Voting For My Sister for US Congress
Democracy feels really personal when your fist vote is for a family member
“When the storms of the next presidential elections clear, what San Francisco do we want to come back to? Would Nancy still be the woman for the job? I think it is time for change and time for a transition of power to Agatha Bacelar.” ~Sophia Stephens, CA-12
I am an 18-year-old high school senior in San Francisco. The March 3rd primary election is my first ever vote. But, even before I could vote, I volunteered as an election day poll worker in San Francisco. Democracy activism runs in my family: my father is a founder of the nonprofit Democracy Earth Foundation, and my sister, Agatha Bacelar, is a candidate for US Congress CA-12 in 2020, challenging Nancy Pelosi. I’m excited to vote for my sister and after you read this, I hope you will be too!
Mix a witty elderly lady, a young Italian, a Frenchman, a cancer researcher and a high school senior in a garage. What do you get? An American polling station, San Francisco edition.
This past November 5th, I awoke at 5:00 am and made my way through dark streets to my assigned polling station. We got right to work setting up, and at 7 :00 am sharp, supervisor Brenna announced the polls were open. The rest of us scrambled to piece together the final bits and bobs. With only a few hours of training, some supplies and instruction books between us, this handful of San Franciscans — including me, not yet at voting age — was tasked with upholding democracy.
During lulls in voter activity, I flipped through the thick stack of ballots with candidate names, wondering where they were on the day their fate was being decided — with friends and family? I thought of my sister whose name is on the same ballot next to Nancy Pelosi, running to represent San Francisco in Congress. I smiled, imagining filling in the bubble next to her name — the first vote I will ever cast.
Because of my experience as a poll worker, democracy is no longer an abstract idea, but something concrete, like my polling team: a group of disparate San Franciscans finding camaraderie and joy working together for a common end.
The next election, the primaries, is now just around the corner — March 3rd — and on the ballot for district 12 sit John Dennis, Nancy Pelosi, Agatha Bacelar, Shahid Buttar, and Deanna Lorraine. I know people will think that my research on the candidates stops with my sister, but that is not the case. This is my first ever vote, and I researched the candidates the same way I am researching colleges to apply to — by talking to friends, reading online, and visiting websites and social media profiles. When I look at the names on the ballot I think of who could work with others for a common end just as I did with my polling team.
As for Nancy, the long-reigning queen of the CA12 seat, she has done a fine job, but with more than thirty years in the seat, it is time for new leadership. Nancy pioneered the way for women in Congress and it is admirable that she is one of the most powerful women in America. She is also having her moment in her role as Speaker of the House in light of Trump’s impeachment. But when the storms of the next presidential elections clear, what San Francisco do we want to come back to? Would Nancy still be the woman for the job? I think it is time for change and time for a transition of power to Agatha.
I’ve always admired Agatha for her capability and when I was little I would talk to my friends with admiration about my sister’s accomplishments. Today is no different as I am about to cast my first vote ever as one in support of my sister. Some may call it bragging, but as my stepdad says, it’s not bragging if it’s true. I think a lot of people would vote for her, if they knew what I knew.
“It’s not bragging if it’s true”
Agatha can do a handstand.
Agatha can stand up to represent the fight against climate change.
Agatha can relate to San Francisco natives through family, as well as immigrants such as herself.
Agatha can speak from the heart about visiting the southern border camps.
Agatha can speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, and German.
Agatha can relate to kids in the public school system.
Agatha can also speak Mandarin and Hindi.
Agatha can understand views other than her own.
Agatha can relate to grads from universities.
Agatha can fight against sexual harassment and abuse.
Agatha can understand people who don’t have a standard family structure.
Agatha can do a front flip in a double dutch jump rope.
Agatha can drive a stick shift. More importantly, she can teach you how, too.
Agatha can play the violin and piano at symphony level.
Agatha can empathize with conservatives, such as those in her family.
Agatha can have equally powerful conversations with the 1% and 99%
Agatha can think using her STEM skepticism and her dancer’s creativity.
Agatha can build on Nancy Pelosi’s legacy as a woman in Congress.
Agatha can represent San Francisco in Congress better than anyone.
With Agatha you can’t go wrong!
I know that Agatha is the best person to represent San Francisco in Congress because, as her sister, I know her well. One can talk all day about how Nancy has done her fair share of work in politics — because she has — but political experience is not everything that makes the best representative. If that were the case, we wouldn’t be facing many of the crises that challenge us today.
Agatha has motivation from her experience talking with immigrants at the border, registering voters across states and listening to Americans from all parts of the spectrum. It is evident that Agatha is an accomplished learner — she studied hard and graduated from Stanford, after all. I have no doubt that she would quickly learn her way around Congress. The many aspects of her identity and passion for democracy and justice are what put her best in line to represent San Francisco. Let’s elect the future by voting Agatha for Congress.
Sophia Stephens, Age 18
San Francisco, CA
