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Members as Candidates: Aimy Steele

Down Home believes in building power in North Carolina.

In the most recent elections, our members interviewed and endorsed twenty-four candidates running for positions ranging from local school boards to the statehouse. Over a quarter of these candidates were also Down Home members, some of whom will share their experiences in our Members as Candidates series.

A former educator and principal, Aimy is a founding member of Down Home Cabarrus. As a mother of five, she knows firsthand the challenges facing both North Carolinian schools and families. Running a competitive race for NC House 82, Aimy campaigned for meaningful change in both education and the life chances of everyday people.

“I am most proud of the impact we have had on people who were watching the race, who were hopeful, who were motivated to do other things as a result of my race. Inspiring hope within people was truly the fringe benefit of running even if not winning. If we don’t have hope, we have nothing– that is the precipice by which someone starts to deteriorate. Having hope allowed me to see that I was doing something powerful even if we weren’t successful with the vote count … We were able to get our message out to people who have been systematically not included.

 

To run for office, you have to take inventory of your life and get your own self together. This journey is so much more than just running for office, it’s a personal and professional journey and you will learn a lot about yourself. You learn a lot about what you are capable of; about your character, what you can stand, what you will stand, and what you won’t stand for.”

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