Matriots Ohio

When Women Lead, Ohio Prospers

Ra'Cole Taltoan

Meet The Matriots: Emily & Kate Law

Emily and Kate Law are a captivating pair of Matriots members. Hailing from Cincinnati, Emily (left) and Kate (right), are a mother daughter duo working hard to help The Matriots elect more women to public office in Ohio. Beyond their financial investment in The Matriots PAC, the duo recently hosted a House Party to connect us with their friends and family to raise money to help female candidates.  

Emily & Kate, you are both members of The Matriots PAC. How did you learn about The Matriots and what drew you to our work?

Emily: Last year I happened to sit down next to Helen Fite, Communications and Political Relationship Manager for The Matriots, at a Columbus Young Professional’s Coffee with a Cause on women empowerment. We each asked the inevitable question “What do you do?” She told me all about The Matriots and I was absolutely blown away by the story and mission of the organization.

I was drawn to The Matriots because women are severely underrepresented in elected office in Ohio. I appreciate that The Matriots is a nonpartisan organization focused exclusively on getting Ohio women into office. The specificity of The Matriots’ mission allows them to make a significant impact changing the landscape of politics.

Kate:  I learned about The Matriots from Emily! Since her high school days, she has had her ear to the ground on politics. Her Ohio State undergraduate political science degree was a perfect fit for her instincts. I knew to trust her judgement on finding The Matriots as a group to support

Emily, you are young professional pursuing you master’s in public administration. Why do you think that it is important for younger people to invest in the political process?

Elections matter and the excuses that “you are not political” or “one vote doesn’t matter” can no longer fly. We’ve seen the power elections have in shaping policy on the local, state and federal levels. While voting is critical step, I would like to see more of the Millennial Generation and Gen Z engage in the political process by canvassing for an issue or candidate, donating or even running for office one day. By investing in the political process, young people can ensure that their voice is heard.

Kate, you and Emily graciously hosted a House Party in April. You helped connect us to your network of family and friends and in the Cincinnati area. Can you share with our members about your experiences hosting a Matriots event?

Hosting a party was an easy yes when Emily approached me with the idea. I was in full support of helping The Matriots expand their reach into the Cincinnati area. Since the 2016 election results, I have personally felt an increased urge to get involved with elections and have many friends who feel the same way. We hosted a small group ranging in age from 22 to 86. It was a great way to learn more in a comfortable setting.

Emily, The Matriots endorsed 34 women in 2018 and 9 running in May primary elections in 2019. Can you tell our members about a candidate who inspires you and why?

Ra’Cole Taltoan is current Class of 2019 Endorsed Candidate running for Youngstown City Council. What impressed me about Ra’Cole was her life-long commitment to public service. Ra’Cole not only attended board of elections meetings and resident’s councils in her community, but also served as an AmeriCorps Vista member. She is a fantastic example of the many opportunities women have to engage in the political process.

Now for something fun: Tell us about your favorite thing to do together in the great state of Ohio. It could be a hobby, a favorite place to eat or something we might not know about our state!

Kate:  Emily and I have spent many hours combing through all that Columbus has to offer including the Columbus Metro Park hiking trails with her black lab Luna, The Columbus Museum of Art, the Short North shops and restaurants, The Franklin Park Conservatory and more!

Meet The Matriots PAC 2019 May Primary Endorsed Candidates

Meet Some Amazing Women Running for Office in Ohio.

We are thrilled to share our Class of 2019 Matriots-endorsed candidates for the upcoming primary election on May 7th, 2019.

Our endorsement and research committees were hard at work the last few months. We interviewed and researched women running for office in primary elections across the state. Below you will find a qualified and captivating group of 9 candidates running for city council seats in May. These women are well poised to promote an Ohio that is both equitable and economically healthy.

The Matriots prioritized our endorsement on candidates who had competitive primaries, knowing that early support is key to advancing women to November. Across the state many races in 2019 will move directly to the general election. Many candidates will not have a primary opponent and therefore will not appear on the ballot on May 7, 2019. We focused our endorsement on races in Ohio’s most populous cities (communities with a population of 30,000 or more).

Read more about the women and their campaigns below. Please join us in supporting, encouraging, and, most importantly, voting for these women in May.

Ginger Baylor for Akron City Council, Member At-Large

Ginger has been twice elected to Akron board of education and spent 30 years in the Akron community as a teacher, adjunct faculty member, and liaison for US Rep. Marcia Fudge. Ginger is running to encourage job growth and development, support diverse neighborhoods and concentrate on matters of safety and infrastructure.

Marilyn L. Keith for Akron City Council, Member At-Large

Marilyn currently serves as a ward 8 council member in the city of Akron. As a retired educator, Marilyn brings leadership skills learned as a teacher to the city council. Keys issues Marilyn will address if elected are supporting organizations mitigating homelessness and addiction; and bolstering social services and recreational programs that help families, women and children.

Linda Omobien for Akron City Council, Member At-Large

Linda has served as a member of Akron city council since 2004. Prior to her service on city council she served on the Akron board of education for 16 years. Linda remains committed to policies that are a catalyst for economic development and create laws to reduce the burden on families around quality childcare, healthcare and safety.

Veronica Sims for Akron City Council, Member At-Large

Veronica was elected to Akron city council in 2015. Her professional career includes service to the Akron board or education and the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus. Veronica plans to continue to fight for sensible gun laws, to create livable spaces that support Akron’s growing aging population, and to fight for the most marginalized and underrepresented among us.

Janice O. Davis for Akron City Council, Ward 4

Janice is a retired healthcare information manager committed to the welfare and health of her community, and policies that improve early childhood education outcomes. She began her education and career at 45 and now holds an MBA and is a doctoral candidate. Janice approaches legislation through a systematic perspective and is keenly aware of how legislation impacts citizens and their everyday lives.

Tara Dyer for Marion City Council, Ward 5

Tara is a retired teacher who remains active in the Marion community. A board member for Marion Public Health, Tara understands her community’s needs and is committed to helping small businesses thrive, and to creating safe spaces for residents to get a hot meal, access to basic needs and help finding a job.

Jen Kanagy for Newark City Council, Member At-Large

Jen, a director of nursing, brings her healthcare background and fierce commitment to lifting families out of poverty to this election. A co-founder of the Newark Homeless Outreach project, she will advocate for needle exchange programs, and public transportation to help families access better paying jobs.

Ra’Cole Taltoan for Youngstown City Council, Ward 2

Ra’Cole is committed to her ward and her community of Youngstown Ohio. From attending board of education meetings to resident’s councils, Ra’Cole is deeply involved and participative in the legislative process. A former AmeriCorps Vista member, if elected Ra’Cole will work to provide economic security for women and to facilitate effective change in her community.

Samantha Turner for Youngstown City Council, Ward 3

Samantha, an operations director for a local nonprofit, is a rising star running for office for the first time. Deeply committed to Youngstown, she is raising her young family in the community and wants to build and support initiatives with neighborhood groups. If elected Samantha will focus on community infrastructure, encouraging home ownership and business development.