In honor of Women’s History Month, Moms Clean Air Force’s Pennsylvania team interviewed PA State Representative Emily Kinkead. She represents part of Pittsburgh and its northern suburbs. We asked Rep. Kinkead about her experience as a female lawmaker in a legislative body dominated by men, what advice she has for other women aspiring to elected office, and what drives her to do this work.
Women account for only about 30% of the General Assembly here in Pennsylvania. How do you navigate that landscape? What recommendations do you have for other women who are thinking of running for office?
I was a woman attorney before I was a woman legislator, so I am very familiar with being in rooms filled with men and working in environments constructed by men, for men. For that reason, I continue to do what I did as a lawyer – put my nose to the grindstone, work hard to demonstrate that I belong in all the places decisions are being made, that I am a good addition to those spaces, and establish myself as a smart and honorable colleague. To any woman thinking about running for office I say, DO IT. Women are far more likely to doubt their qualifications for office or their own electability. You are more qualified and electable than you believe and if you work hard, you can do this. No one I have met has ever regretted running for office – even if they lost. Channel Nike and JUST DO IT!
You do a lot to support policies and legislation that aim to tackle the climate crisis and protect our children from air pollution. What inspires you to do this work?
Those of us in power are merely stewards of our natural resources, of our planet, for future generations. We have a responsibility to make sure that we leave our planet a better place for them than we inherited. I was always raised to leave a place better than I found it – our natural world should be first in this priority.
Is there anything you’d like to highlight here for our 94,000 members throughout Pennsylvania? A proud achievement as a lawmaker or something you’re really hoping to accomplish in your role?
As a new member, I am still finding my feet but I am really enjoying the ability to have conversations with members of my community and take those conversations directly back to Harrisburg to craft legislation that can address concerns raised. To have a direct ability to change people’s lives is awe-inspiring and humbling. I hope I never lose my sense of wonder about this. One thing I have always been passionate about since I first became interested in politics is campaign finance reform and gerrymandering reform. I believe these two reforms would allow all legislators better freedom to vote their conscience and not the demands of wealthy special interests. The ability to help people in the community only grows when we remove the structural impediments that hinder progress.
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Representative Emily Kinkead serves State House District 20 in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Before taking on this role, Kinkead worked as a criminal defense attorney and clerked for the Honorable Judge Michael H. Wojcik of Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court. Prior to law school, she worked in a number of policy and advocacy roles in the Washington, DC area, including at the National Institutes of Health, Common Cause, and L’Arche Greater Washington, DC. Emily holds Bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Political Science from Bloomsburg University of the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
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