Running for Congress: A Conversation with Jasmine Beach-Ferrara

Captured in NC District 11 in Asheville, North Carolina, USA — settings: Camera: ILCE-9, focal length: 44mm, SS: 1/200, Aperture: f/4, ISO: 400, Flash: off — by Kevin Lowery

We sat down with Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, a minister, mother of 3, and County Commissioner who is running against Madison Cawthorn in North Carolina’s 11th district. If elected in 2022, Jasmine would be the first LGBTQ+ person in Congress from North Carolina. Jasmine also started the Campaign for Southern Equality, a non profit organization that supports LGBTQ+ people across the South.

Jasmine talked to us about her love for local government. Being that she has been a County Commissioner since 2016, Jasmine has been able to work on policy issues that are administered through counties. To Jasmine, these are some of the most dynamic policy issues out there! For instance, Jasmine gets to spend a lot of her time working to expand access to early childhood education, respond to the opioid crisis, and on issues relating to criminal justice reform and racial justice.

Jasmine also spoke with us about what it feels like to know that she could become the first LGBTQ+ person to represent North Carolina in Congress. Representation matters and in Jasmine’s eyes, it strengthens and betters our democracy. Check out the entire conversation on our IGTV!