Kansas leaders, women of color, talk about political representation

From local committees to the highest office in the land, women of color are using their voices.

As vice president Kamala Harris has run for office as the first Black woman on the Democratic presidential ticket, women of color across Kansas are taking the plunge or reigniting their advocacy.

The number of women of color becoming political leaders in Kansas has slowly but steadily grown over the years. In recent years, Kansas has seen its first Black woman run for secretary of state, the first Latina leaders in some cities and other milestones.

Women fulfill many leadership roles. Whether they serve in local government, like the Guatemalan immigrant who became mayor of Wichita Lily Wuor serving at the federal level, like U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, of the 3rd Congressional District, these women are changing the game in state politics.

Sen. Usha Reddi, D-Manhattan

Sen. Usha Reddi, D-Manhattan, said she has always been interested in politics.

“I think I’ve always been interested in politics on some level,” Reddi said. “I’m a naturalized citizen, so having to take a test to become a citizen of the United States makes you appreciate that privilege a little bit more. So I appreciate it, and I consider it a privilege. just to be a voting member, but also to be part of the policy process.”

As the first Asian and South Asian American to serve in the Senate, Reddi said she felt she had a unique perspective to offer. She said government should reflect the citizens it serves.

“I think life experiences matter,” Reddi said. “As an immigrant, I have different life experiences. I don’t know how to speak English and I have all the resources that were available to myself and my family because I am a woman and I go to meetings where it is mainly men and I make policies that also impact has for women, like having lights in our alleys in a college town where many of our young women walk, and there are more policies being made without women at the table.

“Sometimes the unintended consequences are not recognized by the people making those policies.”

Over the course of her career, Reddi said there have been many who have been role models for her, including Rep. Sydney Carlin, D-Manhattan.

Reddi said she is excited to see women and women of color taking the lead in government, but is frustrated by the endless hoops they have to jump through to get even half as far.

“You see Vice President Kamala Harris, who has an extraordinary career and life, running for office and I think has the potential to be the next president, but just seeing how long her resume had to be to get there, and it still seems like she is not suitable for some people,” Reddi said. “So, when is it enough? I think this is the battle we’re all fighting. Is that when is my resume enough? When are my qualifications enough?

“While others sometimes just walk into a room and already look like they’re qualified even though they don’t have the same skills.”

Given her experience in office, she offered a piece of advice to new political leaders entering the arena: don’t deny who they are.

“We run on qualifications,” Reddi said. “But our identity is also part of our heritage and something that we should not deny. I do not deny who I am. I wear my bindi. I am brown. I never pretend to be. People know I have my name hasn’t changed. It’s the same. So you can stay true to who you are and your values and still be a good representative.”

Jeanna Repass, chair of the Democratic Party of Kansas

Chairman of the Democratic Party of Kansas Jeanna Repass has always had her interest in politics, considering her mother was a civil rights activist and her father’s Vietnam veteran status.

Repass said it is critical to include women of color in political spaces.

“If we don’t have women of color, you’re missing an entire demographic and it’s not just black women,” Repass said. “They are women of all ethnic and racial backgrounds. And if you don’t have those voices, then you won’t live in the fullness of what this country needs, deserves, and quite frankly, the things that will move us. forward.”

As Repass has explored her path in politics, she has always looked to her mother for inspiration. She said that despite not seeing herself reflected in the media, her mother always encouraged her to do and be whatever she wanted.

“I never grew up in a family asking what I couldn’t do,” Repass said. “But at that point, we hadn’t had Black Miss America, Black Miss USA or Black Miss in this country. So the art of the possible had to be taught from your own home, rather than from your country or from your own country. Your community tells you what was possible. So I think representation is so important for all the generations behind us.”

Repass said that while she is excited to see women of color being normalized in politics, she is discouraged by the negative outcome.

She said it has now become normalized to attack the qualifications and legitimacy of women in the field, and especially in places of more power, such as the presidency.

