Independent Lens

- [knocks] Hello.

- Hi.

- Hi.

female narrator: Th ree women running for office in the Midwest... - You are running on the Republican ticket?

- On the Republican ticket.

- What do you think you can do?

[both laugh] narrator: Fight to reshape local politics on their own terms.

- Let me tell you a lil' something about me I'm a activist straight up out the 3-1-3 People said, "You're too young.

You have to have more experience."

But for me as a Black woman, life is not promised.

- I take my kids everywhere.

People tell me already like, "Oh, you can't run because you have small children."

- [squeals] - People feel like their vote do esn't matter, but we have so much power he re in this one city.

narrator: "Represent," now only on Independent Lens.

- Oh, oh, oh, oh - Oh, oh - Oh, oh, oh - Oh, oh, oh - Oh, oh, oh - Next Tuesday's off-year election has been said to be the Year of the Woman.

Barry Serafin has a report.

- As one male politician recently observed that women have not only come a long way, they've arrived.

[funky bass music] - Well, it wasn't so long ago that when we spoke about running for election... - Ah!

- We were talking almost exclusively about men.

- Can I go under that after?

- Pull it straight.

- This year, women politicians are on the march in numbers.

- Women in politics.

During the past decade, their numbers ha ve increased sharply, but as they say, you ain't seen nothing yet.

- I'm running Out of options an d I'm tired - Good.

Like, give me a smile.

- With many women trying to win seats for the first time this year... - Eyes up at the top of the paper for me.

- Could we be looking at another Year of the Woman?

- Is this really gonna be the Year of the Woman?

– This is the real-- all: Year of the Woman.

- Because we hear that, it seems like, every two years.

- [chuckles] [TV static drones] - Can you count to ten real quick?

- One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi.

This is for the website, right?

[dog barks] - Yeah.

- Mama, can you grab Chewy again, please, so she don't-- - Just--I gotta walk through here, like, two more times.

I'm fixing Aunt Jean breakfast.

I'll take it to her.

- But you're gonna interrupt the video in the background.

- Okay.

- Okay, I'm ready.

- My first question is, who are you-- [phone rings] - Okay, one second.

Someone's calling.

Okay, I'm ready.

- So who are you-- - Wait.

Can you let Chewy outside, please?

We can hear her.

I'm so sorry.

- It's fine.

- So I could start?

- Yeah.

- So my name is Myya Jones.

I'm from Detroit, Michigan, and I'm currently running for mayor of Detroit.

[floorboards creak] Who is that walking up the stairs?

[upbeat music] When I was going through the plans of running for mayor of Detroit, I text my mom a picture of the Manoogian Mansion.

That's where the mayor lives, and I said, "We're gonna live here one day."

And she called me like, "What are you talking about?"

I said, "I'm gonna run for mayor."

She texted, "No, you ain't."

I said, "Yes, I am."

- This is gonna glow in here.

And it's gonna say... "Myya for Detroit."

- No, wait, what'll be cool about Myya being mayor?

- Take a picture of my blue mouth.

- I call first.

- Oh, I got your blue mouth.

Don't worry.

- I'm gonna be going to meetings with her.

She'll probably make a couple thousand a year, and I'm gonna spend it all on toys, ice cream, and then I'm gonna start my own 401(k).

- Politics entered my life when I was in school, and I just seen, like, the separation between the Black students an d the white students, so I started getting more involved.

all: [chanting] Black lives matter.

Black lives matter, Black lives matter.

- I became a leader on campus, president of the Black Student Alliance at the time, so we've done these things at the campus level.

All we gotta do now is bring it back to the cities.

Here, take your clipboard back.

- [grunts] - Okay.

[knocks] Hi, my name is Myya, and I'm running for mayor of Detroit.

So I wanted to see if you would be able to sign our petition.

- You running?

- Mm-hmm.

- Imma support you.

- You running for mayor, right?

- Yes, ma'am.

- You got my vote.

- Thank you.

- Let's see what you can do.

- Thank you so much.

- Okay.

- Okay, okay.

And?

We--wait a minute.

Hold on, hold on.

Black people had this city for almost 30 years and done absolutely nothing, but as soon as Duggan get office, you start seeing things take place.

- Why, though?

- Why--because he's white.

- So you said because he's white-- So you-- - One of the reasons.

- The only reason people invested into it is because he is white, and you're right about that.

- Okay, okay.

And?

- They invest because he's white and he's pushing Black people out.

- Oh, now as you are mayor, what you gon' do?

What you gon' bring to us if somebody elect you as mayor?

Talk to me!

- I'm gonna make sure that you know what's going on with your money.

That's not happening right now, and it hasn't happened for years.

I actually grew up here in the Detroit public school system.

I want our kids to have access to stuff that I didn't have access to.

- You have a nice day.

- You have a nice one too.

And I hope you get some sense.

[radio chatter] Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.

When I was younger, there was mostly, like, people of color who was downtown, like, we had the Black people.

[melancholic music] So now when you go downtown, you don't even feel welcomed there.

People in the neighborhoods have been lied to, they feel like their vote doesn't matter and it doesn't count.

- I ain't gonna tell you again, don't fight.

I just told you.

- But we have so much power here in this one city.

- Who wants to hear-- [indistinct chatter] - We have to restore that hope, and that's what I really wanna do for people who are in Detroit right now.

- [knocks] Hi.

- Hi.

- My name is Julie Cho.

I live right down on Central.

I am running for state representative in this district-- - As what?

- State representative.

- As a Democrat or Republican?

- A Republican.

[TV static drones] I have been working all my working life in health care.

I've always really liked tackling problems.

- So you are running on the Republican ticket?

- On the Republican ticket.

- Okay, and what do you think you can do?

[both laugh] - We are in a more Democratic district, but I can find common ground with anybody.

That's something that politics doesn't have that I can bring.

- My main thing is the environmental issues.

- The education systems here.

- Human services and programs for society.

- I am hoping that they will legalize marijuana.

And--oh, and beyond all that-- this will not surprise you-- anything that anyone could do at any level-- I don't care what level it is-- to stick it to the current occupant of the White House.

Constantly drum up resistance to anything that comes from that side of the aisle, I'm for it.

I don't care what it is.

I'm for it.

- Okay.

[stammers] Anything else?

- No, I think I'll give you a break.

- Thank you so much.

- You're welcome.

One big question, your card doesn't say Democrat, Republican.

- I'm running on a Republican ticket.

- Okay, just so we know.

- Yeah, yeah.

- And I'll be straight with you, I think anyone who associates with the Republican Party in any way, in principle, I want nothing to do with.

It means that you're associated with something unclean.

Forgive me, but I know I can be honest with you 'cause you were honest with us.

And actually talking to you, you're an interesting person who took the trouble to come out.

Why didn't you run as a Democrat?

Please be a Democrat.

- If you will make one exception to let one Republican in-- - I can't think of any better exception.

You're welcome, of course.

Thank you very much.

[overlapping chatter] - [speaking Korean] I was born and grew up in Korea.

This is me, like, a couple years before we moved, still in Korea.

When I was 16 years old, we landed in a really, really rural town in Ohio.

It was just a complete shock.

Everyone in that town-- they had never seen an Asian person in their life, but everybody was so friendly.

Everyone wanted to be friends with us.

