Politician

I am grateful for my family, friends, and all those who send constant love and support - you are my energy and my hope. You teach me, love me even when I'm wrong, and let me ride the challenges and come out whole.

If you look at the future of the Democratic Party, things like raising the minimum wage - Democrats need to get behind raising the minimum wage and be clear on where we stand on trade deals.

I come from a state in India that is a matrilineal state, Kerala. And so women really are seen as very powerful.

I'm conscious of my race and ethnicity in the legislature - it's hard not to be.

I was on the committee that helped raise the minimum wage here in Seattle. I introduced a statewide bill to raise the minimum wage in Washington state my first year in the state senate, and I really believe that raising the federal minimum wage, while not the answer to everything, addresses a lot of the issues at the very bottom.

I am not a woman on Monday, an immigrant on Tuesday, a worker on Wednesday, and a mom on Thursday, I am all of those things all of the time, and I am going to fight for all of those things all of the time.

My grandmother was whip smart as well as an incredible athlete. She played tennis in her sari, cheered on the Indian team in cricket matches, and tried to convince us that her made-up words were real so she could win a Scrabble game.

Racism, sexism, and age-ism are all alive and well in the U.S. House.

We are a country that has always been known for providing opportunities to people. We have lost a lot of that opportunity.

Civil rights icons, famous journalists, big-time movie producers may all have credits to their name that we can recognize and be grateful for, but their record of good works cannot excuse their harassment of women.

We on the Left are very good at criticizing people, but we need to build the base to pull people to the Left.

Corporations and special interests have their voice in Congress, and they have too many members scared of their power. What Congress needs is a progressive voice who is unafraid to take on these powerful interests - who is willing to fight for all Americans, not just the wealthiest 1 percent.

As we say we fight for working people, we have to make sure our policies reflect that.

I usually wake up really early because I keep myself on East Coast time.

Some people have called me the anti-Trump, and I'm so proud.

We have to remember that disagreeing with people is fine; it is dehumanizing people that is not, and when that happens, we have to be ready to speak up.

Profiting from student loans is usury, and we just can't continue to allow it.

Rather than name-calling and arguing about whether it is appropriate or not to employ radical tactics, we progressives need to start listening to each other.

Trump can embrace dictators and gulags, but we the people stand for human rights, for dignity, for keeping families together.

If there is one thing that resonates for women, it is that regardless of where we come from or what we look like, we want to be fully recognized for the breadth of our contributions.