Our Candidates
advancing progressive power & policy in key state legislatures
Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (PA State House District 129)
- City Councilwoman of District 6 and City Council President, Reading
- Local entrepreneur and small business owner, recognized as James Hyson Entrepreneur Award from Community First Fund and Business Person of the Year by the Latino Chamber of Commerce.
- Currently serves on the board of directors of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, on the board of Centro Hispano Daniel Torres, as well as on the Reading Muhlenberg CTC Occupational Advisory Committee.
- Dedicated to helping workers and strengthening unions, committed to making it harder for young people to access firearms, and devoted to bridging the wealth gap between school districts
Mitzi Epstein (AZ Senate Legislative District 12)
- currently, AZ State Representative, fighting for great schools, quality jobs, and fiscal responsibility
- former Kyrene School Board member
- small business owner and local employer
- tech professional in the manufacturing and finance industries
- volunteer as a statewide PTA leader, a youth soccer coach, and founder of state and local groups that bring together parents, business and school officials as advocates for children
Darrin Camilleri (MI State Senate District 4)
- serving in the Michigan legislature since 2016 fighting for better education (currently the Democratic Vice-Chair of the Education committee) protecting the environment, and better Labor conditions
- fought for a $39 million overhaul of infrastructure that improved local railroad crossings
- successfully fought to cover the cost of COVID testing and increased benefits for home healthcare workers and first responders
- the first Maltese-American and youngest Latino in the Michigan legislature in 2016
- formerly a high school social studies teacher
- the son and grandson of union auto workers and a first-generation college graduate
Brittney Miller (NV State Assembly District 5)
- serving in the Nevada Assembly since 2016 and fighting for better education, sustainable high quality jobs, gender equity, community policing, Medicaid expansion, and government accountability
- sponsored and successfully passed AB312, requiring the State Board of Education to prescribe class sizes for all grades K-12 and AB423 that enables the Secretary of State the ability to conduct a gender equality survey of businesses in Nevada
- currently a middle school teacher in the Clark County School District
- formerly worked in both the corporate financial sector and the public sector successfully developing and managing programs in the Detroit area funded by the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Labor, State of Michigan Department of Education, Department of Justice, and Department of Health and Human Services
- holds a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice, a Masters of Public Administration and a Masters of Arts in Teaching
- born in Detroit, Michigan to a Black/African-American father and Lebanese-American mother
How We Get Our Candidates
Sister District's national organization identifies states where the state legislative chambers can be flipped blue or have fragile blue majorities. Sister District then offers support to those Democratic candidates who can realistically win a potentially close election for their state legislative seats (see more). Sister District is particularly proud to support women, candidates of color, and other candidates from diverse communities and backgrounds so that we can help build a democracy that reflects the full chorus of American voices. Candidates endorsed by Sister District are then assigned to Sister District chapters across the USA. Chapter volunteers phonebank, fundraise, postcard, and textbank for their candidates.
Since our founding in 2017, SD South Bay has supported numerous compelling leaders, such 2021 VA candidates Debra Gardner, Joshua Cole, and Elizabeth Guzman, and 2020 candidates as Ann Johnson (TX), Amanda White Eagle (WI), Ann Johnson Stewart (MN), Lorenzo Sanchez (TX), Sara Rodriguez (WI), and Nancy Guenst (PA). Our past candidates have included Debra Rodman (VA), Pam Iovino (PA), Tammy Story (CO), Josh Miller (VA), Tammy Savoie (LA), and Faith Winters (CO).
Join us to support these candidates and our mission to bring progressive power to the states!