My cousins and my brother and I just became a celebrity.

It was a really nice introduction to the country.

Now I am one of the vice presidents for Korean American As sociation of Chicago.

[both laugh] I never considered myself a Korean American or Asian American.

To me, just Americans are Americans.

I mean why do you have to divide people into, "You're an Asian American, "you're an African American.

Democrats or Republicans."

"Oh, this is male candidate," versus, "Oh, this is a female candidate."

I want them to know me as Julie first.

all: For the land Of the free And the home Of the brave [dog barks] - So this is where we wash our food.

Like, and it blows air, and it, like, shakes all the dirt out of the lettuce.

And then you put it in the dryer, and it's a legitimate dryer, and every farmer does that.

Like, the little guys.

And so, we need a real pack house, so then we're not... you know, doing this.

When I was 12, my dad and mom really wanted us to become farmers, so they bought a produce farm, and we moved to Ohio.

[bright music] You got tomatoes too?

Okay.

Thank you.

See you.

Thank you.

Have a great one.

I did not wanna be a farmer.

I was always trying to talk about, like, policy issues.

And then a car whipped around the corner right at the same time.

There just needs to be a light.

So I went to George Washington University in D.C. for my graduate degree, did farm worker rights, an d then I worked a lot on, like, the farm bill, immigration.

I really kind of got pulled into politics and loved it.

- Dun, dun, dun.

"There will be two trustees elected in each township "to a full term.

"Candidates for township office are nominated "by nominating petition.

Signatures--25."

I can do this.

[TV static drones] The township is in charge of, like, our township roads, our fire and rescue, zoning laws, so protecting responsible growth.

But Granville has never had a progressive trustee.

[solemn music] Our county is well over 70-some percent Republican.

A big part of me running is there's this feeling, "You're somebody who lives in a rural community, you vote Republican, you drive a truck."

I wanna be a progressive voice in a rural community.

- The go-for number is that 34% in this race.

The average in that post-presidential is, you know, 5,078 votes.

- Emlyn.

Emlyn, Emlyn, no.

- 16 right now based off of this, so that only odd number way are on one page, and even numbers are on the next.

- Can I read you a book?

Come here.

Can I read?

Come here.

I take my kids everywhere.

So what does puppy say?

It goes, "Woof, woof."

- Woof, woof.

People tell me already like, "Oh, you can't run because you have small children, and that's not fair to them."

- [squeals] - Very logical.

- Then, if you hit the print button... - Yeah.

[both vocalizing] - What else could I be - [cries] - [laughs] I can't leave these crumbs.

- I'll see you guys.

- You see any more, babe?

All right, we're good.

Thank you.

All right, that's it.

- Yeah!

- Oh, Bri, I need to make my little gift basket.

Will you find like something pretty to put in here?

And then, like, maybe a bow in the basement?

I have to start getting ready.

Oh, I really do.

Sorry.

I always get the high-responsibility jobs: making things pretty, being the arm candy.

It's a lot of pressure.

Huh, huh?

Maybe?

- You can't miss this.

- I won't.

- Uh-huh.

- Uh-huh, I'm going to chemo for you tomorrow.

You can come to this tonight.

- I will.

- Uh-huh.

Yeah, love you.

Bye.

- Bye.

My mom was diagnosed with cancer five years ago.

That's why we moved back to Ohio.

- Hi.

Nice to meet you.

- Hi.

- Nice to meet you.

- Hi, how are you?

Nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you.

Her big one is immigration.

I mean-- - [coughs] - Careful, be careful.

I think I've always known I wanted to run.

And I'm mostly excited to give back to Granville.

I really wanna enhance our rural community and protect our rural landscape, our quaint little perfect town that we have also here.

But my mom's cancer pushed me.

You came to my fundraiser.

You did it!

Wow, I didn't think you would.

Hi, Mom.

- Hi.

My mom and I are very close.

- It was nice of Muffy and Nan to come by.

- So nice.

We check in every morning just to talk about the weather.

I call her when I see a good sale at the grocery store.

Tell Grandma bye.

Give her a hug.

I wrote her a letter, an d I said like, "You have to live to see me get elected," because she's my biggest fan.

Always has been.

[hopeful music] Hi, guys.

Bacon chili.

I'm running for township trustee, so it's Bryn's trusty old chili.

[chuckles] - Illinois ranks number one in terms of out-migration in the country.

Every report that I've read, it says it's caused by the government mismanagement for decades, right?

So how do we fix that?

[chuckles] - Detroit, we're in the state of emergency.

Jails are over capacity, our grandparents are being forced out of their homes, and instead of diversifying, they're gentrifying.

29 of our schools are closing.

[both laugh] I tried.

- Is this your first time doing one of these?

- Yes.

- Oh, right on.

Congratulations.

- Thank you.

- [sighs] Maybe I should drink some water.

[inhales, exhales] Why'd I get so nervous?

I was fine before I walked in here.

- 22-year-old Myya Jones, wh o's running for mayor, joins us now.

Good afternoon to you.

- Good afternoon.

How are you doing today?

- I'm great.

Let's dig right in, Myya.

Well, you know what people are saying.

"Oh, I applaud that.

That's cute.

22, that's sweet."

What do you say to that?

"She's so young."

- No, young people have been on the ground running since the civil rights movement.

I have proven time and time again even before I was 22 that I get the job done.

I've been out in here doing community work... People say, "Oh, you're crazy.

You're too young.

You have to have more experience, blah, blah, blah."

But life is not promised, tomorrow's not promised, so you can't keep telling people you have tomorrow, because you never know what's gonna happen.

- Myya Jones, I feel your passion.

I'm sure people at home do too.

Thank you for your time.

Co ngratulations.

- Thank you so much.

Hey, everybody.

So me and Chrissy are on our way to the zoo.

Where are we going, Chrissy?

- To the zoo.

- Are you excited?

- Yeah.

- Say, "Bye, everybody.

I'll see you at the zoo."

- Bye, everybody.

See you at the zoo.

- So when things started to, like, really go in our lives... Bye, everybody!

Come on, yeah.

Get up here.

I was in fifth grade.

My stepfather passed away.

My mom--she didn't have a job.

You see it in the tree?

She kind of, like, fell into depression and neglect.

Some stuff just got really bad.

- [whines] - Are you scared of it?

Don't be scared.

You a big girl.

Phew, are you tired?

- No.

- That's what I like to hear.

She ain't tired.

I don't know what to do.

Chrissy.

But I don't wanna dwell in things.

People have, like, way more [bleep] going on for them than I do for myself, so... - So wait a minute.

Wait, wait, wait.

How poor were you?

- We was on public housing.

We moved literally place to place to place to place.

But Pastor Barry, you know I don't like talking about myself too much.

- Wait a minute, but something she gotta say, so... Detroit is a true grit city.

We've been to hell and back.

Part of Myya Jones' purpose he re is she's reminding people, "Yes, you have comeback power."

- But I knew that if I went to college and got a education, through that education, I can be whoever I wanted to be.

And there, I learned about Shirley Chisholm, Kathleen Cleaver, Angela Davis, Elaine Brown-- all these wonderful women who were soldiers, and how dare we not do anything when they made all this progress and all this work?

How can we just sit back and allow this to happen?

Hey, y'all.

- Hello.

- I plan on building a all-Black female core campaign team.

