Helen Gym is up for this year’s Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award
April 14, 2017 Category: Purpose, ShortAs Philadelphia’s first Asian American woman to be elected to City Council in 2015, Councilwoman Helen Gym has since become an active voice for women’s rights, education, Planned Parenthood, immigrants and most recently, Philly’s eviction crisis.
In recognition of her service, Gym was recently selected as one of six nominees for the 2017 Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award from EMILY’s List, a political action committee dedicated to bringing more pro-choice Democratic women to public office.
It’s actually very in line with the work coming out of Emerge Pennsylvania and its executive director Anne Wakabayashi, who said “women make great candidates.”
According to the website, the award, which was started in 2014, “honors a woman who demonstrates the sort of commitment to community, dedication to women and families, and determination and civility that have been the highlights of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ career, in and out of office.”
Incredible leadership from Cristina, @lambtacos & immigrant workers in #Philly. #Resistance #PhillyResistance https://t.co/7A0F0U9LNm
— Helen Gym (@HelenGymAtLarge) April 12, 2017
Last year, PA state representative Leanne Krueger-Braneky, the first woman elected to the state’s 161st District, was nominated for the award.
You can vote here for who you think should win the award.