EMILY's List

$78,403,309 raised for candidates since 1985. 354,910 members strong and growing.

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May 10, 2010

We Are EMILY: Kathleen Sebelius

When Kathleen Sebelius took part in her father's campaigns, there were very few women on the trail -- as candidates, staffers, or donors. "But girls growing up now see everything from women governors, women in the U.S. Senate, women in the House…" she says."We live in a very different world today, in large part, thanks to an organization like EMILY’s List."

May 9, 2010

We Are EMILY: Dee Dee Myers

As the first woman press secretary at the White House, Dee Dee Myers knows what it’s like to blaze a trail. “They hadn’t seen a woman standing behind the podium at the White house before,” she says. But that soon changed. Early in her time in the White House, Dee Dee met the newly elected Democratic women senators – all elected with EMILY’s List’s help – and remembers feeling she was witness to history in the making. “I’ll never forget the sense of, you know, we’re changing the world.”

May 8, 2010

We Are EMILY: Hilda Solis

A high school counselor recommended Hilda Solis opt for a job after graduation rather than going on to college -- but Hilda had other ideas. She challenged herself, chose public service, was elected to Congress, and now serves on President Obama’s cabinet. "EMILY's List is known for taking risks, for betting on people that might not otherwise be the conventional candidate," she says. "And clearly that made the difference for me when I ran for Congress."

May 7, 2010

We Are EMILY: President Bill Clinton

Former President Bill Clinton's administration worked to ensure that women had a seat at the table as they never had before, appointing women to top spots and seeking their input in major policy decisions. But, as President Clinton says, "EMILY's List Founder and Chair Ellen Malcolm knew we could do better. Ellen was always pushing me to do more, to do better," he says. "And that's exactly what EMILY's List continues to do today."

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Nancy McMurray

What did interning at EMILY’s List teach Nancy McMurray? It “made the idea of running for Congress seem a lot more real, like something that I could do,” she says. Since her stint at the EMILY’s List offices, Nancy has stayed connected to the mission of electing pro-choice Democratic women.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Rebecca Traister

At nine years old, Salon.com writer Rebecca Traister joined her dad in the voting booth as he cast his ballot for vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro. The experience made an impression and, years later, Rebecca says women candidates continue to break barriers and make history – with EMILY’s List leading the way.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Ellen Malcolm

"When we started, it was a grim world for women candidates," says Ellen Malcolm, founder of EMILY's List. "We had high hopes that we could make a difference, but we had no expectations... No one treated women candidates seriously." But in 1986, after Sen. Barbara Mikulski (MD) became the first Democratic woman senator elected in her own right, all that changed.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Councilwoman Mendez

Rosie Mendez knows how important early money can be. According to the New York City councilwoman, EMILY’s List’s Political Opportunity Program, which helps elect pro-choice Democratic women at the state and local level, made it clear that an early start would make all the difference in her race – and it did.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Sen. Stabenow

"I bet your mom did." That's what Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI) had to say when Sen. Jon Kyl (AZ) said he didn't need maternity care, so it shouldn't be required health care coverage. Debbie has been standing up for women's rights throughout her time in the House and Senate -- and, as she's quick to say, she wouldn't be there without the support of EMILY's List.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Maura Brueger

As a former campaign staffer for EMILY's List candidates, Democratic activist Maura Brueger understands exactly what EMILY's List resources can mean for a candidate. And she knows how powerful EMILY's List’s message is for women nationwide -- after 60 Minutes aired a piece about EMILY's List, membership grew exponentially, expanding EMILY's List efforts and ensuring increased resources for women candidates around the country.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Judy Lichtman

EMILYs List founding mother Judy Lichtman knew the founding members were set on making change and electing more women to office and that's exactly what they did. By creating a national network of activists, women were empowered not only as candidates but also as political donors, proving they could play a significant role in electoral politics.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Cristina Uribe

As part of the Political Opportunity Programs team, former EMILY's List staffer Cristina Uribe helped our women candidates win critical races at the state and local level with big effects. From turning state legislatures blue to setting the stage for candidates future congressional campaigns, Cristina knows first-hand the difference EMILYs List can make on the ground.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Sen. Joanne Howes

Joanne Howes was there when Ellen Malcolm gathered the founding members of EMILYs List in her basement to start a movement. As far as women candidates have come since that 1985 meeting, Joanne knows there's still a long road ahead. Were still at only 17 percent in terms of women in Congress, so the mission remains the same.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Ann Kolker

When the founding members of EMILY's List gathered in Ellen Malcolm's basement to start a grassroots network for pro-choice Democratic women, they came with the best fundraising tools they had: their rolodexes. Anne Kolker was there when EMILY's List took shape, and she describes how that early meeting turned into the nations largest financial resource for women candidates.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Cong. Wasserman Schultz

Cong. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL) knew she wanted to run for office and when she decided to take the leap at 25 years old, she knew EMILY's List's trailblazing had helped pave the way. The reason that I could, the reason that I was able to believe it was possible is because of all the groundwork that EMILY's List laid, she says.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Cong. Moore

What was one motivator for Cong. Gwen Moore (WI-04) during the tough moments of her race? "That I was going to be on the wall of fame at the EMILY's List office," she says, referring to a wall of pictures featuring winning EMILY's List candidates throughout our 25-year history. Moore, who was elected with EMILY's List support in 2004, knows how important it is for pro-choice Democratic women to have a voice in Congress.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Simone Ward

When Simone Ward was told by a teacher that she wasn't cut out to run for president, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Now the campaign manager for the first woman EMILY's List helped elect, Sen. Barbara Mikulski (MD), Simone joined EMILY's List staff in 2007 determined to make sure young women in America knew they could do whatever they wanted -- including running for president.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Sen. Gillibrand

When Kirsten Gillibrand's 2006 opponent for the U.S House said she was "just another pretty face," Kirsten knew different -- and so did the members of EMILY's List.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Joe Solomonese

During the twelve years Joe Solmonese worked at EMILY's List, the staff increased from 16 people to nearly 100 to support a growing grassroots network and increasing numbers of pro-choice Democratic women candidates running for office. According to Joe, who now serves as the president of Human Rights Campaign, there's been no turning back. "I think that EMILY's List has fundamentally changed the way that electoral politics works," he says.

May 5, 2010

We Are EMILY: Stephanie Schriock

EMILY's List President Stephanie Schriock sums up her goals for the future of EMILY's List in one word: growth. "We are going to double in size, and we are going to win more races," she says. In order to continue with our mission, Schriock says its crucial that EMILY's List increases our network nationwide and shares our message with the next generation of supporters.

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