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).
Enrique Fernández-Toledo, Director of the Puerto Rico Initiative at the Center for American Progress, explained why an accurate death toll from Hurricane Maria took so long to be announced.
Anand Giridharadas, author of "Winners Take All" and a former reporter for the New York Times, believes that the United States' encouragement and support of charitable giving has disenfranchised the working class.
Katie Fox, assistant director for the National Preparedness Directorate at FEMA, joined Cheddar to offer specific ways Americans should prepare for disasters, even if they don't live in hurricane zones.
Natural disasters affected 15 percent of the U.S. population in 2017, often in places unaccustomed to dealing with nature's fury.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
Sen. Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Cheddar he thinks it's a mistake for Google to send only its lawyer to next week's Congressional hearings. He also said Pres. Trump's comments about Google don't make sense.
We break down what primary election results in Flordia and Arizona mean for the upcoming midterm elections. President Trump steps up his criticism of Google and other big tech companies. Amazon is reportedly planning to a launch a free, ad-supported video streaming app. And we sit down with Ash Cash to get his take on why Kanye West might actually have some worthwhile career advice.
Republican Bob Hugin told Cheddar he's challenging Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey for his seat, because he was morally offended by the corruption charges against the current Senator -- Menendez's trial ended in a hung jury. Down by as much as 17 points early in the race, Hugin is now polling within 6 points of his opponent.
Education Sec. Betsy Devos's idea to use federal money to arm teachers is "insane," said Randy Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. "I cannot believe I'm actually talking about this," she said.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
Rep.Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) released a report titled "Earn Less, Pay More," that highlights the cost discrepancies between women's and men's products. She spoke to Cheddar about her findings on Women's Equality Day.
