Past Briefings
On August 14 we were joined by Lt. Governor Austin Davis, State Senator Maria Collett (SD-12, Montgomery County), State Senate candidates – current State Rep. Patty Kim (SD-15, Dauphin County), Nicole Ruscitto (SD-37, Allegheny County) and Kate Lennen (SD-47, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence Counties) who discussed their paths to victory in the upcoming November election.
On July 17, Represent PA, along with moderator State Representative Carol Hill-Evans, hosted three incredible women as they shared their experience as first-term incumbents in the House.
On June 18 Represent PA was joined by six State House candidates: Sara Agerton (HD-88), Hadley Haas (HD-44), Anna Payne (HD-142), Elizabeth Moro (HD-160), Stefanie Rafes (HD-187) and Anna Thomas (HD-137). Each discussed their path to victory in the upcoming November election. We asked questions, which were – individually selected for each candidate by some of our most supportive donors.
On May 30 Represent PA had a great discussion focused on the current political landscape and what to expect leading up to the November 5 election. We welcomed Madeline Zane, Executive Director of the PA House Democratic Campaign Committee (PAHDCC) and Tim Wagner, Executive Director of the PA Senate Democratic Campaign Committee (PASDCC) as our special guests.
On April 26 we heard from Representatives Jessica Benham (HD-36, Allegheny County) and Jennifer O’Mara (HD-165, Delaware County) along with Cheryl Stephens, Organizing Manager at Pittsburghers for Public Transit who spoke about the importance of funding and access. Public transit in Pennsylvania is more than just a means of transportation, it’s a vital solution to the diverse challenges our communities face.
On April 3 we hosted a lively conversation about reproductive justice with Senator Amanda Cappelletti, and Representatives Danielle Friel Otten and La’Tasha Mayes. Read our extensive recap on our blog.
On February 1, Represent PA did a deep dive into the recently released Basic Education Funding Commission (BEFC) report. We were joined by two commissioners: Sen. Lindsey Williams (SD-38) and Rep. Mary Isaacson (HD-175). In addition, Donna Cooper, Executive Director of Children First offered an overview of the process, and provided a thorough breakdown of the final recommendations. On February 6, 2024, Governor Shapiro included the commission’s recommendations in his 2024-2025 budget, leaving education funding advocates feeling triumphant.
On Thursday, January 11 we were joined by Senators Amanda Cappelletti, Carolyn Comitta and Judy Schwank to discuss what they’d like to see happen in their second terms as well as what it could be like to be in the Senate Majority. All three senators are running for re-election in 2024.
All three senators offered insightful perspectives on what it’s like to work in Harrisburg.
On Thursday, December 14 we were joined by Kelly Dittmar, Associate Professor of Political Science, Rutgers-Camden; Director of Research and Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) Scholar to do a deeper dive into why women’s voices are underrepresented in politics. Our discussion was focused on data from CAWP’s The Donor Gap: Raising Women’s Political Voices and Rethinking Women’s Political Power as well as on Represent PA’s data, which shows a correlation between a rise in the number of donations over the years and the number of Democratic women being elected to the PA state legislature.
On Monday, November 20 we were joined by the co-chairs of PA’s new Black Maternal Health Caucus: State Representatives Morgan Cephas, Gina H. Curry and La’Tasha Mayes. Sara Jann Heinze, Senior Director, Policy & Advocacy, at Maternity Care Coalition introduced the discussion and provided alarming statistics about black maternal morbidity in PA. Watch to learn more.
On Monday, November 20 we were joined by the co-chairs of PA’s new Black Maternal Health Caucus: State Representatives Morgan Cephas, Gina H. Curry and La’Tasha Mayes. Sara Jann Heinze, Senior Director, Policy & Advocacy, at Maternity Care Coalition introduced the discussion and provided alarming statistics about black maternal morbidity in PA. Watch to learn more.
On October 30 Represent PA was joined by Senator Maria Collett (SD-12, Montgomery County) and Christine Michaels, CEO of NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania, for an important discussion about the mental health care crisis facing Pennsylvanians.
