Chair of the Newfane Democratic Committee and Founder of the Southern Vermont Dance Festival, Brenda Siegel of Newfane, VT, will be running in the Democratic primaries for Governor of Vermont this August 11, 2020.

2020 Elections Initiative

The VCWA, an independent, non-partisan, and apolitical non-profit, is working to raise awareness, education, and voter participation in the upcoming primaries through our 2020 Elections Initiative. The views and opinions expressed are those of the candidate and do not necessarily reflect the VCWA’s position, nor is this initiative an endorsement for any candidate

As an organization we want to encourage citizens of all ages and backgrounds to make their voices heard by voting in the August 11th primaries. As a result, we asked Governor and Lieutenant Governor candidates four interview questions relating to leadership style, platform, and their vision for Vermont. Our objective is to help future voters feel confident and secure in the votes they cast. The questions we selected will provide voters with a well rounded understanding of each candidate.

To learn more click here!

Brenda Siegel

How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a“favorite failure”?

As a low income person and a single mom, I have experienced a lot of perceived failure. When I look back at all the moments that felt like failure, I now see them as success. I was faced with challenge after challenge in a world that is not designed to help families like mine get out of hardship. Each and every time, I turned that adversity into action.

I took the loss of all my belongings in Tropical Storm Irene and turned it into a large economic driver for my community. I took the loss of my brother and nephew and used it to fight for change for people with mental health crisis and substance use disorder. I have taken my experience of poverty and told my story, even when my voice shook.

I don't think I have a favorite failure, I am as strong as I am because I had to redefine success. I believe in the power of building community because of the pain I have experienced. I know that together we can make change and that is because of the life that I have had.

What strategies have you used to respond to diversity and equity challenges in the past? How will you apply these strategies to engage with the Black Lives Matter movement in Vermont?

In my work in my own community and across the state, I have engaged with organizations and POC leaders and organizers to help initiate and push forward diversity and inclusion initiatives. Showing up and supporting efforts to demand change, as well as engaging with our elected leaders and stakeholders to listen, learn and act on systems that need to be pulled apart and rebuilt.

I will apply an inside outside approach to my role as Lieutenant Governor, to both learn from, react with and be willing to do the work in partnership with groups like Black Lives Matter Vermont. Now is the time for white people to be willing to do the work to make meaningful change. From the office of Lieutenant Governor, I will use my platform not only to push forward important systemic change, but also to step back from the microphone and elevate stories and voices that are more needed than my own.

In the last five years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your life? How will you apply this to strengthen your vision as the Lieutenant Governor or Governor of Vermont?

Over the last five years or so, I have begun to walk into my work, ready to be vulnerable. As a community leader and a small business owner, I have often felt that I need to hide that part of myself. However, I have learned over the last many years that the vulnerability and humility both, allow us to fight harder for change. In order to be able to do this work, we have be willing to be wrong, be vulnerable and grow from these places.

As Lieutenant Governor, I will commit to work with on the ground organizations to build in a stronger and more powerful union so that we can push forward important policy. The purpose of vulnerability is to open ourselves up to learning. I am grateful to build that partnership and help others to step into their own leadership so that we can have more people who have experienced poverty, more black and brown voices, more immigrant voices, more indigenous voices, more single parents, more lgbtqia voices in elected office, as well as other leadership roles around the state.

VCWA’s motto is, "Bringing Vermont to the world and the world to Vermont". What do you believe Vermont’s primary role is in engaging in an interconnected world? What can Vermont contribute to the world that other states or countries cannot?

This is our moment for meaningful change and that includes an expectation that Vermont is not only a welcoming and equitable place, but that we respect the cultures and experiences of people who live and visit our state is essential not only to migrant workers, immigrants and others but also to all Vermonters.

We have the opportunity to lead in how we engage the interconnected world inside Vermont. This should include robust efforts to diversify our work places, our nonprofits and our state government, including leadership roles in our administrations.

In addition, we must end all contracts that we have with ICE that perpetuate the damage that they are doing to our communities.

We need to build a strong green economy. As a small state, we have the opportunity to take Bold Climate Action and lead the country and world. We can build an overarching frame work that brings together climate justice with economic and racial justice and ensure that our migrant workers and immigrant communities are part of the process. We are positioned to lead on this issue because of our size and because we have the support on the ground to do just that.

Vermont is chalk full of resources like, arts, recreation and agriculture that are ripe for building our rural communities. However we need to harness this particular moment for change.

Elections 2020 Initiative: Brenda Siegel