Campaign team, raise your hand.

Hey, y'all, so talk to any of those people about volunteering, helping fundraise...

I have Black women who want to get experience in these things and who want to develop themselves and eventually run fo r office too.

[overlapping chatter] - We need all of us to just step up.

- Mm-hmm.

Yeah, that's fine.

- "She wants to show us millennials that we can all have a seat at the table."

- Yes, she wanna be mayor for the city of Detroit, babe.

- Oh, get it.

Congratulations.

- Thank you.

Trying to show all the little kiddies that we can step up and do something.

- Yes!

[overlapping chatter] - Black women too, we need representation in politics and everywhere else that we're not represented at.

Thank you.

- I said it.

Future mayor of Detroit.

- Thank you.

[hip-hop music] My name's Myya Jones.

I'm running for mayor.

I may be young, but I have a lot of knowledge about Detroit.

- The mayor doesn't wanna hear from us.

I wanted to talk to him last year about how downtown is getting revitalized and the neighborhoods aren't.

He didn't wanna talk to me either.

And until you-- - Well, how do you-- how do you plan on getting that done?

'Cause I have on my block at least 20 abandoned houses.

- If we get people in the actual neighborhoods to care about our neighborhoods.

It's about showing us what resources we have.

Nobody knows how to get the resources because they're keeping it locked up for all the other people.

- But I'm not hearing any meat.

I need somebody to tell me, what do you plan on doing about the blight?

- The simplest thing is actually caring, because if we have a mayor who actually cares about the people, that money will come here.

- Okay, well, I mean I--it's-- I'll take another look.

- Okay, thank you so much.

- Thank you.

- You're a lot more awake than usual.

Okay, ah.

Ah, ah, ah.

Okay, who's gonna have fun today?

- Mint, lemonade, chocolate.

Interesting combo.

- When I decided to run, when I talked to my husband... - Yeah, we need napkins.

- He was the kind of guy who's like, "If this is something that you really feel passionate about, I'm gonna support you fu ll-heartedly."

- Everybody's smiling.

We're happy, we're having fun.

- Are you happy?

- Yes.

- Are you happy?

- Yes?

- Are you happy?

[all laugh] Are you happy?

- I am.

- He was more concerned about like, "You have to be sure that this is what you wanna do.

You have to be ready."

- Okay, come on, guys.

- Okay--ooh.

Now everybody smile.

If you don't smile, we have to keep doing this, so let's smile so that we can finish this as soon as possible.

- Okay, and then you're gonna kind of come in next to Briana.

I mean, I kind of like that one.

We need a little smiley-er, you know?

- I'm not gonna do any better.

It's just-- - Somebody's gonna crack a joke so that you can laugh.

- And...you're not helping.

This isn't helping.

But mostly for John.

- I think it's mostly you.

- Mostly for John.

- Okay, just a couple.

- Maybe you need to put--John.

John, I'm gonna give you two quarters when we get home.

I'm gonna give you two quarters when we get home.

- Look at the camera, Johnny.

- Four quarters.

Dollar and two quarters?

- [whines] both: Hey.

[serene music] - [speaking Korean] Right now, I am talking to people individually and having events.

- So far, it's been a very positive experience.

[laughter] - Without any further ado, a bright spot in a rather grim year for Republicans, Julie Cho.

- Aw, hi.

[chuckles] I'm running mainly because our state is so heavily gerrymandered.

And this isn't just the Democrats.

This is also in the Republican areas.

Republicans are protected too.

- What's your position on health care?

You know, the Obama health care program?

- As a legislator--huh?

- Isn't working.

- No.

As a legislator, I will vote for every other bill before I support Obamacare.

- Have you had any reflections to make the Common Core situation, and the education programs, and the system?

- My kids are actually very happy with Common Core.

They're doing very well with it.

- Well, where she's living, you have many good students.

You never had to worry about them.

I only had one student out of the whole bunch that were Oriental that I had to work on.

I mean, they're just-- - That was probably me.

[laughter] - Just the way it is.

You know what I mean?

So... - Any other questions?

Thank you.

- Thank you.

- Thank you so much.

[applause] [pensive music] - My mom's family came from North Korea.

My family, like, lived th rough the war and the consequences of the war.

[solemn music] Growing up, I had an inherent distrust in the government.

You're talking about governments exploiting their people fo r thousands of years.

[overlapping chatter] So when I came to America, Republican Party is the one that advocates for a small government.

[applause] - Johnny, I think that one of the things is that people keep looking at government for the answer, and government's the problem.

- I guess I'm a Republican, bu t mostly, I am someone who just has absolutely no trust in any government.

- So how do you square that as someone who's running to be-- you know, you're trying to be a politician?

- So I wanna jump in it.

I wanna be part of fixing the problem, and then I'm gonna get out.

I'm not gonna stay as a politician for the rest of my life.

[overlapping chatter] - So I think I know most of you here, but my name is Bryn Bird, and I am running for Granville Township trustee.

I fully believe that democracy is built on trust in our government, and when those threads begin to shred, democracy falls apart, and I really believe that we start building that trust back up here at the local level.

It has to start in local politics.

The second...

There's a group of women that started after the election.

It's called Strong Voices Rising, who now are wanting to be more engaged.

- Bryn--she kind of threw it out there that she was gonna run for office, and I was just so impressed.

She's a super confident woman, young, who has good ideas an d can fight for them.

So we decided to help.

- You excited, boo?

- Yeah.

- Hi, I'm just running for township trustee and just introducing myself.

- This is my first time of actually, like, feet on the ground.

- And so that's why I really wanted to run, 'cause I'm thinking 30 years down the road.

- The future, I love it.

- Yeah.

- I know her, I trust her, I've seen her work, I've seen what she can do.

- [mouths] Oh, crap.

- Right now, we're working on this small little race in Granville, Ohio, but it doesn't feel like that to us.

It feels like we're starting a movement, because the more women run, the more women see that it can be done.

- Go, Bryn.

- We're doing it!

- Whoo!

- Bryn for president!

- Yeah, Bryn.

- We're doing it!

[cheers] There's four of us running: Kevin Bennett, Ben Yeater, me , and Melanie.

- I used to sit in this seat here to take the meeting minutes, so I had been to-- so I just changed chairs.

[laughs] When I became a trustee, I was used to coming to all of the meetings.

After 11 years, I felt like as much as anybody, I had a good grasp on the issues.

And that's really what led me to... not wanna be silent anymore.

All those in favor, signify by saying aye.

all: Aye.

- Any opposed?

- There are three township trustees.

Two of them are running for reelection: Kevin Bennett and Melanie Schott.

Conventional wisdom is that Melanie is the weaker candidate because--they don't say it, but being a woman doesn't help her.

- When I decided to run, there had never been a female township trustee.

- Kathy Klinger.

- I think that there have been times over the years that I felt as though maybe my voice didn't count.

I did not get--I know that I got your email forward, but I didn't receive notification.

- No, I don't--well, you probably wouldn't because... - Even though she's a conservative Republican, the old guard expected her to, like, serve tea.

- I thought that we were talking about possibly if we needed any of that at the rental.

I'm appeasing a lot, because if I approach them with, "This is how it has to be done," I would not be effective.

You know what I mean?

I would be viewed as this overbearing woman that we need to get out of office.