Sen. Maria Collett shared an alarming statistic:
“Nearly 34% or 1/3 of Pennsylvanians are suffering mental illness or substance use disorder.”
On Thursday, October 12 Represent PA was joined by State Representatives La’Tasha Mayes (HD-24, Allegheny County), Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (HD-129, Berks County), Melissa Cerrato (HD-151, Montgomery County) and Lisa Borowski (HD-168, Delaware County). We heard from each of them about what it’s like working as a state representative after nine months on the job.
On Wednesday, September 27 at 8:30 AM we were joined with our guests Ronna Dewey, Pennsylvania Program Director of Red Wine and Blue and Susan Spicka, Executive Director of Education Voters of PA for a critical conversation about extremism in our public schools: book bans, school board takeovers, defunding strategies and the recent lawsuit concerning school funding.
Thursday, August 24 we had a great discussion with State Senator Amanda Cappelletti (SD17 – Montgomery and Delaware Counties) and State Representative Darisha Parker (HD198 – Philadelphia County) about gun violence prevention measures being discussed in Harrisburg.
If you missed the Breakfast Briefing we had on July 12, 2023, Melissa Ostroff from Earthworks, Sen. Katie Muth and Rep. Abigail Salisbury shed a lot of light on the invisible pollution affecting hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians everyday and what we all need to be doing to respond.
We had a powerful Breakfast Briefing on June 15 about how we can shape a progressive landscape around cannabis legalization in PA. With us was State Representative Donna Bullock (HD195 – Philadelphia) and Tara Zrinski, Campaign Director for the Pot Profits for Pennsylvanians (P3) Campaign and All Together Now PA.
Breakfast Briefing: Building a stronger "village" for our children: child care in Pennsylvania
As the saying goes, “it takes a village to raise a child.” However, the “village” that was once relied upon to support families has disappeared. Caregivers need access to affordable, high-quality child care so that children can thrive and succeed. On Tuesday, May 17 we discussed the ongoing child care crisis in Pennsylvania. Hear from State Rep. Morgan Cephas (HD 192 – Philadelphia County) and Donna Cooper, M.P.A., M.I.M., Executive Director of Children First.
Breakfast Briefing: An overview of the upcoming judicial elections
On May 4, 2023 Represent PA hosted a discussion on the importance of today’s judicial elections with Hon. Judge Patricia McInerney, a mediator for JAMS (Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services), and Deborah Gross, President and CEO of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, a nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for fairness, accessibility and respect in the courts.
April 25 Breakfast Briefing – Food insecurity in Pennsylvania - who is affected?
On April 25, 2023 we were joined by State Representative Emily Kinkead (HD 20 – Allegheny County), Loree D. Jones Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Philabundance, Colleen Young, Director of Government Affairs at Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and Ken Regal, Executive Director at Just Harvest.
April 4 Breakfast Briefing – How dirty is PA - Environmentally Speaking?
On April 4, we had three incredible guests joining us to speak to the topic of climate change and the environment in Pennsylvania. On the call was Tarah Probst, new state Representative from Monroe and Pike Counties (HD-189), Mandy Steele, new state Representative from Allegheny County (HD-33), and Katie Blume, Political & Legislative Director from Conservation Voters of PA.
An alarming one-third of all Pennsylvania’s waterways have been polluted enough to cause harm to wildlife, recreational activities, and even potable water sources. Watch the full video to learn more.
March 23 Breakfast Briefing – The State of Women's Healthcare in Pennsylvania
On March 23, Represent PA was joined by Physicians for a Healthy Pennsylvania, chaired by Belinda Birnbaum, MD. They were formed in the summer of 2022 with a primary focus on choice, healthy access and equity, voter registration and voting as health care. Also joining Dr. Birnbaum was Lisa Goldstein, MD, Maura Dunfey-Hwang, DO, and Ann Steiner, MD.
Senator Maria Collett (SD12 – Bucks, MontCo), who participates in the Women’s Health Caucus, also joined our physician panel. Represent PA has supported Senator Collett since her first election in 2018. Her voice provided valuable insights to the legislature during the pandemic.
