Our Campaign
Wondering “why now?” and “why Agatha?” Let me introduce myself, get you more excited about this essential race, and tell you why people in San Francisco believe I’m the right one to run.
I’m a 28-year-old Brazilian immigrant and San Franciscan. I was raised by a single mom and our public schools in Miami. I came to the Bay Area to study design and engineering at Stanford, where I’ve lived ever since graduating—I have had family in San Francisco for decades. Unlike conventional candidates, I do not have a house, or kids—but I do have three housemates and a jump-rope. In high school, I was a nationally competitive jump-roper and I continue to double dutch, sharing LED ropes with the community at Oakland First Fridays.
Before quitting my job to run for Congress, I worked at the intersection of technology and democracy with Democracy Earth, and on documentary filmmaking and political advocacy with Emerson Collective. Through this work, I talked to the people least-served by our democracy: indigenous peoples, the incarcerated and paroled, asylum seekers, and the undocumented. After seeing so much unnecessary suffering caused by policies written by establishment politicians, I felt a moral imperative to run for office and change how things are done.
Agatha speaking on a panel about the future of democracy at Manny's
The status quo of our major political parties is to side with corporations over workers, ordinary people, and the environment. It’s no wonder that so many people, especially millennials, don’t vote. Not because they don’t care, but because they don’t see people representing them or acting on their concerns.
Last fall before the midterms, I spent several months traveling across multiple states registering voters and inspiring people to participate in our democracy. Through running for Congress, I hope to mobilize San Francisco millennials and get many more people politically engaged. We desperately need a system representing the 100%, not just the 1%, and that starts with voters recognizing the need for change.
Campaign pre-launch event with friends
SF Women's march
Speaking about the Sunlight on Dark Money Initiative at City Hall
I’m running for Congress because we must act on climate, must reduce systemic inequalities, and must make our representatives reflective of and responsive to the people. These problems keep me up at night, and they've been getting worse for as long as Nancy Pelosi has held office—which is longer than I've been alive.
San Francisco has a powerful legacy of activism, innovation, and rebellion. It’s time for us to reclaim our roots and elect a Congresswoman who will represent the 100%.
–Agatha Bacelar