You know what I mean?

All those in favor, say aye.

all: Aye.

- Any opposed?

Next would be the approval... - The master plan is to have Kevin's people vote for Kevin and her, to have Melanie's people vote for Melanie and her, and to have all supporters of Bryn Bird vote for only Bryn Bird.

- I totally get the strategy, and I get it 100%.

It gives me ick factor on a number of levels of, like, telling people not to vote for anybody else when there are two spots.

- That's why we're not going to.

- Yeah, you are.

You're saying, "Just vote for Bryn."

- I would tell people.

- Oh.

- I struggle with it because it-- it potentially sends the message to somebody that the other candidates aren't worthy.

- And Democrats in Licking County struggle profusely, so if we have any tricks, really, to counteract that, we're gonna attempt to counteract that.

And you can preface it any way you want.

- Right.

- Right.

You can vote for two.

Th e top two win.

One of the strategies is telling people that if they just vote for one, it kind of, like, elevates me.

If I, like, do this, I don't know ho w people will take it.

It is a strategy to win.

People do it all the time.

I mean, not that if you do something all the time, it makes it right, but... - So you'll be looking right here.

This is where I'll be sitting, so we're gonna need to bring a-- - That's good right there, Conan.

- Okay, all right, first question, why are you running for office?

- In Illinois, we have right now a culture of constant conflict.

The politicians are just blaming each other instead of coming up with solutions.

Bobby, do you have any feedback?

- The taxpayer's gonna think, "What does this mean to me?"

And so, lowering that burden-- what does it then allow residents to do?

I've been managing campaigns since 2014.

Julie Cho is the first Republican candidate that I worked with.

- Bobby and I both agreed our first priority is getting rid of gerrymandering.

So right now, the system is set up so that the politicians pick their voters rather than voters picking their representatives.

- So every 10 years, they redraw the maps both for state House districts as well as congressional districts.

- Before 2011, most of Evanston was together.

It was one district.

- When they redrew the maps, they cut out a portion of the neighborhoods where there's a high percentage of African American communities, and they put them into neighboring state House districts.

Sir, do you live right here?

- Mm-hmm.

- They've diluted the African American and Latino vote in your neighborhood.

Did you know about that?

- No.

- And ever since, you have a white affluent population, which is the majority.

The African American community-- it's probably down to maybe 16%.

They essentially made the district less Black and brown and more white.

The current state representative, Robyn Gabel-- she voted for the maps.

When I look at outcomes for the African American community, we have a achievement gap, issues around affordability.

I mean, these are areas that are run by Democrats, so what's the issue now?

- I feel I have a choice.

I either vote for Democrat, or I don't vote for no one.

But we cannot let people take our vote for granted.

- Nationally, Republican politicians engage more in gerrymandering than Democrats, but the idea of the people having the power to draw the map--I mean, that really is the fundamental Republican ideology.

The power needs to stay with the people.

[marching band music] - Hey, partner.

- Hi.

- Hey, what's up?

We gotta talk later.

- Why, what's going on?

- You need a sticker.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, guys.

We're paying all these guys.

- I want a sticker.

- Recently, I called a Republican committeeman that I have relations with.

I'm like, "Yeah, you know, I've been working in Julie Cho's campaign."

It probably got quiet on the phone at that point, and he was like--you know, he's a straight shooter.

He just said, "That's ridiculous.

"It's a dumb idea.

She'll lose.

"And... you should convince her to drop out, you know?"

- I handed out my cards, and then I was, like, walking, and I look around.

"Oh, wow, I forgot it was back there."

I'm, like, marching off... - All right.

- By myself.

[solemn music] - He felt like Julie would bring out more Democrats 'cause they would say, "Oh, now we have a seat that is being opposed for other Republicans on the ballot."

She actually becomes more harm than good.

- I don't think it was his idea, the Republican committeeman.

I think it came down from Rauner campaign.

The Republican governor didn't wanna have anything that could potentially motivate a Democratic campaign.

So we're just kind of on our own.

- Did you ever consider dropping out?

- No.

- Let's go.

Let's go.

- Hey, everyone.

That's me.

- Thank you.

- Oh.

[mischievous music] And that's for you.

- Oh, thank you.

- [sighs] Hi.

- Republicans?

- Yeah.

- Thank you.

- That's mean.

[sighs] Here.

Unlike us Scandinavians.

- Fine, I mean... - So for the office of mayor, 16 people filed for that office, and of the 16, 8 qualified.

- Because I went to school outside of Detroit, they're challenging my residency, so I have to appeal it.

So Article 2 of the Charter of the City of Detroit adopted by vote for the people November 8, 2011, says that a place "where the person resides the greater part of the time will be considered for their official residence."

And according to the definition, Detroit is my official residency.

And after revealing the supporting documentations, you will see I have met the one-year residency requirement, thus qualifying me so I go on the ballot for August 8, 2017.

All right, so things we have to do is figure out polling locations, and then we also want to make sure that everyone has a phone number they can call if they want a ride to the polls.

So we need to figure out who's gonna be giving rides to the polls, too.

Let me write that down.

Of course I always have those thoughts of, like, quitting, but of course, you can't quit.

Even though the election is happening, start thinking about how y'all wanna move forward with still being involved in social action and civic engagement in Detroit.

Then hopefully, one day y'all will run for office too.

- Oh, my God.

- Yeah.

- [vocalizing] - Jot these down-- - Myya for mayor.

- Okay, let's go.

[vocalizing] - I'm very proud of her, and I think a lot of people will be as well.

I'm just happy she's my daughter.

I'm very privileged to be her mom.

- So I just really wanted to thank everybody on my campaign team.

Can you please stand up, please?

All y'all beautiful Black women.

Oh, my God.

I'm about to cry.

- Aw, cry, girl.

- Take your time.

Take your time.

- Yeah, take your time.

Amen, y'all.

- Y'all were here for me the entire time.

I didn't pay y'all.

Y'all didn't have to be here, but y'all chose to be here, and that's very important to me.

I don't think y'all really understand how much-- - It was very important to us.

- Thank you.

- Whoo!

- Yes, Myya!

[cheering] [relaxing music] - "Cinderella and Belle."

Cinderella.

- I had my life figured out, like, before this past, like, year or two.

But now it's just undefined.

I don't like that ki nd of feeling.

- Five pounds on Nutrisystem.

- I'm Chris, and I lost 120 pounds on Nutrisystem.

[both vocalize] - ...In your first month.

Lose weight, or your money ba ck guaranteed.

[solemn music] - Total fundraising, I think we did, like, $4,000, maybe $5,000.

Mm, and we got a $25 late filing fee.

I put in a few thousands of my own money.

It's not even money I have.

My credit cards.

So I'm in debt.

- I think when the signs started to go up around town, that's when it became visually apparent that the establishment had started to, it felt like, freeze Melanie out.

[melancholic music] There were places wh ere at the beginning, like, they even had both of the signs, like Kevin and Melanie's, and then you would drive past the next time, and, like, ju st Kevin's were left.

There was even a letter to the editor where it was all the past officials su pported Kevin, and they did not su pport Melanie.

It's her party who are doing this to her.

I'm not even a part of their club.

Oh, I think they started.

[overlapping chatter] - ...be a really good speaker for this.

[laughter] - I was naive early on.

