EMERGE NEW JERSEY KICKS OFF ITS SECOND YEAR OF TRAINING ON POLITICS

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ, (May 5, 2015) – Emerge New Jersey, the premier political training organization dedicated to giving Democratic women who want to run for office the necessary skills to win, is pleased to announce that after a rigorous application process, 11 women from throughout New Jersey were selected to participate in the second training class—Politics 101 in NJ-that will run for six months.

This comprehensive training includes sessions ranging in topic from public speaking to campaign strategy and fundraising. “Emerge makes a long-term investment in candidates by building their leadership skills, providing campaign training, and building a network of Democratic women to help them run for – and win – elected office. We are building the bench of qualified democratic women.” explains Emerge New Jersey’s Executive Director Karen Hartshorn Hilton.

The women who were selected are as follows: Dorcas Adekunle, Long Branch; Dini Ajmani, Short Hills; Cynthia Atkins, Roselle; Brenda Brathwaite, Absecon; Allixon Collazos Gill, Montclair; Denalerie Johnson Faniel, PhD, Lawrenceville; Emily Manz, Newark; Nadia Moses, East Orange; Shante Palmer, Montclair; Grace Strom Power, Princeton Junction; and Jazmine Sandifer, Roselle. Each woman chosen comes to Emerge New Jersey with unique qualifications and skills. After receiving their training, these women will change the face of politics by gaining greater representation in government in their local communities, as well as on the state level and beyond. Last year, a third of Emerge New Jersey’s first class ran for office and two of the women won.

Shifting the Paradigm in New Jersey Politics

Throughout the course of the program, the 11 program members are trained on how to effectively communicate their message and unique political views. The course also focuses on the fundamentals of campaigning, including fundraising, filing to run for office, understanding key constituency groups, and gaining endorsements. Other aspects include the importance of diversity and the structure of the Democratic Party in New Jersey. The final few sessions focus on refining a campaign plan, recruiting and effectively managing volunteers and ethical leadership within a campaign. “By the end of the program, our candidates will have the knowledge and practical experience to apply the lessons from Emerge New Jersey to their political careers,” Hilton said.

Emerge New Jersey is one of 14 states in the Emerge America network that boasts remarkable results: 43% of the program’s graduates have run for office with a 50% success rate. The underrepresentation of women is especially prominent in the state of New Jersey. In the 235 years since its statehood, New Jersey has only elected three Democratic Congresswomen, no female Democratic US Senators, and no Democratic women have won New Jersey governor.

“New Jersey has made significant strides in recent years at the state legislative level, where we’re now 11th in the country for women’s representation,” noted Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, director Debbie Walsh. “Unfortunately, at the county and municipal levels, women are still largely missing from the picture. To have reasonable balance at the county and local levels, more women must run, and both parties must do their part to create government that better reflects the population.”

About Emerge New Jersey

Emerge New Jersey is the premier political leadership training organization for Democratic women in the State. Our mission is simple: inspire women to run and hone their skills to win. Our goal is clear: to increase the number of Democratic women holding elected positions in New Jersey at all levels of government. To learn more about us, visit www.emergenj.org.