[Tuesday, May 4, 2021] You might have heard the news a few weeks back: The U.S. Census Bureau released its preliminary results from the 2020 census, and announced that seven U.S. House seats would shift as a result. You might also have seen a lot of headlines that looked something…

Let’s talk about the debt ceiling. That’s the cap on the amount of money the U.S. government can borrow to pay its debts. In a matter of weeks, the federal government will exceed this legal borrowing limit. And it’s not hyperbole to say that if Congress doesn’t raise the debt…

The United States is the only industrialized country in the world without national paid family and medical leave. This gaping hole in our social safety net forces Americans to make an impossible choice — between caring for themselves, their families, or their community’s health, and a paycheck. The coronavirus pandemic…

Created in 2011 by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Off the Sidelines helps organize and mobilize women to participate in politics, set the local and national policy agenda, and hold elected leaders accountable.

“Be flexible in your life. You make a big decision as an 18-year-old freshman about your major which set up a large part of your post-college life. BUT have the courage to go a different direction after you graduate based on your passion if your interest changes.” — Off The Sidelines: Tell us about yourself. Why did you decide to get off the sidelines and run for office? Cynthia Wallace: In 2019, the 9th district went without representation in Congress for 9 months after the discovery of election fraud by Republican operatives canceled the results of the 2018 election. The current Republican congressman missed 33% of the votes in his first month in office. By that time…

“Do not worry about what others think of you, do not look to get others’ approval. You know who you are and what your value is. No one needs to define that for you.” — Off The Sidelines: Tell us about yourself. Why did you decide to get off the sidelines and run for office? Hiral Tipirneni: I’ve spent my life in service of others — focused on solving complex problems and improving people’s lives. For over 20 years, I’ve worked in my community, first, as an emergency medicine physician, then, as a cancer research advocate. I also serve on the board of Valleywise…

Off The Sidelines: Tell us about yourself. Why did you decide to get off the sidelines and run for office? Gina Ortiz Jones: As a first-generation American who was raised by a single mom and earned a four-year Air Force ROTC scholarship to attend college, I’ve been fortunate to live the American Dream. And, having spent nearly 15 years working in national security, to include deploying to Iraq as an…

“Be true to yourself and trust your gut — it will all work out.” — Off The Sidelines: Tell us about yourself. Why did you decide to get off the sidelines and run for office? Desiree Tims: I was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio and I’m a proud product of Dayton Public Schools. After graduating from Dayton Dunbar High School, I became the first in her family to graduate from a four-year college and attended Xavier University. Most recently, I graduated from Georgetown Law.

“Stretching into new roles and environments is a good thing. Being uncomfortable when you are doing something means you are really growing.” — Off the Sidelines: Tell us about yourself. Why did you decide to get off the sidelines and run for office? Gretchen Driskell: I was born and raised in Port Washington, New York. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Lynchburg College and a Master’s of Business Administration degree from George Washington University. I worked as a CPA in D.C. for many years then moved to Michigan with…