A young lawyer, Melat Kiros, has lost her job for speaking out against the Israeli government's actions in Gaza, but now she's running to Congress to bring about change. In a recent interview with The Intercept, Kiros recounted how watching colleagues like Rep. Jamaal Bowman and Rep. Cori Bush lose their races fueled her desire to take on the establishment.
Kiros, 28, is from Ethiopia and has a personal connection to the struggles of marginalized communities. Her hometown of Tigray was ravaged by genocide, which she witnessed firsthand. This experience motivated her to speak out against the Israeli government's actions in Gaza, where thousands have been killed or displaced.
Speaking with The Intercept, Kiros stated that there is no true freedom of expression when someone can lose their job for criticizing basic human rights. Her own experience was a testament to this, after she wrote a post on Medium criticizing law firms and corporations that supported the Israeli government's actions in Gaza.
Kiros is now running for Congress to challenge the nearly three-decade incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette. In her campaign, Kiros has highlighted her focus on issues such as Medicare for All, affordable housing, and universal childcare. However, it seems that while Kiros is gaining momentum with Justice Democrats' endorsement, she faces stiff competition from the more established politician.
A recent analysis of FEC filings shows that Kiros has raised about $125,000 so far this year, a small fraction compared to DeGette's nearly half-million-dollar fundraising advantage. However, it seems that most of her funds come from over 2,300 individual donors with an average donation of just $47.
Kiros is also challenging DeGette on the issue of U.S. military aid to Israel and has called for an end to such funding as part of her campaign platform. She believes that Democrats should take a stronger stance against human rights abuses in Gaza rather than simply voting for more aid, as DeGette did earlier this year.
Kiros' message is clear: it's not enough to just vote the right way; one must stand up and fight for what they believe in.
Kiros, 28, is from Ethiopia and has a personal connection to the struggles of marginalized communities. Her hometown of Tigray was ravaged by genocide, which she witnessed firsthand. This experience motivated her to speak out against the Israeli government's actions in Gaza, where thousands have been killed or displaced.
Speaking with The Intercept, Kiros stated that there is no true freedom of expression when someone can lose their job for criticizing basic human rights. Her own experience was a testament to this, after she wrote a post on Medium criticizing law firms and corporations that supported the Israeli government's actions in Gaza.
Kiros is now running for Congress to challenge the nearly three-decade incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette. In her campaign, Kiros has highlighted her focus on issues such as Medicare for All, affordable housing, and universal childcare. However, it seems that while Kiros is gaining momentum with Justice Democrats' endorsement, she faces stiff competition from the more established politician.
A recent analysis of FEC filings shows that Kiros has raised about $125,000 so far this year, a small fraction compared to DeGette's nearly half-million-dollar fundraising advantage. However, it seems that most of her funds come from over 2,300 individual donors with an average donation of just $47.
Kiros is also challenging DeGette on the issue of U.S. military aid to Israel and has called for an end to such funding as part of her campaign platform. She believes that Democrats should take a stronger stance against human rights abuses in Gaza rather than simply voting for more aid, as DeGette did earlier this year.
Kiros' message is clear: it's not enough to just vote the right way; one must stand up and fight for what they believe in.
and I tried these amazing Ethiopian dishes that reminded me of Melat Kiros' story. I mean, she's from Ethiopia and her experiences with genocide... it's just heartbreaking. Anyway, have you ever been to a good food truck festival? I think the best part is trying all these new flavors and discovering hidden gems 
. Oh, and I saw this really cool Instagram filter that made your face look like a cartoon character 
. Sorry, what were we talking about again?
. Her experience growing up in Ethiopia and witnessing genocide firsthand is a huge motivator for her advocacy work. It's cool to see someone from a marginalized community running for Congress and focusing on issues like Medicare for All and affordable housing 
. However, I think she needs to work on building a stronger fundraising team if she wants to take down Rep. DeGette 
. Still, Kiros' message about standing up for what you believe in is super relatable and inspiring 
.
she's like a breath of fresh air, you know? someone who's actually willing to take risks and speak truth to power. her background is so strong - witnessing genocide firsthand and then having her own voice silenced... that takes courage. i'm rooting for her, but it's not gonna be easy. the system can be tough to crack 
. Most politicians who try to challenge the system end up getting absorbed by it, losing their original message and becoming just another politician 
. It's gonna be a tough sell trying to convince people that you're fighting for human rights while also potentially alienating some of your biggest donors 
. Can't help but think she needs to rethink her strategy and focus on building coalitions instead of just going it alone 
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of more progressive politicians getting involved, but... do we really think Kiros is ready to take on DeGette just yet?
. The time we live in needs people who will challenge the status quo, push boundaries, and demand change 
.
.
. And let me tell you, it's not easy when most people are playing it safe and not rocking the boat 
️. But Kiros is like a spark 
.
Like, yeah, we get it, Kiros has a lot of individual donors, but that's not gonna make a difference when the big corporations are throwing around millions 
! She's literally a real-life superhero, you know? Losin' her job for speakin' out against Israel's actions in Gaza is no joke 
.
!
! Losin her job over speakin out against Israel's gov't actions in Gaza is like, soooo unfair 
. I mean, who needs freedom of speech when they can just get fired for it? 
. She's now runnin to Congress to bring about change & fight for human rights 
. I gotta give her props for puttin her money where her mouth is - she's raised like $125k from 2,300 individual donors 
. And let's be real, taking on Rep. DeGette is no easy feat 
. It's gonna be interesting to see how this plays out, especially with Justice Democrats' backing 
It'll be fascinating to see how her message resonates with voters, especially those who've been marginalized. Can't wait to keep an eye on this campaign! 
. It's time for Democrats to step up and speak out against human rights abuses in Gaza instead of just voting for more funding. I mean, it's not like we haven't seen that same thing happen before, but Kiros is calling for change, and I'm all about it! 