March 13 Breakfast Briefing – What does court ruling mean for PA’s public schools?
On March 13, we were joined by Deborah Gordon Klehr, Executive Director of the Education Law Center, one of the organizations that represented the school districts and other petitioners in the case William Penn School District et.al. v. Pennsylvania Department of Education et. al.
Deborah was joined by State Rep. Mary Issacson (HD 175 – Philadelphia), who serves on the Education committee and is on the basic education funding commission.
February 23 Breakfast Briefing – How is PA’s Legislative Black Caucus Fighting Gun Violence?
On February 23, Represent PA hosted PA Representatives and members of the PA Legislative Black Caucus (PLBC), Donna Bullock (D-Philadelphia) and Carol Kazeem (D-Delaware County) to discuss how the PLBC, and its work, are focused on fighting gun violence in the Commonwealth.
December 13 Breakfast Briefing – Celebrating a new House majority in PA!
On December 13, Represent PA hosted an online discussion featuring Leader Joanna McClinton (HD-191, Delaware/Philadelphia) and newly-elected Rep. Missy Cerrato (HD-151, Montgomery) surrounding the transition of power in the State House as we explore how the next few months will play out.
Listen in for updates on upcoming special elections, analysis of the ways in which redistricting played a role in November’s election and our changing political landscape as we look ahead to 2023.
October 25 – Tales from the Trails
On October 25, Represent PA hosted an online panel discussion facilitated by award-winning journalist Lucy Noland. Watch now to hear from:
- Missy Cerrato — Candidate for HD-151 (Montgomery)
- Jill Dennin — Candidate for SD-24 (Berks, Montgomery)
- Gwen Stoltz — Candidate for HD-143 (Bucks)
- Anna Thomas — Candidate for HD-137 (Northampton)
Listen in to learn about what it’s like for them on the front lines as they do what it takes to win on November 8, and how YOU can help.
October 20 – Tales from the Trails
On October 20, Represent PA hosted an online panel discussion facilitated by award-winning journalist Lucy Noland. Watch now to hear from:
- Sara Agerton — Candidate for HD-88 (Cumberland)
- Lisa Borowski — Candidate for HD-168 (Delaware)
- Tarah Probst — Candidate for HD-189 (Monroe, Pike)
- Cathy Spahr — Candidate for HD-160 (Chester, Delaware)
Listen in to learn about what it’s like for them on the front lines as they do what it takes to win on November 8, and how YOU can help.
September 13 Breakfast Briefing – Final Push for Candidate Support
On September 13, Represent PA hosted a discussion with Kathryn Shelton, Voter Protection Director for the PA Dems, and Andrea Koplove, Organizing Director for Turn PA Blue. Represent PA is proud to collaborate with partners like these, in an all-hands effort to save democracy in Pennsylvania this November.
Listen in to learn about different ways you can get involved as a volunteer in the run-up to the 2022 general election.
August 25 Breakfast Briefing - An update from HDCC & SDCC on the fight to flip the legislature
On August 25, Represent PA hosted a discussion with Trevor Southerland, head of the PA House Democratic Campaign Committee, and Melanie Rose, head of the PA Senate Democratic Campaign Committee.
Listen in to hear updates on critical races in the House and Senate as we near the general election in November.
August 2 Breakfast Briefing - Gun Violence Prevention in PA
On August 2, Represent PA hosted a discussion on the gun violence epidemic, and the work that activists and legislators alike are doing to address gun safety measures across the Commonwealth.
Listen in to hear from Adam Garber, Executive Director of CeaseFire PA, and State Rep. Liz Hanbidge (HD-61, Montgomery).
July 14 Breakfast Briefing – Abortion in PA: What’s Next?
On July 14, Represent PA hosted a discussion on the current state of affairs for abortion rights in Pennsylvania as we consider what’s next, following the SCOTUS decision to strike down Roe v. Wade, and with it, the federal right to an abortion.
