rise
From activists and local leaders to business executives and federal officeholders, women and members of the LGBTQ+ community have been instrumental in affecting political change. These 19th profiles tell the stories of people who may not be known yet, but are poised to become household names.
In This Collection
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First Native Hawaiian woman confirmed as federal judge
Judge Shanlyn A.S. Park’s confirmation marks a historic step forward in representation for Indigenous people and continues Democrats’ efforts to expand the number of women in federal judge positions.
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A train derailment spilled toxic chemicals in her Ohio town. Now she’s running for mayor.
After a toxic chemical spill threatened her community and family, Misti Allison launched her bid to lead East Palestine, Ohio, forward.
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This Delaware candidate could be the first transgender member of Congress
State Sen. Sarah McBride is hoping to become Delaware’s next House member in a time of heightened anti-trans rhetoric.
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Can Cheri Beasley build a winning coalition in North Carolina?
The Senate candidate needs to turn out voters in both rural and urban parts of the state. Being a Democrat and a Black woman requires a certain balancing act, experts told The 19th.
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Los Angeles has never elected a woman mayor. Karen Bass hopes to change that.
As Black women lead major cities across the country, Bass is courting voters by emphasizing her experience, competence and advocacy work. But she has to defeat billionaire Rick Caruso to make history.
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Judge J. Michelle Childs is confirmed to D.C. appeals court
She was on the short list to replace Justice Stephen Breyer on the Supreme Court and now joins what’s largely regarded as the nation’s second-highest court.
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Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s swearing in makes history during unprecedented time for the Supreme Court
Jackson is the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, joining days after it ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade and weeks after a rare leak of a draft decision.
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Biden’s new environmental justice office aims to tackle the health impacts disproportionately faced by people of color
The interim director of the Office of Environmental Justice in the Department of Health and Human Services joins a growing list of women of color tapped to work on these issues.
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Jessica Cisneros takes on the last anti-abortion U.S. House Democrat
The 28-year-old lawyer came close to defeating nine-term incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar in Texas in 2020. This year, Cisneros said she ‘owed it to the folks here to try it one more time.’
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Meet J. Michelle Childs, South Carolina judge and possible Supreme Court contender
Childs, who has strong backing from her state’s lawmakers, is a graduate of public universities and worked in both government and private practice before joining the bench.