It doesn’t take a genius to know that she’s one of us. I hope tomorrow night we can celebrate your voice in a vote to elect not just the next Congresswoman, but our friend Aftyn.

If you reside in District 7, and didn’t early vote, I’m asking you to choose to protect our democracy. One candidate held their last campaign stump speech in a public park, the other in a billionaire’s gated home in Middle Tennessee.

Never has she let it discourage her from fighting for healthcare, issues affecting queer, immigrant and other marginalized people, common sense gun laws, the environment, and making Tennessee an affordable place to live.

She is kind, generous and level headed. I have texted with her throughout this campaign, through the nasty, ugly, mischaracterized, misogynistic, and simply gross attacks from the right.

If there is a better definition of a true statesman and representative of the people, I don’t know it. When she’s right, she doesn’t gloat. When she’s wrong, she owns it. She has always been supportive, and never backed down from a fight.

She has been to my church, prayed with me, stood up for me when she didn’t have to, marched with me, listened to me, sat with me, always taken time to meet with me, and has always been a phone call or text away, on her busiest of days.

If you consciously and purposefully practice it daily, joy multiplies in the smallest corners. If I said one prayer in my life, if I am ever remembered for saying anything to you in my life, let it be “Thank you.”

🏳️‍⚧️ A state law that outs trans and nonbinary students who are minors if they disclose their gender identity to school faculty or staff.

🏳️‍⚧️ A number of bills have passed with restrictions on student athletes.

🏳️‍⚧️ And, of course, horrible bathroom legislation.

🏳️‍⚧️ Measures protecting those who misgender trans and nonbinary people in schools. A state law passed recently that affects students, faculty, and staff.

🏳️‍⚧️ A state law that outs trans and nonbinary students who are minors if they disclose their gender identity to school faculty or staff.

🏳️‍⚧️ Supportive symbols like Pride flags are also under attack. Legislators have attempted to pass flag bans, but failed. Such measures have succeeded in places like the Tullahoma City school district.

🏳️‍⚧️ Supportive, inclusive public and school libraries are under attack. Often the focus is on books related to trans experience that get labelled as promoting "gender ideology." We have seen this phenomenon most recently in Sumner and Rutherford Counties.