stage, councilmember, vanessa. she represents district to. she very recently took office in 2021. she fights for improved health around pandemic response and recovery. she champions climate resistance, and improving transit, creating creative arts survival and quality of life issues. i am happy to introduce representative james. he was born in round rock. he was a formal public school teacher. her youngest member of the texas legislator. he was elected in 2018. he helped passed legislation to reform the state school financial system. next, i am happy to introduce representative aaron. she was elected in 2018, she represents -- county. she is a author, educator, conservationist. she fights for technicalities of community and, since government. please welcome our panelists. the first question -- i gave a short bio. please in your own words introduce yourselves to the audience. >> hello, everyone. vanessa fuentes. i was elected amid the pandemic, 2020. i have been in office for about a year and a half. it is interesting to learn public office and to have winter storm hit texas and deal with all of the aftermath of having a disaster in our community, while learning the institution that is local government. >> my name is james. i was once the youngest member of the legislature. recently we had a special election down in south texas. a new democratic member got elected. she is three weeks younger than i am. she is a vibrant, youthful, where i am old and decrepit. i have the honor of serving williamson county, just north of here in the austin suburbs. before i was a politician, i was a middle school teacher. i taught sixth grade language arts on the west side of san antonio. which is a beautiful historic neighborhood and also one of the poorest zip codes in the state of texas. my students radicalized me. the reason i do the work that i do in the capital. i am happy to be here with you all. [laughter] >> [inaudible] hello? yeah. i was once the second youngest member of the texas legislature, which is why i want to make sure that representative -- opera operates his appropriate spot. i am excited to tell you all more about it. the first thing you all should know, nobody thought we could. run for something was the first organization that believed in me and my candidacy and helped me get off the ground. if you're thinking of running, look to them. i am the only member of the texas legislature who has a professional background in environmentalism. i studied natural resource conservation at the university of montana before running for office. because of that passion, because of that determination, i have two leave the planet better for a future generations. i found it and currently share the caucus on climate and industry. we are determined to make it so you can say the word climate change in the texas legislature. [applause] >> i have also won seven out in the texas legislature, one of the founding members of the texas house lgbtq caucus. i'm excited to tell you all, we had to out members in 2017. five out members in 2019. we are looking at having eight in 22 83. [applause] >> ok, great. the first question is for all of our panelists. one thing that we run into a lot with a run for something, a lot of passionate people running for office. we ask and encourage them so these issues that you are passionate about -- are they congruent, what difference can you make in the office that you seek based on the issues that you champion? so, based on problems in your communities that you have observed and solutions that you thought would help, how does that play in your decision to run for office? >> i can go first. i love the run for something arena as asking me questions first. i often times feel like people who are running for office jump straight to how i fundraiser come how to get stuff together, what is my number. they forget to do the self work necessary. and figuring out what office is in line with that. i get a sense in political people that there is this high hierarchy of offices, your local county clerk, u.s. county summit. you are always on the platter. in my experience, as a policymaker, it is more like a circle then it is a ladder. you all focus on different things and have different power and work on different policies. since i was a teacher, i cared about education policy. local school boards implemented in most part. of the federal government provides funding -- the federal government provides funding. that is what i want to do. that is what i ran for p or that is what i want to say. i'm constantly getting asked, don't you now want to make your move to run for congress? why would i want to run for congress? why would i want to do anything with that? foreign policies, those need to be done at the foreign level. anyway come i am rambling. it does feel like these things should be focused on the work that you can do, not the amount of the perceived prestige there is >> i feel like i may be the exception that proves the role on this. i did not decide to run for the texas house because of any particular policy area. my colleagues know that i have trouble not filling my plate with too many policies. it was also because my direct motivation was, i have been involved with indivisible and helping doing a town hall and texas legislature, i decided i did not like my current representative and got really angry at him. it was a backer step into it. i do not think i was going to run for the seat. i initially looked for who is going to go running and i help them. i discovered that i was sitting in a district and no democrat had one since the incumbent of 2012. because i went into that direction, and then i had to back up and do some of that work , why do i want to serve at this level? why would i do good at this level? i ended up having a fortune opportunity. our government called a special session that summer. i spent that 30 days bushel session at the capital with that because talking about the different bills wrapping my head around what is going on and able to come away with a understanding, not just the issues, i philip we all know the issues, but how the issues are expressed in that level. the core motivation for running for the state level was about democracy. the state level have so much control over districts, so much control over how we vote, over us at people's access to power. and the state level really cares a lot about what we are doing at the local level. fermi much of the point that was made, understanding the needs of your community. for example, i represent southeast austin. for those of you who are not from austin, to know a little bit about hours to be coming to know that we have racism deeply into how the city was shaped and built. our communities of color largely reside east of 35. for communities like