I think I just didn't understand, like, the power of that conservative network that put them into power.

You hear it.

You know that they don't want women running the community.

I just wasn't prepared.

- Yeah, you probably want us to recycle every day.

- I'm sorry.

- Drive a Prius, and you know, "Oh, don't worry.

I'm not one of those," you know?

And I get ramped up when he starting talking to you about... [indistinct chatter] Thank you all for coming... [continues indistinctly] [applause] - I think--I don't know.

[both laugh] - Coward.

- No.

- I think you have very strong support.

And I feel--I'm surprised how many people are conflicted about Melanie.

- One or two?

- What do you mean one or two?

- First or second?

- Oh.

I don't think I could ever get first.

If I even got second, I would be like, "Wow, that's a big change."

So we'll see.

- I'll be sitting there.

- Hello, this is Bryn Bird, and I'm calling to ask for your vote for Granville Township trustee Tuesday, November 7th.

I also wanted to mention that if you do not feel strongly compelled to vote for one of the other trustee ndidates, one of the best ways to help my candidacy is to cast a single vote for Bryn, and leave the second choice blank.

[sighs] All is fair in love and war.

[TV static drones] You vote yet?

- No.

- You have to vote!

- Is it okay if I tell them to call Andrea, Board of Elections, question mark.

Okay, exclamation point.

- Hi, this is Bryn Bird, and I was just calling to remind you to get out and vote today.

And the polls are open until 7: 30.

- The only way Bryn's gonna win-- she needs to break the establishment.

- No, the Davidsons haven't voted yet.

- My guess is that she doesn't really have a chance.

I hope I'm wrong.

- Hi, Gina.

This is Bryn Bird.

Hi, is this Kenneth?

Polls are open until 7: 30.

We would just love to have your support.

- Yes, thank you so much.

Thank you.

- [sighs] If I don't win, it's gonna take me a long time to process, but I'm a better person for running because I've pushed myself out of any comfort zone I ever had.

I'm not gonna be afraid of very much anymore.

- [hums] - Hey, Dree, are you gonna go vote?

- You wanna go vote?

- [hums] [vocalizes] - Come on.

Okay, come on, bun.

Come vote with me.

Emlyn, that says Bryn Bird.

You need to remember this on e day.

- Why do I need to remember this?

- [whispers] I' m doing this for you.

[overlapping chatter] All right, I need a drink real bad.

- Beer?

Wine?

Booze?

- Booze.

Thank you.

Polls are closed.

The polls are closed.

What time do they think all the votes will be counted?

– Probably about 9: 00.

- 9:00?

- [indistinct] - My mom's having a really, like, bad day.

She'll come for a little bit.

Hi.

I'm totally okay that you're not here.

I'll call you, okay, when I know for sure.

[tense music] - Polls.

- How's it going?

- You're number two.

- Oh, my God, no way.

- 31% of the vote counted.

- Oh, my God.

- Number two.

- Oh, my God, Andrew!

- We'll keep going.

- Andrew!

- There's about to be an outpouring.

- Where's Township?

- You're still the same.

- Come on.

How'd it go?

- You're two away from him.

- From Kevin?

- From Kevin.

- Oh, my gosh.

We just got brand new numbers in.

Two behind Kevin.

Two... behind Kevin Bennett.

- Nice!

[exciting music] They said 9:00, so, like, seven minutes.

So there's nothing in for village, yet?

We were supposed to know 10 minutes ago.

Jen and her are close, and Jen speaks-- - You won first place.

- No, I didn't.

- She won!

[cheering] - Nice.

- We won the whole freaking thing.

- And what are their-- what was-- - By 200 votes.

Yeah!

- [giggles] - Yay.

- Aw, so cute.

- Bring it in!

- We did it!

We did it.

- 230 votes.

[hopeful music] [line trilling] - Hello.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- Mom, I won.

- Oh, I'm so excited fo r you.

- Mom, I beat him by 200 votes.

I'm the number one of all of them.

I beat two incumbents, and I won, Mom.

- Well, that's 'cause you worked hard for it, Bryn.

You and Brian and the girls.

- I wish you were here.

- I know.

I'm sorry.

- That's okay.

- But I'm proud of you.

Really, really proud.

- Did you think I was gonna win this whole time?

- Well, I had my fingers crossed.

- Ma-- - I'm really proud of you, hon.

- Thank you.

I'm glad Dad's here.

- Yeah.

- Love you.

- Love you, bye-bye.

- Bye.

- I don't really wear makeup.

I don't know what politicians do.

I mean, do they always know how to wear makeup?

[chuckles] Hmm.

Do they really learn very quickly?

Took a boot camp?

I don't know if I'm doing it right or not.

Today's the first candidate forum with Robyn Gabel.

The extent of my public speaking experience is, you know, at the most, ma ybe 10 people.

I was really nervous.

I didn't wanna go.

[sighs] So I decided to run for state rep to be part of the solution.

We need to expand the taxpayer base by bringing in new businesses and residents as the new source of tax revenue for the state.

- Ms. Gabel.

- Thank you, good morning.

This may be the most important election of your life.

I've led an open, accessible, and transparent office, and have a proven record of effectiveness.

- And the first topic is, should an independent process of redistricting be established in Illinois?

- So that is my biggest campaign platform, pushing for the fair map.

If given the chance, I will be that one state legislator who will challenge anyone who blocks the fair map.

- Thank you.

Ms. Gabel?

- Thank you.

I feel very strongly that there needs to be minority representation on any map.

- How would you defend and improve health care for citizens of Illinois?

- When clinics, and hospitals, doctors, when they have Medicaid patients, what happens is, they have to see more patients who are paying.

- I believe that everyone deserves and should have health coverage.

- The next question, the topic is the environment.

- I have to be honest with you.

I'm not an expert in environment, however, in Lake Michigan, we... - [snorts] Sorry, I was talking to someone.

Are you done?

- No, I thought you were laughing at me.

- No, no, no.

No, no, not at all.

- We work closely with the sectors and agencies to push forward as... - Continuing down, the environment-- it appeared that you didn't know anything about what was going on.

You started stumbling.

Independent commission in Illinois.

What would've been nice for me to hear is "Has the current state representative aided in dealing with this redistricting issue?"

- If I had more than 90 seconds, that could have come out.

- That was the moment.

I said you need to bring it to Gabel.

I said--and you don't have to attack her.

You just say that, "I wouldn't vote for a map "that was gerrymandered.

"I wouldn't vote for a map that diluted minority votes in the district that I represent."

You needed to say that.

This is our issue.

- And continuing down with appearance, your lipstick was a little dark.

The jacket was kind of dark.

- Can you jump?

There you go.

Ah!

Ooh.

[solemn music] - 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer.

After my radiation therapy, my hormone replacement therapy didn't work, and I had to quit my job eventually because I couldn't function.

I struggled for a whole year.

[overlapping chatter] [laughs] [all squeal] Now I'm 48, and I wasted so many years because I was in treatment, because I was going th rough surgery.

- There it is.

Trick or treat.

- Because I had to take time off.

Come on, mad scientist.

We're going back on Monster Street.

Running for state rep, that sense of urgency was always there.

If I wanna make a difference, this is my chance.

- All right, we have Republican candidate Julie Cho.

Let's bring her forward, please.

- Thanks for inviting me.