Listen in to hear from Sue Frietsche, senior staff attorney at the Women’s Law Project; Kitty Kolbert, a public-interest attorney, journalist, and entrepreneurial leader in the field of advancing women’s rights; and State Senator Amanda Cappelletti (SD-17, Montgomery/Delaware).
June 21 Breakfast Briefing – Campaign Finance: An Overview
On June 21, Represent PA hosted Sara Forman and Devin Rankin of EMILY’s List, as well as State Rep. Mary Jo Daley (HD-148, Montgomery), for a conversation about the role of money in political campaigns.
Why is so much money necessary for a state legislative race? On what do candidates spend money? How hard is it to raise these funds? Does the timing of contributions affect a race?
June 1 Breakfast Briefing: Meet the Candidates – Post-Primary Edition
On June 1, Represent PA hosted three endorsed candidates from across the Commonwealth, who made it through their primaries and will appear on the ballot in November:
- Jill Dennin (SD-24, Berks/Montgomery)
- La’Tasha Mayes (HD-24, Allegheny)
- Mandy Steele (HD-33, Allegheny)
Hear each candidate discuss their background, their campaign strategy and the challenges they’re up against in the general election. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of several key legislative races in PA. Don’t miss it; these women are our future state leaders.
May 10 Breakfast Briefing: Meet the Candidates – Pre-Primary Edition
On May 10, Represent PA hosted six recently-endorsed candidates from across the Commonwealth:
- Sara Agerton (HD-88, Cumberland)
- Lisa Borowski (HD-168, Delaware)
- Melissa Cerrato (HD-151, Delaware/Montgomery)
- Ann Marie Mitchell (SD-6, Bucks)
- Tarah Probst (HD-189, Monroe/Pike)
- Gwen Stoltz (HD-143, Bucks)
Hear each candidate discuss their background, why they are running and why they are a good fit for their district. You’ll be able to tell your friends living in these districts why they should vote for these candidates. These women are impressive.
April 6 Breakfast Briefing – Water, Equity & Infrastructure Funding in PA
Pennsylvania is one of the worst states in terms of drinking water quality in the country. In addition, PA’s water systems need to be made more equitable.
On April 6, 2022 Represent PA was joined by Ellen Kohler, Director of Applied Research and Programs at The Water Center at Penn, and Rep. Danielle Friel Otten (HD-155, Chester), member of the House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee.
Our speakers discussed the issues surrounding Pennsylvania’s inequitable access to safe drinking water, as well as the changes we need to see in the state Legislature in order to improve and fairly fund water infrastructure across the Commonwealth.
March 24 Breakfast Briefing - RED ALERT: PA GOP manipulates the rules for self-gain
Pennsylvania’s Republicans are attempting to circumvent the checks and balances which exist in a true bipartisan legislative process. We need to STAND UP and protect our right to a fair Legislature that works for its people.
On March 24, 2022 Represent PA hosted three of our endorsed legislators: Sen. Maria Collett (SD-12, Bucks/Montgomery), Rep. Liz Hanbidge (HD-61, Montgomery) and Rep. Jennifer O’Mara (HD-165, Delaware).
These progressive women legislators discussed the new legislation pushed through the Senate Committee, which calls for a Federal Constitutional Convention, as well as the GOP’s use of constitutional amendments to bypass the governor’s veto power and restrict access to mail-in voting, and more.
March 9 Breakfast Briefing - Education funding fails PA students again and again
On March 9, 2022 Represent PA hosted a discussion with Senator Lindsey Williams (SD-38, Allegheny), Democratic Chair of the Senate Education Committee, and Deborah Gordon Klehr, Executive Director of the Education Law Center, a non-profit legal advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring access to a quality public education for all children in Pennsylvania.
Our guest speakers discussed the need for more funding, the drain on funding by charter schools and the proposed Full Funding Plan, as well as the ongoing case currently being tried in the PA Commonwealth Court that challenges the constitutionality of our lackluster school funding system.