mine, we do not have -- organizing into bricking a grocery store into our area. -- bringing a grocery store in our area. eastside does not have a full service providing health care to our community. the first pharmacy that is open in my district opened last year, a year ago. i was really driven by the health disparity that was going on, understanding that local government played a critical piece in how communities are shaped and built. my background was in advocacy and policy with a focus of health. i announced before the pandemic, before we got really into it. the pandemic really made states clearer onto the importance of public health and how that had a disproportionate impact on communities of color. understanding your why, understanding the needs of your community and it what you are hoping to see different with the motivating -- was a bit motivating factor for me. thank you. i think it is always important to reconnect to the y when you are getting started as you are running and supporting campaigns, and to make a decision to run for the election. my next question, it is actually by councilmember -- it is for the councilmember, fuentes. many of our audience members are engaged in committees with leaders. others are starting to think about getting involved. before you rent from office, what committees were you involved in an how did your involvement affect your decision to run or form your campaign? >> being involved is so important. it was the deciding factor in my race. i was also involved with a young woman alliance, a group focused on leadership development, professional development for young officers and ip are also with the hispanic women's network. i mentioned these groups because they were aligned to my passion and want to give back to the community. when i was running for office and i was the underdog candidate , outsider candidate against the local establishment, it was these women who stood with me who when i first volunteered, who were helping write postcards out to the community. i think having been involved with the community, not just the district, but with the committee at large. it really made a difference at getting our message on. it really made a difference at getting people involved with the movement that we were seeking to build. >> thank you. kind of a segue, this next question is for representative tell rico. candidates are often aware about building a team of staff and volunteers. campaign managers, super beers, volunteers. how did you approach this? >> we were talking about figuring out the y and figuring out your northstar. without a northstar you are going to get lost. the same thing about building a team of either kind appeared whether it is a volunteer team, community, paid staff team, you have to figure out what kind of team you want to be in and what are your core values as a team before you bring anybody on your those core values should be a mind that why you ran for office. and how you connect or selfish just as important on what you're trying to accomplish. you would not believe, in democratic politics, progressive politics, that there are teams run in on progressive fashion. i want you to think about those things. a lot of times you would assemble a team, like when you are in school and you are told to group up, you are grabbing your folks. people think about them before they think about learning our core values. what does that person need to embody everything in their work? those are questions that should our own -- turn your reflection before you make your first higher. >> thank you for -- that way of -- trying to run for something and then a part of many campaigns. the importance of running campaigns with progressive value. for the people running the campaign, i think it is important to highlight. the next question for representative --. it may be the least favorite area of running for office, running for campaigns. sometimes until 11 candidates that i am hoping that the process of running for office. how did you approach your fundraising? can you explain to us why we need that fundraising? >> one of the first meetings i had was someone who turned out to be a tremendous ally for me. i have this meeting with him -- cliff had to scare me out of running. you kind of mind that the same. people go, it is going to be hard and you are going to need money. here the number and get really scared. i had this meeting and he was like, you have to raise $1 million to be competitive in this district. i know a lot of folks are from out of state, there were 250,000 people at my house district at the time. now it is about 200,000. our house district are huger than any state you from, unless you are in california. it takes a lot of money to reach that many people. one of the things i learned along the way, you do not need more money than your opponent. i was out spent in general, and i'm sitting here as a representative of the state of texas. [applause] >> you do need enough money to do the work in the communications you need to do. i want to say, do not get hung up on having more money. in the primary and the general, i outworked my opponents come on my volunteers i worked my opponents and we made our dollar stretch and we got there. you can do it too. you kind of get enough start up capital to do something. that is the part where you go, what are my networks. for me what worked, my dad was a lifelong republican who has worked with a lot of them kratz appeared his coworker did not think i could when but -- did not think i could when, and they gave me a lot of money. they threw my first fundraiser and threw it in the bank so i could work on. stay engaged with the community and reaching out to folks. i do not think the answer is always go meet voters where they are. it is kind of the answer at every single campaign question. when i would go on walks, people would hand me checks. sometimes they would be like, i can't come but i am going to send you a donation. especially when you are running in autocracy especially when you . just talking directly to the voters, earning their engagement. it helps give you the support as well as the funding you need. >> thank you for that. this next question is for all of our panelist. s. given in light of recent news, those following women's reproductive health access has been on this has been coming for a while. it looks like we are anxiously waiting for some update that could impact the access. what can state and local officials -- rug role can they play in ensuring that patients have health care decisions made between them and their doctors without government access? if you can talk about how your office has or could protect reproductive rights? >> i serve on the public health committee in the texas house, which i wanted to serve on because -- was