About Us

Our Mission

To increase the number of Democratic women leaders from diverse backgrounds in public office through recruitment, training and providing a powerful network.

Who We Are

Emerge Tennessee is changing the face of politics by recruiting, training and providing a powerful network for Democratic women who want to run for office.

We offer the only in-depth 70-hour training program that provides aspiring women leaders with cutting-edge tools and training to run for elected office and elevate themselves in our political system.

Our program’s trainers are comprised of an elite team of campaign consultants, advisors and staff from all over the country, who have been involved in some of the most successful campaigns and initiatives seen in recent election cycles. Participants learn from these experts and develop practical knowledge in areas such as public speaking, fundraising, campaign strategy, voter contact, media and messaging and others. Candidates also meet an array of dynamic women who hold elected and appointed office and become a part of a supportive network, which includes a national, state, and local Emerge alumnae, and the Emerge Cabinet.

Emerge

Emerge Tennessee was organized in the fall of 2016. In early spring of 2017, the organization hired its first Executive Director and began its first cohort in March. The first cohort trained and graduated 24 women. The fall 2017/spring 2018 cohort trained and graduated 26 women. In the spring of 2018 Emerge Tennessee held its first inaugural boot camp and trained 13 women.

Why Women?

• Studies have shown women in elected office overwhelmingly support and push forward democratic principles like equality and fairness.
• When women hold public office they are more actively involved in a variety of gender-salient issue areas, including healthcare, the economy, education and the environment.
• Women legislators are more responsive to constituents, value cooperation over hierarchical power and find ways to engineer solutions in situations where men have trouble finding common ground.