Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2026 - Melat Kiros, Colorado's 1st Congressional District

The group Justice Democrats is a progressive campaign finance reform organization that endorses candidates who refuse to accept donations from corporate PACs and lobbyists. This year, they are primarily running in states like New York, California, and Illinois, but one endorsed candidate is running in Colorado: Melat Kiros (she/her), a Gen Z former attorney. Melat was born in Ethiopia and immigrated with her family to the United States at the start of the Ethiopian-Eritrean War. In the middle of this campaign for US Congress, she is also working on a PhD in Public Affairs. A one-time barista who worried about making rent, Melat has first-hand experience as a working-class woman and brings that experience to her campaign, which is centered on Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, getting big money out of politics, housing as a human right, and holding AI companies accountable before they eliminate entire workforces without a safety net.

Editor's Pick, SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 58, zIssue 58.2Andrew FJune 22, 2026socialist, Black, blackgirlmagic, lawyer, election 2026, 2026 electionComment

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2026 - Stanford Fraser, Maryland House of Delegates District 24

Stanford Fraser (he/him), a Black millennial public defender. A graduate of Howard University in Washington, DC and Harvard Law School, Stanford is a die-hard Game of Thrones fan and Pokemon card collector. He has testified to the state government regarding legislation to ban no-knock warrants, require body cameras for police, and decriminalize drug possession. A former Amnesty International volunteer, he organized area college students and led protests to abolish Maryland’s death penalty, which Maryland did that same year. Today, Stanford’s platform rests on the pillars of criminal justice reform, overhauling healthcare, and lowering utility bills for Prince George’s residents.

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 58, zIssue 58.2Andrew FJune 19, 2026Black, lawyer, Maryland, election 2026, gameofthrones, decriminalizeComment

The Importance of Social Wellness: Why We Need Community Now More Than Ever

Despite our dependence on cellphones and social media, many people are feeling lonelier and more disconnected than ever. In a technology-driven world, real social connections can feel rare. But your social wellness matters more than you realize. Here are some ways you can build community and meaningful connections.

Wellness, zIssue 58, zIssue 58.2Cora GoldJune 18, 2026community, volunteering, connections, social wellnessComment

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2026 - David Orkin, New York State Assembly District 38

David Orkin (he/him), a gay millennial immigrant workers’ rights attorney and union organizer, is running as a Democratic Socialist to unseat Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, a close political ally of former NYC mayor Eric Adams. David has dedicated his life to the immigrant rights, and labor solidarity movements, working in migrant shelters in Mexico, in the desert and detention centers of Arizona, with people fighting deportations, and with workers organizing in Queens. He is centering his campaign around affordable rent, healthcare and childcare, and abolishing ICE.

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 58, zIssue 58.2Andrew FJune 17, 2026democratic socialism, democratic socialist, gay, LGBTQ, #immigrants, unionComment