(wind blowing and chimes tinkling) (dreamy violin music) [Robin] I think about my ancestors.

I mean, I know you guys fought and fought and fought and you hoped and you do hope that the next generation won't have to.

The world is moving.

It's just that we're... We're not moving at a pace that I would like.

[Rachel] The lenses that are used in this society are still tinted with racism.

There's so much work left to be done.

(Rachel on the phone) All right.

This is where I think we should be.

We should be facing this way and then swing around to that in the background.

Hi, I'm Rachel Willis.

Your candidate for Lansing City Council at Large.

Lansing, Michigan.

It's where I was born and raised.

It's my hometown.

To me, it is more than just the capital city for Michigan.

It is where I know wonderful things can happen.

I love this city and I think- I don't wanna do this take, (laughing) I don't wanna do this take.

I'm just gonna stick to the script.

(wind and rustling leaves) (sweeping cello music) I spend a lot of time thinking about the responsibility of public office.

Working on school board, working as a social worker.

You have to have capacity to make transformative change.

I want to be available and accessible to be a representative.

How do I think we're gonna advance an agenda that looks out for me when there aren't people who look like me in that space?

So this is what we need to do for the remainder of the campaign.

One is canvassing.

[Lorri] There you go Rachel [Brittany] That's a stinky baby [Rachel] Woo.

Her diaper's right- her bags right there.

[Roger] Yeah, and you're right there [Rachel] What?

[Robin] You guys do stuff so different.

Back in the day, we did a lot of phone banking and- [Rachel] My mom, as far as I know, is the first person in my family to run for public office.

She ran for the school board when I would've been in fourth grade My mom would just take me with her.

Like we just went together and I was just exposed to that.

and can you sit with grandmother and watch Baby Shark?

I think that'll be a great- [Robin] can I see it?

(dreamy harp and wind chime music) [Robin] I recall going with my grandpa to vote when they were first allowed to vote and he was so proud and, and at the time he was illiterate so he had to- he marked his name with an ex.

[Rachel] Oh wow.

[Robin] Whatever I'm struggling with right now, I know someone in that's not so long ago that's passed who had a lot worse than me.

Just breathe.

Know that you're not alone.

We are a big city in a little town.

You know, we have access to lawmakers that I didn't see until I came to Lansing.

We can make a difference.

This is such an amazing time.

You know, I grew up in Alabama.

Black-white signs, all of the, you know, you name it.

There's still some places in Alabama that I don't go to as an adult because I couldn't go to as a child.

It's like, you didn't want my money then you're not getting my money now.

This work is not just for me.

It's for any one person who couldn't go through the door.

That's why I'm here doing this work.

So thank you.

My father-in-law, John Lewis, is why we do what we do.

An amazing man, I miss him a lot.

[Robin] He would see something on the news and like, Betty I'm going.

We were like, dad, you don't need to go this time.

Betty, I gotta go.

Gotta go.

We like, oh Lord.

Dad's out picketing, so... [Betty] My husband was into Black history to the hilt.

My house is full of pictures.

In fact, Ramaya says the house is a museum.

[Ramaya] This is my grandfather [Roger] He was known for wearing his dashikis and Afro-centric dress and talk.

Here's a picture of us.

I think I was in high school.

Well, you, you know what would be cool is we have to get Rachel's pictures up here.

We have to add that next generation to the Lewis stairway wall of family photos.

It's funny to know that my dad was interviewed by the newspaper about this wall.

Now here I am standing where he was talking about the wall to you.

That just kind of, that moment just kind of hit me now.

[Ramaya] Definitely learning more about my family.

This is a new experience for me.

[Roger] Yeah.

For Ramaya, she needs to know the history of some of these pictures.

And you know what?

Your picture is not here.

We've got to put your picture up here.

Oh my goodness.

[Ramaya] Which one?

[Roger] So many to choose from.

[Ramaya] There's like, 25 photos of me.

(slow cello music) [Robin] Whether it is your niece or your daughter your neighbors.

The legacy that you leave behind Is what's important.

[Rachel] Mommy's getting ready to do something very important So you gotta stay with daddy, okay?

Yeah, I have to go vote.

Can you say vote?

(Makayla shouts) Say vote [Makayla] Vote [Rachel] Vote!

Say Yay, mommy.

Thank you.

All right.

You want your sticker?

Here you go.

There's your sticker.

My daughter is only two and a half, but the more exposure to strong women of color, the stronger she will be.

None of the female candidates received political action group funds and so they were including myself significantly out-fundraised compared to all of the male candidates.

(light wind chime and harp music) It's my, "I voted" sticker.

I was number 123.

I have to take my selfie.

That's actually not terrible.

Nope, I need to open my eyes, I look tired.

Okay, that's better.

I feel super nervous.

You know, I just think about like my grandpa and...

I don't know.

I just feel a challenge to wanna just be involved with change making.

What's my tolerance level for going four more years of the same old, same old.

We can't do that.

Do you want me to show you how this works [Ramaya] Sure [Rachel] This is a report that publishes online.

This is how many registered voters.

[Ramaya] One hundred thousand- [Rachel] One hundred twenty two thousand one hundred forty two.

[Ramaya] That's a lot of voters.

[Rachel] Yeah.

So this is what we're waiting for.

We're waiting for them to tell us how many people voted for TT.

So I'm city council at large.

Two people on this list are gonna win and two people are not going to win.

(pool balls crack) We're At 3% of the votes and I'm still in third place.

[Robin] This is, we didn't have this 10 years ago.

[Rachel] Right You had to call the clerk.

[Robin] Oh girl, please.

I think we had an abacus.

There was not an abacus.

[Robin] Proud of you, Rachel.

[Rachel] Thank you.

You guys get home Yes I did.

All right.

Your wife keeps calling me.

Bye.

(soft wind blowing) [Rachel] After the election I mean, of course I was disappointed.

The community had an opportunity to consider a ballot that was 50% female and then voted in zero females in the city.

What happened when they looked at all of these Black female candidates?

None of us were good enough?

None of us ranked?

We'll call daddy and ask him to look in the car for your other glove.

Okay, baby.

Okay.

(Makayla vocalizing) I know, mommy will find it.

It's my responsibility to do a better job.

Saying that being a Black woman in politics is something of significance.

Daddy (Makayla's beads click) Would these things have necessarily change the outcome?

Maybe not, but would I have felt better about the outcome knowing that I had hit on these things?

(chopping) That's what keeps me up at night (mournful violin music) (background Zoom call chatter) [Rachel] That bias that has driven our cultural norms within the district is going to take a lot of disrupting.

I just have to keep reminding myself we didn't get here overnight.

It's not gonna go away overnight.

We said we wanted to do a comprehensive equity audit.

That's what we're doing.

We said we wanted to develop a plan to support black students regarding their wellbeing.

How do we keep people understanding the importance of this?

(hopeful string music) [Robin] It is exhausting, but the work continues.

You dust yourself off.

You look to be that voice.

[Rachel] All right, ready?

(Rachel screaming) Help!

[Rachel] I want her to know that the sky is the limit.

The sky and beyond are the limit for her.

(string music continues)