February 22 Breakfast Briefing - Women, Power & Money
On February 22 at 8:30 AM, we hosted Leslie Anne Miller, Pennsylvania attorney and philanthropist who served as General Counsel of Pennsylvania under Governor Ed Rendell, and Kira Sanbonmatsu, Political Science Professor at Rutgers University and Senior Scholar at the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at the Eagleton Institute of Politics, for a discussion about the important role that money plays in politics and elections.
Listen in and learn more about the money game, and what it means for the Pennsylvania Legislature.
January 12 Breakfast Briefing - Proposed new PA district maps
On January 12, 2022 Represent PA hosted Christopher Baxter, Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan news organization covering the Pennsylvania state government and urgent statewide issues. He was joined by Spotlight PA Deputy Editor Sarah Anne Hughes for a discussion on the proposed new district maps in Pennsylvania, and the changes they may bring to your district and to the Pennsylvania legislature.
These new maps, when finalized, will be in place for the next decade, setting the stage for state-wide elections to come—and with this, the power to shape our state legislature over the next 10 years. Listen in to learn about the redistricting process, and what these newly-released maps could mean for the PA legislature.
December 9 Breakfast Briefing - Legislative Freshmen: How's it going in Harrisburg?
On December 9, 2021 Represent PA hosted a moderated discussion with three of our previously-endorsed State House legislators:
- Rep. Nancy Guenst (HD-152, Montgomery). Nancy is the first Democrat to hold this seat since its inception in 1969.
- Rep. Regina Young (HD-185, Philadelphia/ Delaware). Regina is a former educator and the first African American woman to represent the PA State House of the 185th district.
- Rep. Jessica Benham (HD-36, Allegheny). Jess is the first out woman from the LGBTQ+ community and first openly Autistic person to serve in PA’s General Assembly.
Each of these women legislators represents very different districts and parts of PA. Listen in to learn more about their experiences during their first year in office as well as their re-election plans for 2022.
December 1 - 2022 Kickoff Event: Special evening with the PA HDCC & SDCC
On December 1, 2021 Represent PA hosted a talk featuring House Democratic Leader Rep. Joanna McClinton (HD-191, Delaware/Philadelphia); Trevor Southerland, Executive Director of the HDCC; Melanie Rose, Executive Director of the SDCC; and SDCC member Sen. Vincent Hughes (SD-7, Montgomery/Philadelphia).
These heavy-hitters are addressing the challenges in PA head-on with messaging strategies, deep canvassing approaches and intense fundraising efforts for an all-out attack ahead of next year’s primary and general elections. This discussion highlighted the big issues facing Pennsylvania—the reasons we need Democrats in the majority—and provided insider knowledge about plans for the 2022 elections.
November 9 Breakfast Briefing - Building a grassroots movement in PA
On November 9, 2021 Represent PA hosted a discussion featuring Carrie Santoro of Pennsylvania Stands Up, Erin Kramer of One PA, and Nancy Nguyen of API Pennsylvania — all three are Executive Directors of their respective organizations. Building a grassroots movement that gets noticed or inspires legislators to take action in a statehouse these days takes a determined, coordinated all-out effort.
Listen in to learn more about their stories about how they got to where they are, how they built momentum and support, and what’s next for them and their organizations in 2022.
October 7 Breakfast Briefing - The Legislative Agenda in Harrisburg: Where’s the REAL focus?
The PA legislative agenda – controlled by certain Republicans – was just released and here’s what’s on it:
- Masks
- Vaccines
- Voting integrity
One thing these topics have in common — building a base for the 2022 election and making the issues about individual rights rather than addressing the issues that matter most!
On October 7, 2021 Represent PA was joined by Donna Cooper, Executive Director of Children First, as well as Rep. Mary Isaacson (HD-175, Philadelphia). They shared their ideas about this upcoming agenda, what legislation and support they’d like to see from Harrisburg and their ideas for how the state legislature should be focusing its energy and efforts.
September 15 Breakfast Briefing - How to talk about Critical Race Theory
On September 15, 2021 Represent PA hosted a discussion with special guest Rep. Donna Bullock (HD-195, Philadelphia) to teach our voters, donors and supporters how to talk about important issues – in this case, critical race theory: Why you shouldn’t be afraid to discuss it and how to talk to your friends to make sure they are on the right side of history.