- Tell us a little bit about yourself.

- Okay, so I just walked in, and I haven't seen the format, so I didn't know what I was doing, so...

So my number one, the most important issue in my district, which is your district, that is minority vote dilution.

And our own--my own state representative, Ms. Gabel, voted for the split of the votes.

And what she's basically saying is that every district need to have some minority representation, meaning they're able to say, "We met the racial quota.

We have the diversity.

We have the look."

But we don't--you don't have the political power.

And our own state representative, Ms. Gabel, she didn't challenge it.

Not only did she not challenge it, she went along with it.

so we need someone with a political courage who can stand up to this political power, this machine, this corruption, and who can stand with the people.

That's what I'm about.

- Thank you, Ms. Cho.

[applause] - Sorry.

- Okay.

- [whispers indistinctly] And the way that she can't say my name Don't seem right Does a Claudia Crump live here?

- Yes, she is.

- Okay, so I was wondering if I could speak with her for a second about me running for office.

All right, 3-7... you said 4-2.

[knocks] - You're Myya.

- Yes, I am.

- Except your hair's different.

- Yes, it's different.

- What are you running for?

- State rep. - Oh, all right.

Good for you.

- Thank you.

- [vocalizing] - I am running again because I haven't achieved what I wanted to achieve yet.

[all chanting] Like, people still get shot by police.

Hands up, hands up.

all: Hands up, don't shoot.

- Is our kids' ed ucation system better?

Is people getting off welfare?

No.

Then I got stuff to do.

Hi, so I'm doing a survey to see what people would like to see done in the community.

- Young people coming over here robbing us, and they have cut the security.

- With this election, I wanna still do a lot of youth engagement, but getting the Black women who actually vote and the seniors to vote for me is gonna be my strategy.

- The what?

- The Woodbridge community.

Any things you'd like to see improved?

- Being approved?

- Improved.

- You wanna see improved?

- Yes.

I'm running against 13 other Democrats.

My election's gonna be competitive.

Do you live over here, sir?

- Why?

- 'Cause I'm gonna be running for office over here.

- What do you know about government?

- Oh, I know a lot about government.

- How old are you?

- 23.

I'm not saying I know everything, but I know enough, and I'm here to learn, so here's my card.

My website is launching on the 17th.

You can have a lot more info on there.

- November, they decided that the side effects of the chemo didn't warrant continuing.

My mom, like, just woke up on e day and said, like, "Nope, I'm done."

She passed in the morning of Valentine's Day.

[melancholy music] - I fell asleep after I talked to you last.

And it's all done.

I guess... Betsy bought us a pizza that we have to cook, an d they said the ovens is working, so... - Your brain and your heart do n't remind each other the same thing.

I'd go to call her all the time.

- Well, I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Bye-bye.

- You have to constantly remind yourself, like, "Oh, yeah."

- Aw, I'm gonna take a picture of you on your first day of school.

- Yeah, first day of work.

[camera shutter clicks] - I love you.

Go get them.

- I don't know what I'm doing.

- You don't have to.

It's day one.

- And first action that we will do, we have two new elected officials up here.

- Yup.

- Rep. Ms. Bird.

- Correct.

- Submit.

- Seconded.

- Um, one thing.

- Oh.

I just wanna do a really good job.

I'm the only new person in like-- I mean new by, like, decades.

- Economic development, having just assumed that position less than a half hour ago.

- [stammers] I got nothing for you.

[chuckles] - Okay... - I'm just, like, trying to, like, understand the rhythm.

And I nominate Dan Van--oh.

Second it?

Okay, second it, yeah.

- The discussion and the motion.

All those in favor.

- Aye.

- Aye.

[bright music] Today, we're at the Ohio Township As sociation conference.

- Well, I was kind of tempted to do some off-color jokes here for the dinner thing.

[wheezes] In this time of MeToo, I'd probably be drummed out of office if I was to do them here.

- When I worked on the trade show, pretty much everybody asked if I was here with my spouse.

- Did you need some help?

- No.

I was just looking.

Thank you.

Or then, when I told them I was newly elected, this one guy was like, "Oh, come over here.

That girl just got elected."

And they were like, "Oh, really, that girl did?"

- Think about good leadership in terms of authority, responsibility, and accountability.

The quality of governance in local communities in Ohio, that's on your shoulders.

- As a trustee, I work 24 hours a week, some weeks a lot more, you know?

And my take-home is like, $1,300 a month.

That's why this job tends to go to people who are older, retired.

Kevin and Dan are in different phases of their life, and so they have a lot more time to devote, and sometimes that stresses me out, like-- - Can I have chips?

- Yup, they're right here, sweetie.

And I think, like, I want-- you know, like, "Oh, I should have more time, I'm falling behind."

But like-- - Mama, Mama.

Mama, Mama, Mama.

- All right.

Do you want a sandwich?

- No, [indistinct] - You want what?

Do you want an apple?

- No, no!

- You want a juice?

- No.

- You want this?

- No.

- That?

- No, no.

No!

- Okay.

[soft music] - [sighs] Can I sit like this?

So Brian and I are expecting a third, and we're due Christmas Eve, and it's another little girl.

- Democrats, we will stay strong.

We will fight.

You cannot stop our united Michigan Democratic Party.

Thank you.

- An important day for Democrats today, a gathering in Detroit where they decide which of the candidates their party will back in their effort to take on important roles representing our state.

- Are we fired up?

[cheers] I think it's great that everybody's talking about this blue wave, but we gotta remind people their vote matters.

[cheers and applause] - I'm running for governor because I love the state of Michigan.

I'm proud to be a Michigander.

- I'm running because teachers need raises and not guns!

- So when do you get to speak?

- There's a list, girl.

The Democratic party here in Michigan... A lot of times, people want the Black women vote because we're the backbone of the Democratic Party, yet they don't support us wh en we run for office, they don't give us funding.

They pick the candidate that's less Black and less woman.

[applause] Hi, my name is Myya Jones, spelled M-Y-Y-A.

Please check out myyajones.com.

I'm running for the state House district four.

Thank you.

[applause] - No, they said your name and the position.

[laughs] Bull[bleep].

[overlapping chatter] [funky music] - There's no bigger time than right now for women to be running for office.

- We are encouraging progressive people, you know, people of color, women of color, to run for office.

[applause] - Safety is important, too.

We have to do more community policing.

- Big, big issue.

- Yes.

We want to get more safety in the neighborhoods, and get everyone to work...

When I was in college, I was probably one of the few Black people in the business program.

- Good for you.

I wish you luck.

It was nice to meet you.

- You too.

If you're not a type of Black woman that they want you to be, then they won't choose you.

So sorry.

So sorry.

But I don't wanna just sit here and be the token for the white people.

- You have absolutely the most amazing hair.

- Oh, thank you.

Yeah, I was telling these two-- - I wanna take your hair and put it on my head.

- She complimented my hair.

That means I have to keep it this way.

- Oh, it's the best thing.

- Thank you.

- Say goodbye It won't hide or disguise My love - First question you have to answer, who is Myya Jones?

- But can I just use my like-- refine my old message and [bleep]?

It was about-- - Sexual assault survivor.

- Sexual assault survivor.

- Keep that.

But you wanna say it in a story, because here's a storyline is "Myya Jones--" "Myya Jones lived the Detroit Struggle.

