Her Term is expanding our focus to supporting candidates for county commission. 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.
Dana will be speaking on our panel about Protecting the Vote on October 23rd in Atlanta. Register to attend now.
Her Term’s motto is “When she wins, everyone does.” What does that mean to you?
Women’s issues are family issues and men's issues. When women succeed, we all succeed. Women make up more than half of the population, and we should be represented by a similar-looking body of people. That’s true not just in terms of gender but also race, age and other factors. Women do and will lead differently from mens, and that is good thing.
People tend to look at reproductive health, childcare and some other issues as women’s issues. Can you explain to constituents why these issues should matter to men as well?
When women are able to make their own reproductive healthcare and family-planning decisions, they and their partners have the potential to achieve higher levels of education and higher levels in their careers. That is good for the family, the economy and the community. In terms of childcare, when daycare programs are available and affordable, mothers AND fathers can go back to work. I think most men understand this when you break it down; it is now just a matter of prioritizing it.
How are you going to ensure women in your district are getting a voice?
One of my goals is to shed light on what is happening in the county by communicating with all of my constituents on a regular basis. I see part of my job as listening. I don’t think elected officials do enough of that. I believe you have to meet people where they are, and for busy women, that is even more important. I plan to meet regularly with local groups, including moms’ groups, community groups and even local book clubs if they’ll have me. I want to hear directly from these women, so I can understand what they need from their county government.
What inspired you to run for office?
Before Trump happened in 2016, I was not particularly political. But that day in November, I felt incredibly guilty that I had not used my platform as a media personality to speak up about political issues. At the time, I was hosting a two-hour daily talk radio show about business and technology, and although I covered headlines, I didn’t talk politics on the air because I was working for a far-right company and was worried about keeping my job. But the day after the 2016 election, I started sharing my political views on the air and did so every day after that, knowing I was likely to get fired.
Dana Barrett on her radio program
Ultimately I was fired, but I wasn’t done talking, so I moved over to a different station and started doing a daily political talk show there. I thought I was doing my part, but then I moved a couple of miles away, and because of gerrymandering, I landed in Barry Loudermilk’s congressional district. I looked him up and was appalled by his extremism. That was not going to work for me, and I knew it wasn’t working for many others in his district. So I left my media career and ran against him in 2020, even though it was a heavily Republican district. We ran a good campaign and raised awareness, but I didn't win in the end. I ran because I wanted to stand up to extremism, so when the race was over, I thought I was done. Then, during qualifying week in March, I got a call asking me to run for Fulton County Commission District 3. It’s a critical seat in terms of protecting the vote and moving toward safer communities and equity in our justice system, yet no Democrats had stepped up to run for it. So I said yes, qualified the next day, and here we are.
How has being a woman influenced your leadership?
I’m in my mid 50s, so it’s been an interesting progression for me. When I started working in corporate America in the late 80s, we had to wear pantyhose and skirts to work. Things were very different: You went to work, you did what you were told, you dealt with borderline sexual harassment and men making inappropriate jokes, and you didn’t rock the boat. In those days, that was the only way to succeed. The thinking was, “If you want to get ahead, be more like a man,” but of course if you were too direct you were considered a bitch. It was a no-win situation. When I became a mommy, my perspective changed. When I got divorced my perspective changed again, and as time went on and life happened, it continued to change. The more I took chances, the more I started to realize being myself, and being a feminine power, worked. There is a lot of power in being authentic. If that wasn’t going to work for a particular company, then that wasn’t a place I wanted to work. Sometimes people are afraid to leave, and they’re afraid of change. But every time I left somewhere where I was being treated unfairly, a better opportunity came along. If I hadn't taken those chances and left those situations, I wouldn’t be where I am now, and this exactly where I’m supposed to be.
What are the major positions you are running on? Can you outline your platform?