concerned about covid, she got to get information out to the communities in good to invest in public health resources. little did i know that they were moving out of the abortion bills. we were the front lines of trying to fight and slow down those bills as best as we could i want you to know the people in these texas legislator fault correctly to do everything they can, but we do not have the votes. we have three bad bills that went into effect in texas. the six-week abortion band that is currently in effect in texas where someone can be sued for $10,000. in texas we do not have the protection of roe v. wade. we also have a bill in place that illuminates all abortion access, including in cases of fetal abnormality are ripe or incensed. if the supreme court doesn't what we think it is going to do, all of the fight is in state and local. every single bit of it. that is where if this is your issue come i need laser focused on state and local. the majority with us, 56% of texans support legal abortion access. yet, we have a majority but has a bill banning it. we have to tell the story and connect people to that work. state and local is where the entire fight is going to be at. one of the things i am really concerned about is whether or not people experienced pregnancy loss, because of a intentional abortion or spontaneous miscarriage may be criminalized. protect all people experiencing pregnancy laws from all types of prosecution or arrests because of that outcome. [applause] >> i was born to a single mom who left an abusive situation to protect me. we moved into a little one bedroom apartment in east austin. she did not have a college degree, did not have a job, but she had one thing going for her, planned parenthood. they provided health care services to my mom when she needed it most. she became a activist because of that. she did not have a lot of money. she volunteered for the texas abortion rights action lead, which became -- p are the history of the innovation. i remember everyday after kindergarten, i would come to my mom to the office, which was not too far from here. it was like this -- in a strip mall, kind of dirty. i remember being bored all the time because mom was doing a lot of stuff for this organization. the reason why i bring this up, to get these fundamental constitutional rights we enjoyed up until this moment, took centuries of work -- work that was not glamorous, sexy or exciting, hard work. i think it is important for us to realize that now that the torch has been passed to us and we have to win it back. it is good to be a long struggle. we have to have the persistence needed to center the end. we were in a culture that expects immediate gratification. i think if you look at the labor rights movement, you can learn lessons about how to balance patients with urgency. it goes on two things -- those are the two things that we have to balance together, for not only here but decades and centuries to come. if you have both of those things, you're able to abstain yourself. urgency can lead to burnout, patients can lead to despair. you have to keep these two on traffic. -- on track. try to maintain that patients, but also the urgency to ensure we are getting something done. >> very well said. as a local representative, often times people forget the unique role we play in this movement and what would be the aftermath when roe v. wade is overturned. i will tell you, the meetings i have been in the last few weeks have been bleak. meeting with legislators and local council members from new mexico and colorado who we set up as haven states for texas women to ensure they're able to get the other states to get the access to care that they deserve , are the meetings i am having right now. that is not the time that i should be spending. it is the reality we are faced with. here locally, in austin, i know we are a unique sitting in the state of texas. we were one of the first of t cities to establish -- find any type of support system that they need, we the city council had dedicated funding for that. that will continue. [applause] secondarily, i brought more policy just a few weeks ago that was passed by a city council that updates our these nondiscrimination ordinance to include civil rights protections, or reproductive health decisions so that no -- is discriminated against it with a housing or appointment based on abortions. [applause] lastly, i am cosponsoring an item brought forth by my colleague that will ensure it will direct city management and our police department to ensure that investigations for abortions are the lowest level of priority, and that no city funds are used in the investigation or reporting of abortions pending roe v. wade. [applause] >> depending on where you live, know that there are actions that locality can take. that we should be taking your know that we are actively organizing at the local level, i had meetings with fort worth to be councilmembers, dallas city callow -- council members to ensure that we are getting ready for the overturning in a few weeks. when james said, we are in this for the long haul and that is going to be that patients and urgency. now it is the time where we can proactively put policies in place so that our communities are well-positioned. >> we talk about our roles. the other roles are law enforcement. those roles have a sports that have a disproportionate impact. >> i want to thank all of the panelist for the great answers. a highlight how a unimaginable issue is influenced on a local level based on who we have representing us locally. to transition to a more lighthearted question for each of our panelists, if you could travel back in time, what piece of advice would you give yourself when you are starting to think about running for office? >> ok. i would say, do not select small stuff. running for office is very challenging. we do it in a digital age. you will be faced and absorbent lots of opinions and judgments coming at you. it is very easy to take things personally, especially if you're not used to that. as iran amid the pandemic and made such uncertainty and a very virtual environment, it was unique. if i could travel back in time to two years ago, it would be to dumps let the small stuff and he would get through it. try not to think -- take things personally. i know it is very easy to take things personally. those are the people you're going to need to work with once reelected. you have to set all of that aside. it does not matter at the end of the day. >> you know, pace yourself. this work is exhausting. if you are doing it well and if you care. you have to find time to take care of yourselves. that is difficult when you are doing work like this. that is impossible and unsustainable. try to grade that time for yourself. you know, our