She went to Michigan State--" both: No.

- Everybody all like, "I ain't do that, I ain't do that."

- I was gonna say, I don't want to go off the narrative of just the Black struggle.

I'm not gonna glamorize being poor 'cause I wanna get some votes.

What I want to do-- - But that's the only thing that matters.

- I know-- - 'Cause your district Black.

- Can I finish?

- Okay, so what are you talking about?

- Tell us your story right-- tell us your stump speech right now.

- I can't do it right now-- - Myya, you have to.

We are serious.

- No, I--no.

Y'all, I'm going to a place, and I know I'm about to go and speak to people.

Of course, I can do it.

I can do it impromptu.

This is not the space.

- This is the space.

When you go out there, you're trying to win.

- No, I'm not faking it.

- It's real, Myya, but you-- - Y'all sounding like some regular ass Democratic-- [overlapping chatter] - The early vote started last Monday, so this is, I don't know, 10th day?

Are you here to vote me?

- We vote straight Dem.

- Oh, okay.

I knew that our country was divided, but it was more than I had expected.

- I am.

- But you don't even know me.

- The nicer response would be, they would just, like, walk away and they don't wanna talk.

Everything from that to, you know, just like, "You need to go to hell," or, "You need to be shot."

That's a wide range of... - People told you you needed to be shot?

- Yeah.

- What did you say?

- I--what do I say?

I mean just... [chuckles weakly] You walk away.

- How are you doing?

- I'm good, how are you?

Good to see you.

- That was, like, the South Korean, North Korean thing.

Right?

[both laugh] - Robyn Gabel's campaign's been very hostile.

On Sunday, she yelled at me.

Like, "Why didn't you go to Northbrook where a lot of Koreans are and run there?"

[eerie music] This is where I live.

Like as a... "Oh, you only belong in the Korean community.

"Why are you outside of Korean community trying to run?"

So that was a little shocking for me to hear.

No, the thing that I heard the most about the Republican Party as a criticism is that when you look at your party, do you know what the profile is like?

The profile is old, rich, white men.

You know, I can handle that better than the covert racism that I get from the liberals.

I'm gonna be in front.

- Okay.

- People look at me, an d instead of thinking, "You guys are minority immigrant.

"Maybe I'm trying to make a change.

Maybe I'm trying to improve things."

You look at the profile of the Republican Party.

What do you see?

It's old, rich white men.

We've got to change the party.

Instead of thinking that way, people are telling me, "You should be ashamed of yourself."

- Why don't we go to economic development?

- Yeah, I'll just do my whole stuff.

We received a complaint about open-spaced parcel number three from the neighbor.

So Granville really likes to be engaged, and I am learning people are gonna be mad no matter what we do.

- I am here speaking in opposition to the location of this firing range for the following reasons.

- The village police department was looking to have a qualifying shooting range.

- ...many of the articles that I found on the Internet.

I have them all here.

- I had a lot of people co me to me like, "We cannot have that."

Well, if you have a police force, you also want them, like, trained.

[cheers and applause] - And this is not a blue versus red debate.

- As, like, a progressive, you're supposed to immediately get upset about guns, but again, now that you're in it, you kind of also have to understand, like, the larger overall picture.

- You folks are trustees.

We are simply asking to first live up to the trust we invest in you.

- This shooting range-- it's not open.

It's for the police force.

It saves us tax dollars.

- Granville Township, the reports... - It's frustrating.

We're not all just, like, the evil politicians.

[overlapping chatter] - Hi.

Nice to meet you.

The only one we got.

- So this is five all together.

- Okay.

- Being an elected person, I never wanted it to impact the farm.

- Thank you.

- But yeah, we've had like customers who definitely left.

Mm, enjoy.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

- Have a good one.

- You too.

- And I see it.

I watch people walk past us at the market who used to be, like, big customers, and now they're like-- ju st walk on by.

- Thank you.

- Good seeing you guys.

Take care.

- "Myya Jones on the Beat."

Take one.

[both laugh] [hip-hop music] It's Myya Jones.

- Buzzy on the beat.

- Let me tell you a lil' something about me I'm a activist straight up out the 3-1-3 The only thing on my mind is politics I go hard for my constit-- Hey, no, start over.

- Listen, do you see?

Look.

You need to be rapping to yourself like, okay?

Come on, Miss Myya Jones.

- [vocalizes] Okay.

- Here we go.

[hip-hop music] - Buzzy on the beat.

- Let me tell you a lil' something about me I'm a activist straight up out the 3-1-3 The only thing on my mind is politics And I go hard for my constituents Like, run me my vote Run me my vote, run me my vote Run me my vote Run me my vote, run me my vote Run me my vote Myya Jones on the ballot with it Forget the lame politicians I had sneaked to see 'Cause I made headlines last week Suckas really mad 'cause I'm really tryna be Man, I don't really care, I'm about this education Health care, women's rights, and incarceration I'm out in the Dets telling everybody vote Like President Obama, giving everybody hope - And I grabbed this.

Give you some white.

If you don't mind, I'll just get you.

Does it show up any?

- Black women are the largest voting pool in our party, but we only represent 5% of the offices federally and state level.

- Myya, welcome to the best of Detroit downstate.

- Thank you for inviting me.

- You made me speechless because your story was incredible.

This girl has really gotten through some major hardships.

Tell us about you and a little bit about your childhood.

- Okay.

[gentle guitar music] I grew up in kind of like, a broken home.

As a child, I had a lot of resentment towards my mom and my parents for not taking care of the family, and that forced me to grow up at a very, very young age.

I was sexually abused for about 10 years of my life, and then I had to overcome that and protect my brothers and sisters as well.

So my whole life was being a protector, making sure they had everything that they needed, because I didn't always have everything that I needed.

- Hope's in me A hope's in me A hope's In me - Today, I flew into D.C. for a MeToo press conference.

I'm really excited, nervous at the same time.

- 'Cause it's like pressure.

- All we see is hope Follow me, follow me - Sexual assault is sometimes generational within the Black community, so with me, it started when I was three and ended when I was a pre-teen, so about 10 years, and...

It's my obligation to speak out about this stuff and help other Black women.

- Myya Jones is a community organizer, a powerhouse, and a survivor of sexual abuse.

She is running for Michigan state House... - Justice for me-- I don't know how that looks.

- Born and raised in Detroit, when she's elected, she'll be the youngest woman ever to serve in the state legislature.

- Me sharing my story, I guess, to help other people is my justice.

We have to speak truth, and don't be afraid of the backlash that comes with it, and use our privilege and our platforms to bring about change in the U.S.

So if you are Black, and you are of color, and you ever felt like your issues weren't heard, I've heard you, and I continue to fight because of all of you.

I'm trying to create my own space and create my own rules be ing who I am.

Thank you.

- Thank you.

- It's been kind of hard, but I'll look back and be like, "So yeah, I did that."

- Follow on To me, follow Follow me Back home - Yeah, we're gonna go up here so you can see the intermediate school.

This is a potential path for the Granville community.

Back over there is the only school that you cannot walk to.

However, there is a land owner who is allowing for 30 feet to come from the intermediate school, come this way, and then go back.

It's a project that the community's wanted for a long time, so I've tried to continue to, like, really push it ahead, but I am finding that government moves really slow.

