I recently sat down for an interview with Virginia Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome Sears. Here are some standout moments.
Minority conservativism: “I want people to come and ask [minorities] for our vote, to talk to us about the issues. If people always assume that we’re Democrats, then they walk on by us. The country loses because we were not part of the process. It is not good for democracy. This is America. We are about freedom. I can be whoever I want.
“If you want to vote a certain way, vote that way. Be bold. Be brave. There are times when we don’t put signs in our yards because we’re afraid of what the neighbors will say. I understand because I was afraid to put a sign in my yard, but then I said to myself, ‘This is crazy. This is what they do in other countries. We’re not going down that path.’ Other people in America have had to take stands. So, it’s your turn now.”
Inner-city solutions: “Seventy percent of crimes are committed by young black men. We have the highest abortion rate. Incarceration rates among black people is astronomical compared to the greater population. Denzel Washington said, ‘If there are no fathers in the home, the streets become their fathers, the judge becomes their mother, and homes become the prison system.’ When it comes to education, if they’re bored in school, nobody cares, they’re not learning anything, and no opportunities to succeed, society is failing us.
“Where are churches and other houses of worship? We need hearts that care. The government is this big bureaucracy [that can’t do everything]. We need people in our community to adopt children, be mentors, or come alongside a mother or father that are single parents. In Virginia, we have passed legislation where you can get a good job through a leadership certificate program in cybersecurity or medical technology. It doesn’t take a four-year degree. You can go to a community college for free, learn a trade.
“Plumbers are making $80 an hour. Electricians, truck drivers, carpenters. My grandfather grew up during the Depression. He said, ‘A college degree is wonderful, but get a trade.’ That’s what got him through the Depression. So, you can have a good job without having $48,000 that it takes to go to college. We need to stop shaming our children and let them be whatever they want to be. If you have a law degree, and your toilet is not working, you’re going to need a plumber. I had a school superintendent say to me, ‘Winsome, you can get your BA, your MA, and your Ph.D., but after a while, you’re gonna need a J-O-B.'”
Outreach: “You create a commercial, buy time on other folks’ channels, or buy a newspaper ad so you can get your information out. You’re looking for customers. [But] you have to cultivate them, spend money, see what appeals to them. Go find your customers. It’s no different than starting a business.
“As lieutenant governor, my No. 1 duty is to be able to step in as governor. No. 2 is also to preside over the Senate. But then, I hope to be the one who brings people together. So, I’m going to be campaigning for hearts to say we don’t have to be at each other’s throats. Yes, things have been done to us as people, but that’s in the past. We understand all professions have problems and bad apples.”
School Choice: “It’s our tax money. We have Section Eight: rental vouchers. We take public monies and give it to private landlords, do we not? SNAP benefits, vouchers, and ‘grocery stores’ [too]. We don’t tell them, ‘You must use this grocer.’ [Same with] medical. Why can’t we have that in education, which I believe is more foundational? We, as parents, ought to decide where our child goes to school.”
You can watch the full interview with Sears here.
Marc Ang ([email protected]) is a community organizer in Southern California and the founder of Asian Industry B2B. Marc’s book Minority Report will be released in late 2021.
