Across the country, women of immigrant backgrounds are winning elections, building power and reshaping democracy from the ground up.
This essay is part of an ongoing Gender & Democracy series, presented in partnership with Groundswell Fund and Groundswell Action Fund, highlighting the work of Groundswell partners advancing inclusive democracy. You’ll find stories, reflections and accomplishments—told in their own words—by grassroots leaders, women of color, Indigenous women, and trans and gender-expansive people supported by Groundswell. By amplifying these voices—their solutions, communities, challenges and victories—our shared goal is to show how intersectional organizing strengthens democracy.
Running for office in the United States has never been an even playing field. Women face steep hurdles, including misogyny, difficulties raising money and building political networks, and shouldering the demands of family and work. On top of that, immigrant and New American women often face increased barriers, contending with racism, xenophobia and constant doubts about whether they “fit the image” of a politician.
Men are usually assumed to be qualified. Women have to prove it—over and over again.
At New American Leaders (NAL), we prepare women to anticipate these double standards and to campaign with confidence and authenticity. NAL is women-led and stands as the only nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in the United States that trains and supports immigrants, children of immigrants and refugees for civic leadership or running for office.
Many New American women candidates—women who are immigrants or refugees themselves, or have at least one parent who was born outside the United States—bring a distinct approach to leadership: one grounded in community relationships, collaborative organizing and lived experience. They may not have the same financial resources or elite networks as traditional candidates, but they run on a foundation rooted in purpose and connection.
Yet despite all of these barriers, when New American women run for office, they win—and win big.
In a 2024 report, New American women had a 71 percent win rate in state legislative general elections. These women are often building campaigns from the ground up in a system that was never built for them, using limited resources creatively and mobilizing support in ways that reflect their own communities. Their authenticity is their strength, not a liability. When we fail to recognize that, we reinforce harmful narratives about who belongs in leadership.
New American women bring fresh energy, new ideas and the lived experience of communities that have long been shut out of decision-making.
Building the Pipeline
The majority of NAL’s program participants are women, and since 2010, we’ve trained more than 1,100 New American women across the country to step into leadership. Programs like Ready to Lead, Ready to Win and Rising to Run give provide these women with the tools, confidence and networks to launch campaigns, or run again after an election loss. And this formula is working, with our alums consistently going from training rooms to giving victory speeches at Election Day parties.
Even those who don’t immediately run for office often step into other forms of civic leadership, such as running campaigns or serving in community organizations. Each one expands the pipeline of women who will change the face of their communities and politics for years to come.
Winning and Leading
New American women are securing victories at higher rates, stepping into leadership and proving that when given a chance, they deliver results that change policy and perception.
Stephanie Chang
Michigan state Sen. Stephanie Chang (District 3) is a proud mom, the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, a social worker, and voting rights organizer, as well as a NAL program alum. She served two terms in the Michigan House of Representatives, then as her party’s floor leader during her first term in the Senate.
Well into her second term, Chang’s record of getting things done for Michiganders speaks for itself. She has passed bipartisan legislation on a range of issues, including sexual assault education and prevention, and reentry services for wrongfully convicted individuals who were exonerated.
Her latest effort is a bipartisan collaboration to solidify a statewide water affordability act and water shut-off protection act. This issue affects an estimated 400,000 Michiganders. Chang is reaching across the aisle to help working-class families at risk of being overdue on their bills, having their water shut off, or having liens placed on their homes.
Elizabeth Velasco
New American women know firsthand what it means to navigate systems that were not designed for them in mind. When they lead, they change those systems for the better.
When state Rep. Elizabeth Velasco won her race for Colorado state representative (District 57), she became the first Mexican-born state representative in Colorado history, the first Latina legislator from the Western Slope, and the first open LGBTQ+ legislator in Western Colorado.
Her accomplishments include increasing funding for community organizations that provide the tools immigrants need to build a life of dignity in Colorado, as well as improving water quality and tenant protections in mobile home parks. HB24-1294 improved equity by requiring important information, such as water boil notices, to be communicated in both English and Spanish.
A Call to Action
Sens. Chang and Velasco are not outliers. When New American women get to office, they deliver, bringing their communities’ realities to the legislature. They know what it’s like to juggle multiple responsibilities, to navigate discrimination, and to build bridges across differences, which is a perspective that leads to real, people-centered results.
In 2025, 13 New American women are running in the general election for state legislatures in New Jersey and Virginia, and many more are running for local elections across the country
To learn more and support the work of New American Leaders, visit newamericanleaders.org.