Rep. Bullock explains the Republican-sponsored bill, H.B. 1532, to prohibit the teaching of CRT, and how it’s being twisted by those who seem not to understand it or who want to push a false narrative to further their agenda. Listen in to get a better understanding of CRT, and how it’s been turned into a distraction from the true problems plaguing our Pennsylvania public schools.
August 31 Breakfast Briefing - Hitting the trails again: Hear from two 2020 candidates
On August 31, 2021 Represent PA facilitated a discussion with Deb Ciamacca and Lissa Geiger Shulman, two of Represent PA’s previously endorsed candidates from 2020, as they discussed their 2020 races and how they are planning for upcoming challenges in 2022 as they prepare to hit the trails again.
Ciamacca and Shulman are both gearing up for the next election cycle (barring any redistricting changes). Tune in and learn more about the races they face as they look ahead to 2022, as well as a chance to hear from the candidates about what they learned from running in 2020.
August 23 Breakfast Briefing - Our state legislature is failing us
Represent PA’s Executive Team discussed several major issues facing Pennsylvanians today.
In all major measures, Pennsylvania received failing grades in the quality of the environment, education, healthcare, gun safety and so many others. Tune in to hear the Represent PA Executive Team talk about these measures and what is at stake in the 2022 elections.
July 23 Breakfast Briefing - The fight to save reproductive freedom
Listen in to hear from co-authors Kathryn Kolbert and Julie F. Kay of a new book called Controlling Women: What we must do now to save reproductive freedom.
Listen in to learn more about the fight to save reproductive freedom.
July 8 Breakfast Briefing - The environment and environmental justice
On July 8, 2021 Represent PA was joined by Sen. Carolyn Comitta (SD-19, Chester) and Sen. Amanda Cappelletti (SD-17, Delaware/Montgomery) for a discussion about the environment and environmental justice. They delivered a tutorial on current environmental issues, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and why Pennsylvania needs to be involved.
Listen in to learn more about important environmental issues affecting everyone.
June 3 Breakfast Briefing - Hear from the new head of the PA HDCC
Tune in for an opportunity to hear from Rep. Leanne Krueger (HD-161, Delaware), chair of the House Democratic Campaign Committee, and newly hired Trevor Southerland, the new Executive Director of the Pennsylvania House Democratic Campaign Committee.
Trevor was previously the Executive Director of the Virginia House Democratic Caucus during the 2019 campaign, when Democrats took a majority in Virginia for the first time in 20 years, picking up 6 seats.
May 6 Breakfast Briefing - A conversation with Congresswoman Dean (PA-04)
Represent PA hosted Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (PA-04, Berks/Montgomery) to hear about the transition from working in the PA legislature to working in the US Congress, and how Pennsylvania’s major issues are being addressed at the Federal level.
April 30 Breakfast Briefing - Water as a Political Issue
Represent PA was joined by Sen. Katie Muth (SD-44, Berks/Chester/Montgomery) and Rep. Danielle Friel Otten (HD-155, Chester) to discuss how our precious water sources in Pennsylvania have become a battleground for politicians.
Tune in to hear how our legislators will will hold our corporations accountable and work to introduce bills to keep Pennsylvania healthy and beautiful for all.
April 12 Breakfast Briefing - Voting Rights and Voter Activism
Tune in to hear Rep. Margo Davidson (HD-164, Delaware), the Minority Chair of the State Government Committee of the House, and Nancy Kleinberg, an activist in all things concerned with getting out the vote, discuss current laws and the Republican battle to roll back voter advances.
March 31 Breakfast Briefing - The State of Women's Health in PA
Tune in to hear a discussion hosted by Represent PA about women’s health in Pennsylvania and how we could improve it and make it more equitable.
This briefing features Dr. Ann Honebrink, OB-GYN with Penn Medicine, a member of the Philadelphia Maternal Mortality Review Committee who been involved in advocacy for women’s health issues at the state and national level, alongside Rep. Morgan Cephas, HD-192 (Philadelphia), who currently leads the House Democratic Caucus’s efforts on women’s health.
