Candidates from immigrant backgrounds fared well in the 2020 elections 鈥� an outcome that owed much to (NAL), founded a decade ago and since led by TC alumna Sayu Bhojwani (Ph.D. 鈥�14) to recruit and prepare first- and second-generation Americans to run for political office. [Read a profile of Bhojwani that appeared in TC Today magazine in 2019.]
NAL did not crack the ranks of Congress (one of its biggest successes was the election of Deborah Gonzalez as Georgia鈥檚 first Latinx district attorney). Still, 73 of 112 NAL alumni (65 percent) won their general elections in 2020, convincingly demonstrating, in Bhojwani鈥檚 words, that 鈥渃andidates of color can win in any district in the country鈥� and that 鈥減rogressive messages 鈥� Medicare for All, increasing the minimum wage鈥� 鈥� resonated nationwide.
鈥淧eople want leaders they can connect with and who feel their pain,鈥� said Bhojwani, author of (New Press 2018). 鈥淭he far right was saying, 鈥楧o these 鈥渟ocialist鈥� messages really work?鈥� but the bottom line was really, 鈥楢re the candidates going to fight for me?鈥� And when a candidate has struggled economically or is a first-generation college student or is new to the community or to the U.S., or grew up in foster care or has run a small business, those are all indicators of the American lived experience.鈥