[photos enclosed] The experiences that fueled my fight for justice

 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Long before I was one of the highest-ranking Black women in Congress and running a historic campaign for U.S. Senate, I was the little girl that you see in this picture: I've faced some incredible hardships in my life. Growing up in the segregated South, I couldn't drink from the same water fountain as my white peers. And as a teenager with no access to the reproductive health care I needed in the U.S., I had to travel from my home in California to Mexico to receive a back-alley abortion in the middle of the night. But these are the experiences that fueled my fight for justice early on. So when there were no Black cheerleaders at my high school, I worked with the NAACP and earned my spot as the school’s first Black cheerleader. I went on to become the first Black woman elected to the State Senate from Northern California. And in Congress, I've championed the voices of marginalized communities – from fighting injustices against people of color to addressing LGBTQ+ inequality to combating violence against women. Now, I'm running to become just the third Black woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate, where there are no Black women serving today – but we have an uphill climb ahead of us: The Washington Post is reporting that I'm at a serious fundraising disadvantage compared to others in this race, which is shaping up to be the most expensive Senate primary in history. But I know that with your grassroots support, we can pull ahead and win. That's why I'm personally asking: [Together, I know we can defy the odds once again. So folks, I’m humbly asking: Will you help us protect this seat and the Senate majority with it by splitting a donation today between my campaign and Elect Black Democrats?]( If you've stored your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will be processed immediately and split between Barbara Lee and Elect Black Democrats. [DONATE $10 NOW »]( [DONATE $25 NOW »]( [DONATE $50 NOW »]( [DONATE $100 NOW »]( [DONATE $250 NOW »]( [OTHER »]( Thank you for reading my story, and for being part of our progressive movement. – Barbara Lee --------------------------------------------------------------- DONATE NOW »]( [ELECT BLACK DEMOCRATS ](#?source=EM_NBI_EBD_20230913_FR_BarbaraLeeSplit_0_3x90DO_BarbaraLee_BarbaraLee_NA_split) PAID FOR BY ELECT BLACK DEMOCRATS | PO BOX 15320, DC 20003 PO BOX 15320, DC 20003 If you need to you can unsubscribe here: You can also [click here to donate](. Sent via [ActionNetwork.org](. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Elect Black Democrats, please [click here](.