March 18 Breakfast Briefing - Economic Justice: Equal Pay for Women
Represent PA was joined by three powerhouse legislators — Rep. Donna Bullock (HD-195, Philadelphia), Rep. Jennifer O’Mara (HD-165, Delaware) and Rep. Melissa Shusterman (HD-157, Chester) — who want to ensure that all of us can earn a good living and live with dignity, no exceptions, even when corporations have historically paid women less than white men for the same work.
Hear these legislators discuss this new legislation, focused on prohibiting discriminatory gender-based pay, placing new penalties on employers using such discriminatory wage practices.
March 10 Breakfast Briefing - Judicial Elections
There are Pennsylvania Judicial races in 2021. While Represent PA does not endorse in judicial races, we will continue to provide civics education for Pennsylvania Voters through our Breakfast Briefing series.
Hear from Judge Federica Messiah-Jackson, who formerly served on the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, and Deborah Gross, who served on the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention and currently acts as an investigator for them, to learn about the various levels of courts and the cases they discuss.
February 9 Breakfast Briefing - Disinformation
Represent PA featured Bridget Todd, Communication Director for UltraViolet, to discuss disinformation campaigns targeting women candidates and electeds.
She shared her insights about disinformation campaigns and potential strategies to counteract these hurtful campaigns, helping educate viewers about how to be activists.
January 25 Breakfast Briefing - Setting policy for progress: A Democratic view
Represent PA featured Sen. Katie Muth (SD-44, Berks/Chester/Montgomery) and Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (HD-184, Philadelphia) to discuss Democratic policy priorities for 2021-2022 and what’s at stake in PA if these priorities don’t get the attention they need.
Sen. Muth is the chair of the Policy Committee of the Democratic Caucus and Rep. Fiedler is the head of the Progressive Caucus Policy Committee for the House. Both leaders are endorsees of Represent PA.
January 14 Breakfast Briefing - How women fared in 2020
During this Breakfast Briefing, Represent PA hosted Kelly Dittmar, Associate Professor of Political Science, Rutgers-Camden and Director of Research at the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP).
She shared her insights and data about how women fared in the 2020 elections.
January 8 Breakfast Briefing - Judicial District Gerrymandering
Represent PA hosted a public education program about judicial districts with Carol Kuniholm, Chair of Fair Districts PA (FDPA), and Deborah Gross, President of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts.
Tune in to hear the discussion on how the judicial district amendment undermines constitutional checks and balances among our branches of state government and opens the door to a new, unprecedented version of gerrymandering.
December 17 Breakfast Briefing - Election Results 2020
Represent PA hosted Gwen Camp, Election Security Consultant and former member of the Obama Administration, as she “raised the curtain” on some theories about what happened to our state races. She was joined by Reesa Kossoff, Executive Director, SEIU PA State Council, a veteran of major races in Pennsylvania and nationally, who is currently a state-wide leader in voting rights and turn out.
September 23 Breakfast Briefing -Election Security
For this breakfast briefing, Represent PA was joined by Gwen Camp, voting rights activist and former member of the Obama Administration, and Rep. Wendy Ullman (HD-143, Bucks) to discuss what Harrisburg must do to provide secure elections across the state and how the legislature supports or doesn’t support fair and safe elections.
September 11 Breakfast Briefing - Gun Safety Laws in PA
During this breakfast Briefing, Christian Soltysiak, Managing Director of CeaseFire PA, and Rep. Donna Bullock (HD-195, Philadelphia) discuss gun violence, school shooter drills and why these issues aren’t being addressed in the state legislature.
Tune in to hear personal accounts of how the lack of action in Harrisburg is affecting lives.
August 28 Breakfast Briefing - LGBTQ+ Rights and Equality in PA
Tune into to hear from Anne Wakabayashi, Chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, Ciora Thomas, founder and President of SisTers PGH, and Jessica Benham, candidate for HD-36 (Allegheny), discuss what PA needs to ensure equity for all members of the LGBTQ+ community, including laws and regulations.
