At a time when many marginalized groups are left feeling directionless and underrepresented in politics, one local organization has been quietly training the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders. Founded on the ashes of Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, Reclaim Philadelphia arose to change the face of local politics.
“We wanted to build power locally so that folks can start to see actual impact in their lives about the decisions that get made at a political level,” said Sergio Cea, Reclaim’s Political Director and the first gay man in the role. “We want a world where our communities can thrive and that means we need to continuously take collective action to build that base.”
For nearly a decade, Reclaim has been organizing year-round to build out progressive infrastructure within Philadelphia. Kyra Schwartz, Chair of the Board of Directors of the organization, described it as “a political home for people who want to reclaim the government back from corporations, the MAGA right, and the wealthy few.”
A self-identified queer trans woman who has been out since 2014, Schwartz said she was just trying to live until the Trump administration’s anti-trans healthcare legislation began to pick up speed. She said the organization invested in her when they saw leadership potential that she didn’t yet see in herself, resulting in her decision to enter electoral politics to help build power toward change.
Now as a Democratic Committeeperson in Ward 8, Schwartz uses her experience as a marginalized woman to gain perspective on what others go through when navigating systems riddled with bias. After being forced to leave a specialist’s office during a cancer screening because of her status as a trans person, she’s done a deep dive into what other groups endure.
“I’ve done my research and I know Black women are most likely to receive poor health care and now I’ve seen the potential for that through the lens of my own experience,” she said. “All of our struggles are intertwined.”
Schwartz’s path to politics is one of many LGBTQ+ success stories that have arisen from Reclaim Philadelphia. Two months ago, Reclaim member Andre Carroll won the seat for House District 201 as the second openly gay, Black man to become a state representative in Pennsylvania.
According to Schwartz, Reclaim has trained over 500 leaders, resulting in Wards 1 and 2 of Philadelphia becoming colloquially known as “the Reclaim Wards.” Cea added that Reclaim intentionally supports LGBTQ+ identifying individuals and helps them step into leadership roles “because a lot of us aren’t seen as leaders, and we need to make that space for ourselves.”
“As a queer Philadelphian, I was invested heavily by the organization through leadership development trainings and I was also connected with other queer Philadelphians through the organization,” said Paige Fernandez, a board member of Reclaim Philadelphia who identifies as pansexual. “Most of the LGBTQ+ people I know and am in community with, I’ve met through Reclaim.”
While many progressive movements feel stymied, Reclaim is attempting to galvanize those around it. With an emphasis on local politics, Cea said that the key is in supporting candidates that understand, experience and reflect local values. He also pointed out that down-ballot politicians have personal connections with their constituents and can be held accountable in ways that national politicians cannot.
The sense of excitement that comes with participating in and witnessing measurable change is the point of Reclaim, for Fernandez. Referring to it as “hyper-local organizing” she pointed out that the actions of the organization strengthen relationships between neighbors while empowering individuals to have input on electoral strategies, policy strategies and leadership development.
“Whether it’s as committeepersons, city councilmembers or state representatives, I want folks to start thinking about the elections that happen locally because there are a lot more opportunities for us to have leadership that reflects our values, and who can win,” said Cea. “You don’t need to be a certain type of leader or have a specific resume to join us: you just need to have self-interest, the will for it, and want to do the work with us.”
Reclaim has endorsed local politicians that support and have advocated for the LGBTQ+ community and who focus on issues directly impacting them. From addressing economic issues that affect the working class, to fighting back against the funding cuts for harm-reduction practices in the face of Philadelphia’s growing STI rate, Reclaim is working with the City Council to create new programs to replace the old, underfunded ones.
Cea said that various coalitions have teamed up and are fighting back against the “tough on crime” mentality that plagued the community for decades. While many people have their reasons for supporting this cause, Cea credits his experience with feeling “othered” as a minority for giving him a sympathetic lens through which he can examine issues including housing justice, access to healthcare, gentrification and representation. He isn’t the only one.
“For me, being queer and Black presents an exciting opportunity to engage in all of our work at Reclaim in an intersectional way,” added Fernandez. “I have all these intersecting identities that are affected by the work that we do and the policies we’re advocating for.”
Reclaim will be hosting its next meeting on Nov. 20, with a location to be determined to discuss the next steps for the organization. Newcomers and community members alike are invited to participate. Committeeperson training is ongoing and Reclaim is actively recruiting for its Queer Liberation Caucus.
“Especially in the face of so much hate and vitriol, to have spaces and community where joy and laughter are centered is important,” Fernandez said. “Reclaim, even when serious, makes its spaces as joyful as possible. And I think a lot of that comes from being involved in the queer community and engaging in queer liberation work.”
For more information on Reclaim Philadelphia, visit reclaimphiladelphia.org.