legislature here in texas is part-time. kind of like the equivalent of our off. there's so much happening on gun violence, reproductive rights, transfer rights your we still have to, whenever we can find time to rest. if we do not risk, we are going to burn ourselves out before we get to january when we have to kick into gear when the session is back in town. same for when vanessa and the council are not in session. sustainability in your work practice. do not get into all capital in the country where you are what you produce. [applause] >> i feel like james is lecturing me to take more time off. no, first i would go back in time to stop -- from running so i could be the youngest member. i am just kidding. a couple of things. it is so important to go find of people that you can fully be yourself with. there's something very vulnerable about becoming a candidate and bringing that public eye onto yourself and having to embody that. i want to say that is particularly vulnerable when you're a woman or a person of color who have different expectations on you. i know i had to mindfully dress to go grocery shopping. i found that really exhausting. identifying those places where you know you can turn off your candidate brain and be a human is definitely advised, like myself to have gotten earlier than i did in the process. the other thing i mentioned, what was the big mistake i made on my campaign? i had one really big discrete thing that was the biggest mistake i made. it is why we have different experiences. -- ended up getting support from big statewide organizations and they thought he could win his race. i did not. the reason was simple. he paid for a poll and i did not. at the time, i ended up with about $70,000 cash for my general election. remember that that number, 500,000? i went in i said i could pay for a mailer or a poll. the wiser use of the money is the mailer. the truth west, the reason i do not want that, i was afraid with the numbers would be. i was afraid if the numbers came back bad, i would not have it in need to keep running like held every single day. i was too scared of that number appeared i do not know what the equivalent for yahoo! may be. to have the courage to do the strategic thing even if it is a little scary. if i had done that, i probably would have got another $100,000 and not would have been like budgeting three nights before the election to make sure i was not going to out people a bunch of money. to think about those brave things and make sure you are not holding yourself back because you are worried about some of the answers. [applause] >> i want to thank the panelist for all of the answers . i like to joke that always looking for a good reason for a bad work life balance. i feel like, this room kind of naturally is attracted to that mission, by learning the importance of a sustainability and pacing yourself in how that would make you a more effective candidate and more effective campaign staffer appeared i . we may have time for one audience question. is there anyone in the audience? we have a question from nick. what was the actual day-to-day process of passing the legislation or mitigating the damage of vat legislation in the texas state legislature? >> a great question. the republicans control every branch of government and in the house of legislature. to strike a balance between trying to kill or weaken bad bills, which weakening usually goes unnoticed by the media and by voters and our supporters that it is equally important and really noble dirty work in my mind. then you also can pass some good bills. last year i was able to pass in texas, a cap for insulin. [applause] something with my republican colleagues. we passed a bill that publish social emotional learning. it is hard to keep track appeared that was done by working with my republican colleagues. either if you're a democrat working in a red state or a republican in a blue state, it is never burning a bridge unnecessarily. every person, any organizer could tell you this. every person is a potential ally. even the person that seems the least likely to be your ally. that was mostly true in the senate, who was one of the republicans past some of the most bills in my mind --. we had a lot of diabetic in our district, a lot of them cannot afford insulin. she passed that bill in the legislature. seeing everyone have a potential ally and never burning a bridge unnecessarily. [applause] >> for me, a really good a cool skill in the building, though i am not sure how healthy it is has been compartmentalization. you have to fight tooth and nail with somebody on one bill and turn around and work with them on the very next bill on the floor. being able to put the last fight inside and it be allies for someone in the next moment is chemical for working in that type of environment. in this state you build relationships, friendships with people, you disagree with ferociously and build a narrative and momentum are die . i did that right relationships and very carefully talking to all of my republican colleagues about what the bill dead and why it made sense. the other side of that, when you get treated like a speedbump, if i am getting treated like a speedbump, when we are doing an abortion bill or critical race theory bill, or pregnant miscarry, i'm going to be a speedbump. if you're going to run me over i'm going to try to jab your tires. [applause] there's a lot of ways we do that. my first session, they forced through a bad lgbtq bill. we and the caucus strategized and i had a amendment drafted where the amendment made them vote on workplace protection for lgbtq people. we said we want that vote. we want them to take this bad vote on that issue. when we have a bad bill that they are determined to jam through, we make them take every unpopular vote we can make them take and we make them answer for it during campaign season. if they're going to do things that hurt texas, we have to make sure everybody knows about it. [applause] >> i want to highlight quick to the beginning of the discussion, we had compartmentalization, which is so important. being an elected official may not be the best well for you. a lot of people think they have to run. you can be a activist among those unnecessary roles in our ecosystem. both are necessary, but do not think you have to run for office , maybe those skill sets are not for you. we need those folks to. if the question is being an elected official for you. >> i believe we are at time. before we end our speaking, if you do decide to run for office, you can go to run for what.net. you put in your address and it will spread out all of the offices you can run for. i would like to give a warm thank you to our panelists for sharing theira.

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