Grace Van Cleave- You’re The Leader You’ve Been Looking For - Episode 116

Sign up for the Warrior Women 30 Day Challenge for a discounted price of $39!! https://liz-svatek.mykajabi.com/offers/f6wgqkYX/checkout?coupon_code=IAMLIMITLESS Grace Van Cleave is a small business owner, a community advocate, and a recent candidate for Iowa Senate. Grace ran on a platform to “Give Choice a Voice”, focusing much of her platform on protecting reproductive rights. Although her candidacy ended in defeat, Grace reframed the race to a discussion of abortion rights, a rarity for a first time and candidate, and is now described as “poised to lead the urgent Iowa fight over reproductive rights.” Grace and I talk about why she decided to run for office, how she started her own styling business, and what we need to do next to protect our reproductive rights. Connect with Grace: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracevancleave/ FB https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063795384562 Twitter: www.twitter.com/gracevancleave Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-van-cleave-22a4024/ Website: www.amazinggracestyling.com www.graceforiowa.com Guest Bio: Grace Van Cleave is a small business owner, a community advocate, and a recent candidate for Iowa Senate District 17. Knowing cases restricting abortion rights were being heard before the US Supreme Court and the Iowa Supreme court, Grace ran on a platform to “Give Choice a Voice”, focusing much of her platform on protecting reproductive rights in the face of Roe v. Wade being overturned. While powerful Democrats at the state and national level advised her to not speak about abortion on the campaign trail, she broke Iowa fundraising records, having out-raised her opponent by more than 2-1, and earned endorsements from Run for Something, Our Revolution Iowa, Iowa Unity Coalition, former Lt. Governor Patty Judge, and various other Democratic activists and former elected officials. Although her candidacy ended in defeat, Grace reframed the race to a discussion of abortion rights, a rarity for a first time and candidate, and is now described as “poised to lead the urgent Iowa fight over reproductive rights.” After graduating with a degree in Political Science from Kenyon College, Grace dedicated her early professional life to helping elect Democrats in Iowa and across the country. She has worked for organizations such as EMILY’s List, America Votes, the Democratic Governors Association and served as a Finance staffer for USDA Secretary and Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. After her political career, Grace at the time became the youngest executive leader at Stella & Dot and founded her own personal styling company, Amazing Grace Styling, which specializes in styling women entrepreneurs around the world. She resides in Des Moines with her partner John and their two redheaded rescue dachshunds, Maggie and Molly.