If there’s anyone Rep. Ruwa Romman of Georgia respects, it’s a Swiftie.
Even before singer Taylor Swift endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, Romman recalls the “Swifties for Kamala” super-group comprised of Swift fans coalescing around Harris as a Presidential candidate – and reaching out to Romman as part of that team-building process. The group ultimately hosted several voter registration drives, and coordinated phone- and text-banking efforts throughout Georgia. “They built an entire community around something, a group where they come together and mobilize.”
That’s the part Romman admires – and it’s what American voters can learn from, she adds. “Never discount community,” she says, “and its ability to create change.”
Romman, who is wrapping her first term representing Georgia’s 97th house district, is now campaigning to keep the job. She and her network of volunteers have been engaging in their own team-building effort, knocking on doors and reaching out by phone and online to constituents since late August.
The federal-level momentum of shifting from President Joe Biden to Harris as a candidate has had other (non-Swift-related) ripple effects in her race, she says. “Ever since [she] became the nominee, there’s been a real change in energy.” That said, American progressivism is suffering from ideological fissures, especially over the war in Gaza, Romman adds. “The reality is that … conflict has put a damper on people’s ability to enthusiastically mobilize.”
A Palestinian-American, Romman has seen firsthand the extent to which disagreement can sew division. She would have been the person chosen to address this year’s Democratic National Convention as a representative of the Uncommitted movement – a group calling for U.S. commitment to a ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestine, and an arms embargo on American funding of Israel’s military efforts – if they had been given a chance to speak.
“[I]n this pain, I’ve … witnessed something profound — a beautiful, multifaith, multiracial and multigenerational coalition rising from despair within our Democratic Party,” her planned speech read. “[W]e’ve stood together, demanding to enforce our laws on friend and foe alike to reach a ceasefire, end the killing of Palestinians, free all the Israeli and Palestinian hostages, and to begin the difficult work of building a path to collective peace and safety.”
In her proposed remarks, Romman continued: “That’s why we are here — members of this Democratic Party committed to equal rights and dignity for all. What we do here echoes around the world.”
While speaking with The Story Exchange, she added that “I’m the only elected Palestinian in the state [of Georgia], and over the past year now, the responsibilities of my job have burst past the boundaries of my district. There’s a whole new layer to everything.” Her first priority is the people of District 97, of course, but she notes that those voters largely “share in [my] values – there’s a reason why they elected me” – and “the hope is that Harris … intends on leading us in a better direction.”
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Romman gets how tricky it is to work in government. “[Being in office] is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done – but I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to do.”
Largely, she and her Democratic cohorts have been on the defensive. In particular, “we were able to stop every single anti-LGBTQ bill this year.” She also fought for the protection of essential services like ambulances, and continues to battle anti-voting rights legislation. She also helped “bring more attention and awareness to the issue of maternal mortality, which has an outsized impact on Black mothers in particular.”
If re-elected, she wants to see her district’s schools properly funded, and “I’m trying to bring common-sense solutions to our [gun violence problem],” including promoting the Safe Storage Act and statewide Red Flag laws. She also has co-sponsored legislation for universal Pre-K programs and prison reform.
Meanwhile, she’s secured endorsements from progressive women candidate PAC Emily’s List, pro-gun control group Moms Demand Action, and Georgia’s Working Families Party. But in addition to going up against Republican leaders and their policy proposals – and dismissals – Romman says she’s also grappling with a different enemy to the greater good, and not just while advocating for Palestinian protection: cynicism. She’s observed a groundswell of fear “that nothing will change. That electoral politics is a dead end. Every outcome planned. Total nihilism.”
She proposes viewing politics through an alternative lens – a Swiftie’s perspective, if you will. “Sometimes, people forget to look at what they’ve built along the way. That coalition can be taken forward – your issue is the future.”
Plus, a vote isn’t the end of a conversation, she notes, but rather the start of one. “Do not allow nihilism to take hold – it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. [The election] is not just about voting; it’s about everything else before and after. How we show up for each other, how we care for each other. How we build political power.” ◼️