August 11 Breakfast Briefing - Abortion Access in PA
This briefing featured Elicia Gonzales, Executive Director of the Women’s Medical Fund, who spoke about access to abortion for all women in Pennsylvania.
She was joined by Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (HD-184, Philadelphia) who talked about the debates on abortion legislation in the House, as well as what Pennsylvania abortion access could look like if we flipped the legislature in November.
July 31 Breakfast Briefing - Fracking in PA
At this Breakfast Briefing, Represent PA was joined by Katie Blume, the Political Director for Conservation Voters of PA, and Sen. Katie Muth (SD-44, (Berks/Chester/Montgomery), to discuss how Pennsylvania fails its residents in terms of environmental protections and how the issue of fracking is addressed in the State Senate.
Tune in to hear the lively conversation.
July 16 Breakfast Briefing - Policing in PA
During this Breakfast Briefing, Represent PA was joined by Rep. Joanna McClinton (HD-191, Delaware/Philadelphia), who is the first African-American and the first woman elected as the House Democratic Caucus Chair for 2019-2020.
Rep. McClinton spoke about how the PA legislature is addressing policing and how reform can take place.
July 15 - Pocono Friendraiser
For this event, Executive Director of Represent PA Christine Jacobs was joined by Rep. Danielle Friel Otten (HD-155, Chester) and Claudette Williams, candidate for HD-176 (Monroe), to discuss Represent PA’s effect on Pennsylvania State Legislature and what a difference it will make to be in the majority.
June 30 Breakfast Briefing - A discussion about education in PA
On June 30, Represent PA was joined by Donna Cooper of Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) as well as Sen. Lindsey Williams (SD-38, Allegheny) and Michele Knoll, candidate for HD-44 (Allegheny).
Tune in to hear how education is disproportionately funded across the state of Pennsylvania and how the state legislature attempts to address inadequacy with new funding models.
June 24 - Friendraiser
During this June 24 Friendraiser hosted by Teresa Rodgers, Executive Director Christine Jacobs was joined by Sen. Maria Collett (SD-12, Montgomery) and Rep. Morgan Cephas (HD-192, Philadelphia) to discuss the partisanship the COVID-19 pandemic has caused, as well as the current budget in the PA State Legislature.
June 9 Breakfast Briefing - Primary Election Results
For our June 9 Breakfast Briefing, we invited the leader of the PA House Democratic Campaign Committee, Dena Gleason, and the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, Melanie Rose, along with two newly endorsed candidates: Tara Zrinski, candidate for HD-138 (Northampton) and Joanna Bryn Smith, candidate for HD-120 (Luzerne).
Listen in to hear about how the presidential race will affect races down the ballot, and the chances of flipping the PA Legislature – either the House or the Senate.
May 19 Breakfast Briefing -
Meet the Candidates
On May 19, Represent PA was joined by five of our newly endorsed candidates for a chance to discuss their unique backgrounds and how they plan on applying their practical knowledge to a position in office.
Listen in to hear the lively conversation.
April 21 Breakfast Briefing - State Reach: A Numbers Game
April 21 was the kickoff to our new Breakfast Briefing series, where we offer opportunities to discuss a wide range of diverse topics and become acquainted with our endorsed candidates.
During this Breakfast Briefing, the Executive Director of Represent PA was joined by the Executive Director of Turn PA Blue to discuss our statewide focus, and which districts are flippable in 2020.
April 3 - First Virtual Friendraiser
April 3, 2022 marked Represent PA’s first virtual friendraiser with over 50 participants, featuring guest speakers Rep. Jennifer O’Mara (HD-165, Delaware), Rep. Liz Hanbidge (HD-61, Montgomery) and Rep. Mary Jo Daley (HD-148, Montgomery).
During the call, our Representatives and Executive Director Christine Jacobs discussed state legislation being put forth and how receptive the House is to change, what difference it would make to have a Democratic majority and why Represent PA is important when it comes to running for office.