“The tropes that have come out are just terrible,” Repass said. “I think a lot of the stereotypes are calling her (Harris) stupid, sexualizing her and trying to shame her for dating men in the past.”

While working in politics, Repass saw more and more young political leaders taking action. She said she finds these new leaders impressive and hopes they don’t become discouraged when faced with adversity.

“The doors you need to knock down won’t necessarily open right away, but that doesn’t mean you haven’t made an impact,” Repass said.

Stacey Knoell

Kansas Senate District 23 candidate Stacey Knoell said she didn’t necessarily want to go into politics, but felt it appealed to her.

“I was already moving into politics because I recognized the importance of taking my place in history and using that moral arc of the universe for justice,” Knoell said.

Knoell serves on the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. She said Kansas has come a long way, but there is still work to be done.

“At the national level, there is generally resistance to what the other side would label as ‘woke,’” Knoell said.

For the next generation of political leaders, Knoell said she wanted to remind them that there is still a need for them at the table.

“I think people in general are disillusioned with politics and politicians,” Knoell said. “I sometimes hear: ‘No right-thinking person goes into politics.’ So I encourage them to know that there is still room for different points of view and different worldviews.”

Beryl New, candidate for the Kansas State Board of Education

Kansas State Board of Education District 6 candidate Beryl New worked in education for 36 years before retiring. She knew she wanted to stay active, so she joined the District Equity Council and became co-chair.

New said that because of her desire to continue her community involvement, she jumped at the opportunity when she was approached to run for the school board.

“I thought this was a good transition for me, having served in public education for over thirty years, to being able to continue my service in a statewide position,” New said.

She said there is always strength in diversity, especially in leadership roles.

“When people come from different kinds of lived experiences and different cultural backgrounds, they bring a new lens that might not be present if the previous structure was homogeneous,” New said. “And so being able to share the perspective of someone who has experienced education or life in general in a different way really helps to enrich the way decision makers reach their conclusions about policies, structures and systems.”

She also said it was rewarding to see women of color in every sector of government.

“It’s kind of a culmination of all the work that people in America have done since the very beginning,” New said. “People came to America for freedoms. People fought in America and died in America so that individuals can have the right to choose, can have individual freedom at every level and I think we’re seeing the fruits of that now.”

Although she is relatively new to politics, her advice to young political leaders is to stay true to their own beliefs.

“Whatever brought you to do this work, stay focused on that,” New said. “Don’t get distracted by tricks, games and systems. If you stay true to what brought you into the job, I think you’ll feel better about what you do.”

U.S. Representative Sharice Davids, Kansas Congressional District 3

Davids is the first gay Native American to serve in her office. She said she was inspired by her mother, who served in the military for more than 20 years, and by the important work that needs to be done in American politics.

“In my work in economic development, especially on tribal reservations, and later as a White House staffer, I saw firsthand how policies shape people’s lives,” Davids said in a written statement. “I decided to run to ensure that Kansans – and especially those whose voices have been ignored – have a seat at the table.”

Davids said she is proud to be one of many who have broken the glass ceiling to diversify politics in Kansas.

“For too long, so many people have not seen their experiences reflected in their federal representation,” Davids said. “While there is still a way to go, I am so proud to be part of a moment where more women, especially women of color, are being elected across the country, bringing new perspectives that lead to real, positive change for all communities. “

She also said that it’s great to see women like Kamala Harris breaking the glass ceiling as well.

“It shows the progress we are making toward a government that truly reflects the diversity of our country,” Davids said. “People tell me how impactful it is to see leaders who share and understand their experiences, and it’s exciting to think about how much further we can go. This representation brings powerful voices to the table and paves the way for more inclusive and effective policymaking. “

Davids has now held her elected position since 2019. Now that she’s seen a new generation of political leaders enter the field, her advice to them is to stay focused.

“Stay focused amid the noise,” Davids said. “People will try to dismiss you, but if you are willing to do the work, positive change will follow. Your efforts are critical and we need you to keep moving forward.”