Op-ed in the AJC: Fair-weather fans won't save democracy

Democrats: we are worse than fair-weather fans. We are “foul-weather fans,” diving in to support our candidates only when their campaigns are on life support. But when the storm calms, we step back and assume someone else will hold the line, that it’s no longer our job to fight for the win. That’s what we saw this election cycle. And that’s why we lost.

Our Best Chances for Change: Help Kang, Greenberg, and Murvartian Flip the Georgia statehouse Blue

Michelle Kang, Susie Greenberg and Laura Murvartian don’t appear to have much in common. They come from vastly different places, cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Yet the three candidates for the Georgia House of Representatives enjoy many similarities. Each has spent her adult life engaged and involved—volunteering with nonprofits, children’s schools, political groups, campaigns and more. Each shares a determination to improve her community and the lives of those who live in them. And despite living in heavily gerrymandered districts, each has an excellent chance of flipping her legislative seat from red to blue in November. 

The Power of Citizenship and Community: Insights from Our Candidate Support Calls

At Her Term, we're committed to creating lasting political change by supporting and empowering candidates. Today, I want to share some inspiring insights from our recent candidate support call, which took place in the wake of an energizing rally for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris. The weekly candidate support calls are a cornerstone of our Her Term work, and they exemplify the power of community in the political process.

Endorsing Kamala and helping Women in GA win - event on 9/19

On the heels of Sunday’s historic announcement, Her Term wholly endorses Kamala Harris for president of the United States. The enormity of this election cannot be overstated, especially for women, as it will determine our country’s future.

It’s hard to believe that 250 years after the Declaration of Independence, our country is still wrestling with the principle “all men are created equal,” which Her Term believes means “all people are created equal.” In recent years, many of us have been dismayed that hard-fought progress on voting rights, civil rights and reproductive freedoms have been reversed. 

Where do we stand as a people? Are we a nation that believes in women’s inalienable rights and the equal opportunity and power to ascend to the highest level of government? 

What’s significant about this moment is not only the prospect of electing a president who is a woman of mixed race — one who embodies so much of the wondrous diversity that makes America great. It's also that we have a woman in the right place at the right time – a vice president ready and waiting to serve our country at the highest level. This underscores the importance of having women in office at all levels of government.

And that is what Her Term is doing — cultivating a pipeline of qualified, effective and resilient women who will win elections at all levels, from local to national. Our goal is to ensure that when opportunities for leadership arise, we have experienced women ready to step up and lead.

Will you help us prepare this next generation of women leaders? Because I believe it’s Her Term. And I hope you do, too.

Please join us in our mission to empower and prepare women for public office at our annual fundraiser on Thursday, September 19th, from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Sheri and Alon Panovka’s home in Ansley Park.

women in must-win primaries in order to flip seats in the general

With the May primary around the corner, we wanted to highlight some of our fantastic candidates who need to make it through to win another fight in the general election. This should not be read as an endorsement of any specific candidate; Her Term supports all not-yet-elected Democratic women candidates. We offer a range of services to help them set up their campaigns and feel as confident as possible come election time.

Women Whose Races will be Decided on May 21st 

With the critical May 21st elections just around the corner, we at Her Term are feeling the excitement and pride that comes with supporting an amazing group of women candidates. These races are do or die; some are winner-take-all contests like judicial seats, while others have no Republican challenger. While we don't officially endorse any candidates, we're not shy about standing with the women who have turned to us for support and guidance throughout their campaigns

Her Term Leverages Emory’s Business School, Private Sector Best Practices to Build Out Candidate & Staff Recruitment Strategy

Voting trends suggest Georgia’s Republican stranglehold is weakening in key districts, making a Democratic majority in the State House of Representatives a possibility within the next decade. Yet clinching that majority with progressive women will require a strategic boost from previously untapped sources to recruit talent – not only candidates to run for office, but  prospective campaign managers to support their election. With recruiting innovation in mind, Her Term leadership established a new relationship with Emory University’s Goizueta Business School last year – becoming an IMPACT competition client in the school’s signature program to solve real world problems.

Innovation in Candidate Support: Addressing Mental Health and Well-Being

In 2022, Her Term, on a mission to recruit and elect progressive women in Georgia, identified a major obstacle - the mental and emotional toll of the political landscape on its candidates. To address this, they innovated in candidate support, offering mental health resources including group support sessions and one-on-one counseling, fostering a nurturing environment and equipping women with the tools to navigate their political journeys.

2022 Election Cycle Report: Breaking New Ground by Addressing Mental Health and Representation

In the face of challenges during the past election cycle, our organization has been breaking new ground by focusing on mental health support and representation to empower women candidates. By nurturing the whole person, as well as the candidate, we're fostering a stronger, more resilient force for change. Our special feature on mental well-being marks the beginning of a series of innovations aimed at transforming the political landscape for women candidates, particularly in Georgia. Our latest Election Cycle Report highlights these pioneering efforts, and we're incredibly grateful to our amazing donors and supporters for joining us on this groundbreaking journey.

Innovating for Victory: How Her Term and ChatGPT-4 Empower Candidates to Win

In the competitive world of politics, innovation can make all the difference between victory and defeat. At Her Term, we're dedicated to equipping candidates with the cutting-edge tools and strategies they need to win. That's why we've been exploring the possibilities of ChatGPT-4, a groundbreaking language model developed by OpenAI, to help streamline content creation and marketing for political campaigns. In fact, we're using ChatGPT-4 to write this very article and its supporting marketing materials! In this article, we'll dive into the transformative potential of ChatGPT-4 and how it's empowering candidates to succeed.

What To Learn From the Protect the Vote Panel

What do women do when Georgians’ rights and the democratic process are on the line? They learn the landscape, they strategize, and they take action. What can you do to push back in an era in which voting – and fair, free elections – has become more fraught and less accessible since passage of SB 202, Georgia’s new voting law? More than you might think… and it doesn’t end once Election Day passes. Her Term recently hosted a Protect the Vote panel with experts who’ve already been contending with the new law to help us better understand what we’re up against and what actions we can take.

Peggy Gillen's Reasons for Running Have Only Gotten Stronger

This profile is about candidates for legislative districts we are targeting to flip in November. This profile is a Q&A with Peggy Gillen, who is running to represent District 49 in the Georgia House of Representatives. Gillen is particularly interested in improving the economy, ensuring a quality education, improving healthcare, protecting women's reproductive rights, addressing issues of gun violence, and working towards a more sustainable, clean-energy focused state of Georgia. Learn more about her platform on her website: https://peggygillenforgeorgia.com/issues/ .

Hoganne Harrison-Walton Wants to Pave a Better Future for the Only Place She Has Called Home

This profile is part of a series about candidates for legislative districts we are targeting to flip in November. Hoganne Harrison-Walton is running for Georgia House District 133 against Ken Vance. Hoganne wants to expand the safe and affordable housing options for the residents of her district, create local access to well-trained doctors and other healthcare providers, and bring in new opportunities for employment and prosperity for her constituents.

Dana Barrett Knows How to Leverage Her Platforms for the Good of All

This profile is part of a series about candidates for legislative districts we are targeting to flip in November. Dana Barrett is running for the Fulton County Commission (District 3) against incumbent Lee Morris. Her goals: protecting voting rights and women’s health; improving public safety; and ensuring a transparent, ethical and efficient Fulton County that works for all.