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In June 2017, our cofounder, Swati, had just left the opening stage at the very first Arena Academy in Detroit when she was approached by a young woman named Lina Hidalgo. Lina told Swati that she wanted to run for a long-time Republican seat in Texas called Harris County Judge. Swati and Matt wrote the first check into Lina’s campaign account and continued to support her throughout her first bid.
Against what many considered to be impossible odds, Lina won the election in 2018. Ever since, she has led Harris County through trial and triumphs with astounding strength. In the words of fellow Texan, Beto O’Rourke:
[Lina] is doing an incredible job as judge, as evidenced by her efforts to quickly respond to COVID-19—Harris County announced a mask mandate in April 2020, but a statewide policy didn’t follow until July—as well as to expand her constituents’ access to the ballot box. Early-voting sites offered by the county nearly tripled last year.
It’s hard to imagine a tougher set of circumstances to confront in your first term in office, but she has really distinguished herself and makes us proud—not just as Democrats but as Texans. That’s what leadership looks like...
Read Beto’s full piece here.
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