Dear friends,
Look, here’s the truth: sometimes when young women run for office, we lose.
But at IGNITE, we know that elections have power beyond who wins or loses. When young women step up and run, they shift what’s possible - not just for themselves, but for everyone who sees their power and starts to believe in their own. That’s how we create a democracy that truly reflects us all.
Many of us followed Deja Foxx’s historic congressional race. Although her campaign came up short, it inspired an entire generation to see themselves as political leaders. She changed the narrative around Gen Z, social media, and what really qualifies someone to lead.
“For so many, this was your first time getting involved in politics - and let me tell you: you made a difference. You made calls, knocked doors, donated what you could. You believed in something bigger than yourself, you believed change was possible. That hope will carry on far past this election,” Deja wrote on Instagram.
Like Deja, other members of the IGNITE community have run and lost - but they continue to drive political progress forward every day.
Samantha Perlman, an IGNITE alum based in Massachusetts, served as City Councilor At-Large of Marlborough for four years. Despite her success on City Council, Samantha’s 2024 bid for Mayor of Marlborough resulted in a loss.
Samantha put it best on her Instagram: “Let me be clear; an election is -only- a moment in time. It does not capture the grassroots movement we initiated.”
Samantha knows that elections are just one way to stand up and fight for your community. She went on to be appointed to the Department of Transportation under the Biden-Harris Administration and, just weeks ago, she was sworn in to practice law in the federal court as an attorney for the District of Massachusetts.
Former IGNITE Raleigh-Durham Fellow Mary Black was appointed to the Raleigh Environmental Advisory Board in 2020, and won her race for City Council in 2022 - at the time, she was the youngest member to ever serve. She earned 26.5% of the vote in her 2024 re-election campaign, ultimately losing the bid.
But Mary didn’t let her reelection loss stop her from advocating for the affordable, safe, environmentally friendly future she knows Raleigh deserves. She went on to found Radical Futurist Lab, an organization taking an intersectional approach to environmentalism. Today, she serves as Black Hive Co-Manager of Policy & Advocacy at The Movement for Black Lives.
These young women are building stronger, more inclusive communities that thrive long after any one election. This is what the IGNITE community does: we equip young women with the skills, networks, and confidence to lead - and in turn, they create lasting change.
You, our community, enable IGNITE to be the engine that powers young women like Deja, Samantha, and Mary to find their political voices. Together, we are lifting up a new generation of resilient leaders who know they are capable of making change, win or lose.