Lindsey Port

#ReSisters

Meet Women's March MN's August Resilient ReSister,

During the May 16th Women Candidate Development Coalition's 32nd Birthday Celebration, Lindsey Port was awarded the Political Courage Award for her #MeToo leadership. Lindsey entered politics as a volunteer on the 2012 marriage equality campaign, Minnesotans United for All Families, where she learned to have values-based conversations and fell in love with voter contact and door knocking. Working on local campaigns brought her face-to-face with ordinary Minnesotans who didn't feel represented by their elected leaders, so when her state representative's seat opened up for 2016, she decided to run. She came within five points of her opponent by knocking on more doors than any other Minnesota candidate. Lindsey now co-leads Blueprint Campaigns, which provides professional development support for emerging leaders from traditionally underrepresented communities.

Lindsey made local and national news for coming out about sexual harassment by then Minnesota Sen. Dan Schoen (D). Fellow Democrats even accused Lindsey of "softening the ground" for Franken's resignation.

This is why Women Candidate Development Coalition honored Lindsey with their Political Courage Award. Lindsey continues to be an incredibly brave leader. In an excerpt from her acceptance speech she says, "As I look back over the last six months, the knowledge that I was part of a movement that could change the world my daughters grow up in, combined with the pain of retaliation reminded me again how radically different our world could be if women had an equal voice at the table. If women were setting the agenda at the Capitol this session, we would have passed sexual harassment reform with input from an independent task force. We'd see more lasting support for the #MeToo movement, instead of the backlash we see now." She goes on to say, "we would see institutions and businesses at the table finding solutions instead of circling the wagons and protecting the status quo." Lindsey ended her acceptance speech with the following, "Courage isn't a single action that you do. It's a choice you make to continue to push against the status quo and demand more. I'm demanding more. And I hope you'll stand with me." Women's March Minnesota stands with you, Lindsey.

Even though Lindsey's business continues to be shut out by funders, they are committed to the important work of building the next generation of progressive leaders.

To learn more about our first Resilient ReSister, visit Blueprint Campaigns. To read more about the progress of Minnesota lawmaker promises to address the local #MeToo movement, read Briana Bierschbach's May 11th Minnesota Post article, "Lawmakers promised to address sexual harassment during the 2018 legislative session. How's that going?"