Protecting voting rights and ensuring equal access for over one million citizens: I will work to defend the integrity of our elections and prevent a state takeover by voting to fully fund our Department of Registration and Elections so they have all the tools needed to provide fair and secure elections. The current County Commission, which leans Republican, is trickling funding to the elections in Fulton County, making every request for funds a partisan issue. They are leaving us susceptible to the kinds of baseless fraud claims we saw in 2020 and to state takeover under SB 202.
Equal Justice & Public Safety: I support programs that keep first-time, nonviolent offenders out of jail and will fully fund District Attorney Fani Willis so she can address the 10-year backlog of cases that puts violent criminals back on the streets. I also favor diversion programs that move us toward a more equitable justice system. This is another issue where the current right-leaning commission is not working. While they say they are focused on public safety, they are underfunding the D.A.
Public Health: I will work to protect women’s health and provide access to healthcare and family planning while fighting to reclaim the human right of having agency over our own bodies. I will support funding for Grady Health System and work with the cities and surrounding counties to address the disastrous closure of hospitals we have seen this past year.
I believe we deserve a transparent, ethical and efficient Fulton County that works for all. So as I work on the issues that come before the county, I will be doing it with that mindset.
How are you a stronger candidate than your opponent? You also alluded to the fact that the commission is leaning Republican right now, even though it doesn’t look that way on paper. Can you explain what you mean?
By all accounts, my opponent is a nice man. But he is a career politician and a wealthy 74-year-old white man, so that is the perspective and experience he brings to the job. I’m a stronger candidate because as a single mother and business owner, I’ve learned how to be efficient, how to budget and how to compromise. My experience in technology taught me to solve complex problems, and my years in the media allowed me to hone my communication skills. But most important, I can relate to the people I’ll represent: I’ve worked in corporate America and owned small businesses, experienced unemployment and changed careers, rented apartments and owned homes, had student loans and medical debt, survived breast cancer and volunteered to serve our community.
My opponent is also a Republican, and as much as he tries to present himself as a moderate, he votes with the Republicans. For example, the County Commission introduced a voting rights measure that said the 2020 election results were valid, affirmed support for the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and stood against SB 202. My opponent voted “Nay.”
He gives oxygen to election deniers and conspiracy theories, because he doesn’t want to lose Republican support. He tells Democrats what they want to hear, but only quietly for the same reason. I’m known for being outspoken, honest and straightforward, and that’s not going to change. While my opponent tells people what they want to hear so he can stay in office, I will be standing up for what is right no matter the personal cost—just like I did on the radio.
What do you do to stay involved and make a difference in your community?
I am a longtime advocate for women in the workplace, focusing on issues like equality and sexual harassment both on my radio show and as a guest expert on Headline News. My “Women on Wednesday” radio show segment featured women’s issues and interviews with local and national women leaders and eventually developed into a regular local women’s networking event.
I also have been deeply involved with two local nonprofits for many years. One focuses on education and the other on health. Inspiredu works to bridge the digital divide, bringing laptops, hardware and software to families in lower-income neighborhoods along with training and ongoing support. I’m very passionate about this, because we can’t reach equity in education without closing this gap. I’m proud to serve on its board and to emcee its gala ever year. TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation offers physical therapy, psychotherapy, yoga and other services to people with breast cancer, regardless of their ability to pay. This organization is really close to my heart as someone who went through breast cancer in a town where I don’t have family. At the time, I didn’t know about TurningPoint. I’m its official spokesperson now and serve on the host committee for The Pink Affair, which I have emceed every year since 2016. Both of these organizations are full of amazing people with really big hearts, and I love working with people who are making a difference right here in the community.
Photo from Barrett’s instagram post for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
What can people do today to help your campaign?
The campaign is going really well. Our polling puts us ahead, but we need to keep working to get our messaging and my name out. We’re a little bit short of our fundraising goal at the moment, so we could really use contributions. I know everyone is being asked all the time, but that money is how we get the messaging out. And you better believe I’m doing as much as I can myself so I don’t have to spend on a big staff. From a grassroots perspective, we need people to phone bank, text bank, deliver yard signs and, of course, spread the word to neighbors and friends. You can contribute and/or sign up to volunteer at our website: electdanabarrett.com.