Raie Gessesse
Raie Gessesse is a fierce advocate for racial and gender justice through blending her interests in culture, policy & community organizing. In recognition of her community advocacy, she was appointed by former Governor Mark Dayton to serve as a cabinet member on the first-ever Young Women’s Cabinet. In her role, she has worked tirelessly to elevate the voices of young women across the state impacting policy at the local, state, and national level. Currently, she is the Midwest Program Manager for IGNITE National, where she trains young women across the region to run for elected office.
Making Power Moves: Young Women’s Political Leadership Training Program
This project will convene 15-20 young women in a six-month immersive cohort-based program featuring trainings revolving around political literacy while including a variety of personal development trainings to activate public leadership. The aim of this project is to sharpen young women’s understanding of politics and government, and prepare them to leverage their personal experiences for elected office. To this end, this fellowship experience will seamlessly blend trainings on building their personal narratives, personal brands, and leadership skills to elevate their collective ability to shape their political environments. This will be a transformative opportunity to equip young women to activate their political power and organize for long-lasting systemic change in Saint Paul.