Eighth Congressional District Candidate Forum at George Mason ... >
May 5, 2014 - Laverne Chatman.

Opening Statement
...I'm Laverne Chatman and I'm running for Congress because the challenges we face in this dysfunctional Congress today deserves a new perspective and a new approach.  I think the time is right for a leader who has run effective non-profits and has a track record of putting our shared values into action to make this community stronger.

As a Northern Virginia native from a working class family—my mom was a federal employee, my dad an automobile mechanic—I know what it means to work hard to educate and raise a family in our district.  My mom spent 30 years as a U.S. Postal Service employee so I fully understand how important it is to protect our federal workers and protect small businesses from an extreme Tea Party agenda that has the nerve to shut down the government. 

I got involved with unions and with workers' rights at an early age.  I stayed up at night with her typing her grievances to give to the shop steward.  I was so proud to support her fight to make the workplace better for women and minorities.

At the Urban League my work focused on social justice, affordable housing, youth empowerment, financial literacy, and eliminating the achievement gap.  I've built coalitions, I've collaborated with businesses, churches, community leaders and elected officials to positively impact underserved families in this region.  I even worked with Congressman Moran to get federal funding to design and build the Freedom House Museum, a former Alexandria slave pen.  When the government shut down, Jim Moran called on me to bring together small businesses, women-owned businesses, to help find solutions to keep them economically viable.

The time is right for a woman to defend the right for our health care decisions with our doctor, period. 

The time is right for a leader who believes in equal pay, but also believes in increasing access to capital so women can be employers, not just employees. 

The time is right for leadership that will engage the will of the people for commonsense solutions like background checks to reduce gun violence, like raising the minimum wage so workers can make a decent living. 

The time is right for someone who's been in the trenches getting it done.

We put a community organizer in the White House, now it's time to put a community leader in the U.S. House.  Thank you.
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