#WomenOnAMission
Trailblazing women on our Mission For Arizona
The ratification of the 19th Amendment was a critical moment in our history as it gave white women the right to vote. Though women of color had to fight much longer for the same rights, we still celebrate the 100th anniversary of its ratification this year as a stepping stone in history towards true gender equality.
One Arizona woman played an important role in its ratification. Her name was Frances Willard Munds, and she was our first woman state senator. She and other Arizona women band together and convinced nearly two-thirds of the state’s male electorate to support women’s suffrage, eight years before the initiative was passed on the national level.
As we celebrate the hard work and collective organizing of these trailblazing Arizona women, we wanted to take this opportunity to recognize some of the many trailblazing Democratic women currently on our Mission For Arizona.
We give you, our #WomenOnAMission:
1. Gabby Giffords
We all know that Gabby Giffords is a national treasure who served as Congresswoman for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District and who’s been a fearless advocate for gun safety. But did you also know this trailblazer was the youngest woman ever elected to the Arizona State Senate?
2. State Sen. Jamescita Peshlakai
State Sen. Peshlakai can trace her family’s legacy of public service for generations. And she’s made history of her own by becoming the first Indigenous woman elected to the Arizona State Senate, carrying on her family’s legacy of putting community first. As the first Indigenous woman elected into the Arizona State Senate, she knows she “represent[s] indigenous matrilineal societies of the Americas and the sacred duties of Indigenous women for all future generations.”
3. State Rep. Alma Hernandez
State Rep. Alma Hernandez got involved in politics at the age of 14. So it was no surprise when she ran for office as a young adult. At 25, she became the youngest woman ever elected to the Arizona House of Representatives and the first Jewish Latina elected too!
4. Arizona Corporation Commissioner, Sandra D. Kennedy
Commissioner Sandra Kennedy has a long record of serving Arizona. She was first elected to the Arizona State Legislature in 1986, and since then, she has always served as a strong voice for the communities she’s represented over the years! Most recently, she made history with her election as Arizona Corporation Commissioner, where she became the first-ever African-American woman elected to statewide office. For her, “it is an honor to be part of the progress Arizona has made.”
5. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero
Mayor Regina Romero made history last year when she won her mayoral race in Tucson. Not only was she the first Latina ever elected to the position, but she also was the first woman ever to serve as Mayor of Tucson. She is the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants and farmworkers, and even worked in the fields herself at a young age. As a member of our Mission For Arizona, she regularly shares the importance of mobilizing our families and getting them out to vote!
6. Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans
In 2008, Mayor Coral Evans became the first-ever Black woman elected to the Flagstaff City Council. In 2016, she made history again by becoming the first-ever Black woman elected mayor of Flagstaff. Throughout her time in public service, she’s made a special effort to visit kids growing up in government housing, like she did, to show them that they too can lead their city someday.
7. Ellie Perez, DNC Member/Arizona Education Association’s Political Director
Although DACA recipients do not have the opportunity to vote, they are committed to finding other ways to get involved in this mission and serve Arizona. Ellie Perez is the first-ever DACA recipient appointed to the DNC by DNC Chairman Tom Perez.
“After becoming one of the 2,800 Arizonans who benefited from DACA, I dedicated my career to helping [my] community. In 2014, I became the first DREAMer to serve the residents of Phoenix as part of [then Councilwoman Kate Gallego’s] office. I currently serve as the political director with the Arizona Education Association — the first DACA, and Latina to serve in that position in almost 30 years. Serving our communities has been an honor and I am proud to represent Arizona as the very first DACA DNC Delegate and the first to vote in a presidential nomination process.” — Ellie Perez
8. Kathy Hoffman, Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction
In 2018, Kathy Hoffman made history by becoming the first millennial elected to statewide office. Before running for office, Kathy Hoffman was a teacher in the classroom, and she saw firsthand the unmet needs of Arizona teachers, students, and staff. She’s used her age as an asset to better communicate with people on digital platforms and increase transparency with the public.
Bonus: Senator Kamala Harris
Senator Kamala Harris made history this year by becoming the first-ever Black and Indian-American woman to be nominated for Vice President of the United States. She might be the first, but we know she won’t be the last. Throughout her career, she’s paved the way for so many young girls and women in Arizona and across the country — and we’re so proud to have her on our Mission For Arizona.
