Shay White is looking to make history in Oklahoma, becoming the first woman -- and the first African-American -- to hold a seat in the state legislature.
She hopes she can use her relatability to her advantage.
“The biggest unifying factor is that I am a voter from my district,” White told Cheddar in an interview. “I live here, I shop here, I worship here, and I contribute here.”
Like her potential constituents, White says, “sometimes I have to make a tough decision [of whether] I buy gasoline or groceries.” She says she wants to provide a voice to working families in her area.
White is one of many women jumping into the electoral fray since 2016’s presidential elections. Nearly 400 are reportedly running for the U.S. House of Representatives this year -- the most in U.S. history -- and 22 are non-incumbent black women.
But White’s campaign has nothing to do with that movement. She told Cheddar she’s wanted to run since age 12.
The twenty-six-year-old elementary school mental health provider has a prevalent presence in her community. Besides being a woman’s rights supporter, the District 77 candidate holds a leadership position within Together Oklahoma, a grassroots education and advocacy group.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-womens-march-to-elected-office).
An emotional President Joe Biden has marked the 100th anniversary of the massacre that wiped out a thriving Black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
China's leaders are easing limits on how many children each couple can have, hoping to counter the rapid aging of Chinese society.
The Supreme Court is leaving in place a $2 billion verdict in favor of women who say they developed ovarian cancer from using Johnson & Johnson talc products.
Senate Republicans have blocked the creation of a bipartisan panel to study the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
Far more Americans are receiving unemployment benefits than the last time the jobless rate was at the current 6.1%.
The world's two largest economies, China and the United States, look to build their own digital currencies even as they look to reign in the private crypto sector.
Excessive sanitizing over COVID-19 fears may actually be harming more than helping. Cheddar explains.
The District of Columbia has sued Amazon, accusing the online retail giant of illegal anticompetitive practices in its treatment of sellers on its platform.
The White House says the United States on Tuesday will reach 50% of American adults fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
The White House says President Joe Biden is awaiting an infrastructure counteroffer from Senate Republicans. But talks are at standstill before a Memorial Day deadline.