While I would like to be senator, I love all the different things we get to do.

I mean, we get phone calls about roads, trees being down.

When my friend's trash cans had maggots in it, I knew what to do, I knew who to call, I knew what that meant.

People see the work I'm doing, and I think that gives a trust to democracy.

Democracy requires engagement.

We need people to stand up.

We have to decide, like, how much are we gonna fight for it?

[solemn music] - Are you here to vote?

Oh, hi.

Good morning.

I'm Julie.

I'm Julie Cho.

I'm running for state rep. - Ms. Cho, how are you?

Good luck on voting.

- Thank you.

- You have to be really aggressive.

Two of my competitor people are here.

- Yeah, right.

Aggression is my name.

- Okay, so this is y'all's.

I'm giving y'all turf eight.

[upbeat pizzicato music] - Hello.

- Hi, we're here with Myya Jones.

[knocks] - How's it going, Myya?

- Did you vote today?

- Yes, I did.

- You telling the truth?

Where your sticker at?

- It's upstairs.

- Let me go see it.

So can y'all please just walk down there, go vote for Myya Jones?

- Oh, I can.

I can vote.

- One day, you can.

You wanna pass out flyers for me?

Go give it to people.

- All right, so I'm gonna give you these.

So you're gonna be here until 3:00, or are you gonna-- - Yeah.

- Okay.

I mean, I don't understand why this wasn't more coordinated.

I'm really frustrated.

Just I don't know where anybody is.

Every polling place I go, I mean there's all these yard signs for Democrats.

There should've been Republican Party support.

It's not there.

Hi, Susie.

My name is Julie Cho.

Hi, Martina.

My name is Julie Cho.

I am the Republican candidate in our district.

He hung up on me.

- [vocalizes] - Hey.

[chuckles] - You better have voted for me.

Even though we may differ on certain issues, I'm proud of what we were able to do together, me and Julie.

Yeah, I would go to war with her again for sure.

[overlapping chatter] - Kacey, sit down.

- Here, come sit in my lap.

- Oh!

Well, I'm currently in third place.

- Whoo!

- Wait, who is in first?

- Michele, Isaac, then me.

The old people voted for me, y'all.

Why I keep refreshing this as if this gon' change?

- Are they like--do you think Myya gonna win?

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

- Me too.

- Okay, they reporting.

Okay.

[overlapping chatter] It's moving.

- She went down to fourth behind Rico Razo.

- Let me see, It look like Isaac'll win.

- See y'all later.

- Bye.

both: Let me tell you a lil' something about me I'm a activist straight up out the 3-1-3 [overlapping chatter] I got hard for myself - Like, run me my vote - I mean, this--there could be a chance that I could, like, catch up 'cause I'm only down by, like, what, 400 votes, so if I get like... 21...oh, [bleep].

[melancholic music] - [sighs] 48%, and I'm at 27%?

This pisses me off.

This so, so pisses me off.

I'm going to raise hell with the Republican Party.

- Watching the votes co me in tonight.

- It's pretty extraordinary.

We already saw a record number of women running for office in general.

- Not only did Democrats gain some ground in the House, so did women.

Some are calling it a pink wave.

- We're gonna have a lot of people in the morning waking up, feeling like they have a real new sense of representation.

[Courtney Barnett's "Anonymous Club" playing] - Let's start An anonymous club we can sit close In the dark [phone beeps] - Hi, Steve, it's Bryn Bird.

I did wanna talk to you about the grant, if it's due tomorrow, so will you give me a call?

And I will be sure to answer.

Talk to you soon, bye.

- We can swap clothes And drink wine all night Turn your phone Off friend You're amongst friends And we don't need no interruptions - Hey, Bryn.

- Hey, how are you?

Hi.

- Hi.

How are you?

- Good.

- Door Along with your troubles Your troubles, your troubles, your troubles - ...From the governor and city on this prop of transportation funding in the state of Ohio.

And kind of vast-- - [whining] - Shh.

- We might need some additional revenue.

- Shh.

- [grunts] - And I can tell you, a month ago, I would've never thought that the decision would... - Anonymous club I'll make us - They highlighted the fact that 23% of Ohio's major rivers were in poor condition, 12% are in mediocre condition, and the total impact on the users in the state of Ohio... [applause] [upbeat music] - Coming this season to Independent Lens... - My name is Jonathan Scott.

I make a living fi xing up homes and helping families.

When I decided to power my home with the sun, I had no idea that a simple solar install would become a search for truth... - Utility regulators raised rates for rooftop solar customers.

- Is a sin.

- And a battle over the future of energy in America.

[exciting music] - Utilities are losing money because now you have control over what electricity you use, and from where.

- Someone somewhere was spending millions to make billions.

- They want us to stay addicted to their monopoly model and have a guaranteed profit.

- And the profits far outweigh th e human cost.

- Coal companies and their coal associations have been very affected.

- How many friends have you lost?

- Hundreds.

- My dad worked 38 years in the coal mine.

He was 68-year-old when he died of the black lung.

- And you have-- - And I have it too.

- 70% of African American communities live within 30 to 40 miles of a toxic emitting power plant.

- The coal ash--we didn't think anything of it until suddenly, we realized th at there were diseases breaking out.

The doctor said, "Oh, you live near Cancer Lake."

- On my journey, I met the corporations in control... Are there situations where as a human being, you have a conflict as a utility company?

- I think that's just the way it has been.

- That's the worst explanation.

They're doing everything th ey can to stifle what the people want, and it's the most frustrating thing.

And the people fighting back.

- I'm not the only one in the South that's a conservative that loves solar.

- You put these silly national partisan politics aside, and you can do things that really help everybody.

- This is about people.

This is about their lives.

- In our culture, the sun is a powerful symbol.

- After they put them solar panels in, I could buy more bread, I could buy more milk.

[vocalizes] - Our health has been compromised, our rights have be en taken away, but it's not too late to fight back.

When it comes to energy freedom, this country has a long, long way to go.

What's preventing everybody from having this?

[energetic music] - One of the most be autiful things is that there's a unity among us all.

- It has shown that history repeats itself if we don't learn from it.

- My son was my heart, and now, he's been taken away from me.

- Akai Gurley was sh ot and killed by New York City police officer Peter Liang.

- Sacrificing a Chinese cop is not going to mend this racial conflict.

- The sentencing needs to be proportionate to his action.

- Law enforcement is still a male dominated field.

As a woman, you have to be in this department a long time before you can be yourself.

- It's important fo r the Black community to see women who look like me.

I felt like I needed to choose a side, Black or blue.

- There exists, as far as I know, no TV program that deals wi th my culture so completely and so freely.

- Ellis came at a time wh en there were so few positive African American images on television.

- That program was so beyond its time that it was in time.

[soft cymbals] - There are a lot of great movie franchises.

but only one that confronts the real issues facing us.

There are a lot of dramas on big screens, but only one screen with the drama of real life.

If you want movies that matter, then get to Indie Lens Pop-Up, screenings of Independent Lens documentaries combined with speakers, performances, and open discussions.

And if you can't make it to one near you, you can still watch the film and join the conversation on line.

Go to pbs.org/indielenspopup.

- Oh, oh, oh, oh - Oh, oh - Oh, oh, oh - Oh, oh, oh - Oh, oh, oh